Guidelines for the Management of Retinopathy of Prematurity, Prevention and Screening - English version - 2021 (Ext 2023)

Introduction

Welcome to the course GUIDELINES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY (ROP), PREVENTION AND SCREENING. The purpose of this e-learning program is for participants to know and put into practice the recommendations for the prevention and screening of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) identified by the Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Retinopathy of prematurity is a potentially serious condition that develops in preterm newborns and that affects developing retinal blood vessels. ROP is the leading cause of avoidable blindness in children, thus every preterm infant at risk should be specifically screened in order to detect ROP and prevent disease progression accordingly, which may result in visual impairment or blindness. The leading cause associated to ROP is oxygen administration with inaccurate monitoring in delivery rooms and neonatal intensive care units.

Purpose of the Course

The purpose of the course is for participants to incorporate the concepts and necessary strategies to properly develop the prevention and management of Retinopathy.

Learning Objectives:

Main Objective

• To raise awareness on the importance of ROP prevention and screening, since it is one of the leading causes of blindness in children.

Specific Objectives

• To identify risk factors and prevent early conditions associated with ROP development in preterm newborns during neonatal care unit stay.
• To review the classification of assessment, development, and evaluation of the recommendations system (in which GRADE assessment is based on) to assess the quality of the set of evidence and to interpret the recommendation reports.
• To learn about the recommendations from the Clinical Practice Guidelines on risk or protective factors for the occurrence of ROP.
• To learn about the recommendations from the Clinical Practice Guidelines on usefulness and conditions of screening for ROP in premature newborns.
• To properly screen for ROP timely in newborns with RO according to the recommendations discussed.

Modules Contents

• How does ROP impact in Latin America?: ROP introduction.
• What is ROP?: ROP definition and causes. Population at risk. Healthcare staff. International classification of ROP.
• How to interpret the recommendations from the CPG: Interpretation of CPG recommendations. Quick adaptation process of the CPG. Other considerations.
• What are the recommendations for the ROP diagnosis and screening?: PICO questions. Question 1: What are the risk or protective factors for the occurrence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)? Question 2: What is the ROP screening technique for use with premature newborns?
• What does the neonatal care unit look like?: Recommendations and good practices on screening, feeding and oxygen administration in neonatal units.
• How to proceed if ROP occurs?: Care required for a premature newborn in connection with ROP.