Developing an affordable smartphone PedCam for comprehensive examination of retinopathy of prematurity

This study aims to develop and validate an affordable smartphone pediatric camera (PedCam) for comprehensive eye examinations of newborns and young children. Diagnosing pediatric eye diseases, such as retinopathy of prematurity, requires adequate examination of the fundus. Existing commercially available widefield imaging systems for pediatric retina evaluation typically provide a limited field of view (FOV) and require pharmacologic dilation. Additionally, the high cost and requirement for trained operators limit their use in telemedicine applications. We have recently developed an affordable smartphone-based pediatric camera that offers a 180° eye angle (126° visual angle) snapshot FOV without requiring pharmacological pupillary dilation. The device uses trans-pars planar illumination to ensure whole retinal illumination. By adjusting the optical axis of the PedCam in relation to the ocular axis, the effective FOV can be increased to 240° eye angle (180° visual angle), enabling comprehensive retinal assessment. This cost-efficient, portable device significantly advances pediatric retinal imaging, improving access to early and accurate diagnosis for rural and underserved regions.