In a Large Healthcare System in the Bronx, Teleretinal Triaging Was Found to Increase Screening and Healthcare Access for an Underserved Population with a High Incidence of T2DM and Retinopathy.

The early treatment of diabetic retinopathy (DR) prevents vision-threatening proliferative retinopathy (PDR) and macular edema (DME). Our study evaluates telemedicine (teleretinal) screening for DR in an inner-city healthcare network with a high ethnic diversity and disease burden. Fundus photographs were obtained and graded in a centralized reading center between 2014 and 2016. Patients with positive screenings were referred to a retina specialist. An analysis of sensitivity and specificity and a subgroup analysis of prevalence, disease severity, and follow-up adherence were conducted. In 2251 patients, the '1-year' and 'Overall' follow-ups were 35.1% and 54.8%, respectively. Severe grading, male gender, and age were associated with better follow-up compliance. The DR, PDR, and DME prevalence was 24.9%, 4.1%, and 5.9%, respectively, and was significantly associated with HbA1c. The sensitivity and specificity for DR, PDR, and DME were 70% and 87%, 87% and 75%, and 37% and 95%, respectively. No prevalence differences were noted between ethnicities. Annual diabetic eye exam adherence increased from 55% to 85% during the study period. Teleretinal triaging is sensitive and specific for DR and improved diabetic eye exam compliance for underserved populations when integrated into large healthcare networks. The adherence to follow-up recommendations was better among older patients and among those with more severe retinopathy.

Routine Ophthalmological Examination Rates in Adults with Sickle Cell Disease Are Low and Must Be Improved.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recommend patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) undergo dilated funduscopic exams (DFE) every 1-2 years to screen for sickle retinopathy. There is a paucity of data on the adherence rate to these guidelines; a retrospective study was performed to evaluate our institution's adherence. A chart review of 842 adults with SCD, seen 3/2017-3/2021 in the Montefiore healthcare system (All Patients), was done. Only about half of All Patients (n = 842) had >1 DFE during the study period (Total Examined Patients, n = 415). The Total Examined Patients were categorized as screening, those without retinopathy (Retinopathy-, n = 199), or follow-up, including individuals previously diagnosed with retinopathy (Retinopathy+, n = 216). Only 40.3% of screening patients (n = 87) had DFE at least biennially. As expected, there was a significant decrease in the average DFE rate of the Total Examined Patients after the COVID-19 pandemic started (13.6%) compared to pre-COVID (29.8%, p < 0.001). Similarly, there was a significant decrease in the screening rate of Retinopathy- patients from 18.6% on average pre-COVID to 6.7% during COVID (p < 0.001). This data shows the sickle retinopathy screening rate is low and innovative approaches may need to be employed to remedy this issue.

Premature infants with gestational age less than 25 weeks require increased ophthalmology resources for retinopathy of prematurity.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear how increasing survival of low gestational age (GA) infants affects ophthalmologic screening and treatment rates for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). This study compared the examination and treatment rates of infants born at GA of <25 weeks and those born at GA of at least 25 weeks. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of patients who met institutional ROP screening criteria and were admitted to two neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) from January 2017 to June 2020. Variables analyzed were GA, birth weight, number of ophthalmology examinations, worst stage of ROP, presence of type 1 ROP, and comorbidities associated with ROP. The χ2, Fisher exact, and two-tailed t tests, as well as univariate and multivariable logistic regression, were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Compared to the GA≥25 group, the GA<25 group had a higher number of total exams (10 vs 4.3 [P < 0.001]), higher average worst stage of ROP (1.4 vs 0.3 [P < 0.001]) and higher rate of type 1 ROP (21% vs 1.4% [P < 0.001]), as well as higher mortality (37% vs 8.11% [P < 0. 001]). Multivariable logistic regression analysis controlling for GA, sepsis, and number of transfusions revealed that only GA was significantly associated with developing type 1 ROP. CONCLUSIONS: Infants with GA <25 weeks had more severe ROP and required significantly more ophthalmologic examinations than GA ≥25. It is important for ROP services to plan for this increased screening load, especially if the number of such lower-weight infants in their NICUs increases.

The Cost-Effectiveness of a Telemedicine Screening Program for Diabetic Retinopathy in New York City.

Background: A telemedicine screening initiative was implemented by the Montefiore Health System to improve access to eyecare for a multi-ethnic, at-risk population of diabetic patients in a largely underserved urban community in the Bronx, New York. This retrospective, cross-sectional analysis evaluates the societal benefit and financial sustainability of this program by analyzing both cost and revenue generation based on current standard Medicare reimbursement rates. Methods: Non-mydriatic fundus cameras were placed in collaboration with a vendor in eight outpatient primary care sites throughout the Montefiore Health Care System, and data was collected between June 2014 and July 2016. Fundus photos were electronically transmitted to a central reading center to be systematically reviewed and coded by faculty ophthalmologists, and patients were subsequently scheduled for ophthalmic evaluation based upon a predetermined treatment algorithm. A retrospective chart review of 2251 patients was performed utilizing our electronic medical record system (Epic Systems, Verona WI). Revenue was projected utilizing standard Medicare rates for our region while societal benefit was calculated using quality adjusted life years (QALY). Results: Of the 2251 patient charts reviewed, 791 patients (35.1%) were seen by Montefiore ophthalmologists within a year of the original screening date. Estimated revenue generated by these visits was $276,800, with the majority from the treatment of retinal disease ($208,535), and the remainder from other ophthalmic conditions detected in the fundus photos ($68,265). There was a societal benefit of 14.66 quality adjusted life years (QALYs) with an estimated value of $35,471/QALY. Conclusion: This telemedicine initiative was successful in identifying many patients with diabetic retinopathy and other ophthalmic conditions who may otherwise not have been formally evaluated. Our analysis demonstrates the program to generate a downstream revenue of nearly $280K with a cost benefit below <50% of the threshold of $100,000/QALY, and therefore cost-effective in marginalized communities.

The time and financial ramifications of providing services for retinopathy of prematurity at a single inner-city institution in the United States: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a sight-threatening disease that requires strict, scheduled screening and timely treatment. Examining infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) confers an added burden for ophthalmologists whose practices are predominantly outpatient. We sought to evaluate the time required for ROP services and to approximate compensation to better understand the implications of providing this crucial service. METHODS: The ROP coordinator tracked the time ophthalmologists spent providing ROP services at two NICUs (2018-2020). Estimated revenue was calculated using Medicaid Current Procedural Terminology codes. Total ophthalmologist time was from NICU arrival to departure; travel time was estimated as 45 minutes. RESULTS: The ophthalmologists cumulatively spent on average 98 and 108 hours yearly for screening only (SO) and screening plus treatment (ST), respectively; this increased to 164 and 181 hours yearly with travel time, respectively. Estimated annual Medicaid physician reimbursements were $15,246 ($156/hour) for SO and $19,184 for ST ($177/hour). Actual annual physician reimbursements were $39,655 ($405/hour) for SO and $53,385 for ST ($492/hour). With travel time, reimbursements decreased by about 40%. A hypothetical full-time ROP practice would generate annual physician salaries of $204,732 for SO and $232,807 for ST. With travel time, this decreases to $122,452 and $139,379, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Performing ROP services requires substantial time, especially when including travel among facilities. This study highlights the extensive requirements for the critical task of decreasing ROP blindness.

Elevated fetal haemoglobin levels are associated with decreased incidence of retinopathy in adults with sickle cell disease.

Among the many vascular complications of sickle cell disease (SCD), retinopathy is the most prevalent and represents a leading cause of blindness. Hydroxycarbamide therapy ameliorates many symptoms of SCD, and high fetal haemoglobin (HbF) levels have been shown to protect against the development of retinopathy in children with HbSS. Its effect on adults with SCD, who are at a much higher risk of developing retinopathy, has not been studied. We aimed to investigate the effect of hydroxycarbamide use and HbF level on sickle cell retinopathy development in adults. We performed a retrospective cross-sectional study and collected demographics, comorbidities, and ocular and haematological data from 300 adult sickle cell subjects examined at the Henkind Eye Institute at Montefiore Medical Center during a 5-year period, from October 2012 to November 2017. The cohort was comprised mainly of Black and Hispanic subjects with all SCD genotypes, aged 18-71 years. Results show that in HbSS patients treated with hydroxycarbamide, those with retinopathy had significantly lower HbF levels compared to patients without retinopathy (P = 0·018). Our study identified the optimal HbF cut-off point for retinopathy protection to be 14·87%. Thus, a HbF level of 15% appears to be the threshold above which the odds for developing retinopathy in SS patients are reduced by 50%.

Associations with retinal vascular occlusions in a diverse, urban population.

PURPOSE: Retinal vascular occlusions can lead to sudden and permanent visual impairment or blindness. Few epidemiological studies on retinal vascular occlusions have been conducted, especially on diverse populations. METHODS: This is a retrospective case-control study of all incident retinal vascular occlusions occurring during a three and one-half year study period at Montefiore Medical Center, capturing all potential cases by diagnosis codes. Patients with retinal venous occlusions (RVO) and retinal arterial occlusions (RAO) were analyzed separately and compared to age-matched control groups. RESULTS: All potential charts (n = 700) were reviewed, confirming 214 RVO and 35 RAO incident cases. In multivariable analyses, RVO was associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (OR 2.41, p < 0.001), history of cerebrovascular accident (OR 2.14, p = 0.011), hypertension (OR 1.83, p = 0.004), glaucoma (OR 6.91, p < 0.001), black race (OR 3.72, p < 0.001), and male gender (OR 2.19 p < 0.001). RAO was significantly associated with current and former smoking combined (OR 8.95, p = 0.021) and male gender (OR 2.56, p = 0.038). CONCLUSION: Cardiovascular risk factors and glaucoma are reaffirmed as significant predictors of retinal vascular occlusions in a diverse patient population. Retinal vascular occlusions are more common in certain races and ethnicities, and further study into this may help identify high-risk individuals based on demographics.

Trends in retinopathy of prematurity over a 5-year period in a racially diverse population.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Retinopathy of prematurity presents differently in developing versus developed countries, which may be due to environmental as well as racial differences. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective chart review of infants screened for ROP at a single neonatal intensive care unit. Risk factors were reviewed. Main outcome measures were rates of plus disease or treatment-requiring ROP by race. RESULTS: The study included 497 infants screened for ROP in an urban neonatal intensive care unit. Gestational age, birth weight, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia were independent risk factors for both plus disease and treatment-requiring ROP with type 3 multivariate analysis. Self-identified white race was also a risk factor for plus disease and treatment-requiring ROP. Race was significantly associated with maternal age, multiple births, and blood transfusions. CONCLUSION: In the study population, white race was an independent risk factor for plus disease and ROP treatment.

A typical bilateral Toxoplasma retinochoroiditis in a bone marrow transplant patient with negative serum titers.

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma retinochoroiditis can have an atypical presentation and be difficult to diagnose in immunocompromised patients. Accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment is important since the disease can be aggressive in these patients. This paper is a case report with literature review, emphasizing on the diagnosis and treatment of Toxoplasma retinochoroiditis. FINDINGS: A 27-year-old male with chronic myelogenous leukemia with history of bone marrow transplantation presented with floaters in his right eye. Fundus exam showed bilateral, multifocal retinochoroiditis with subsequent development of a mild vitritis. Serum cytomegalovirus and toxoplasmosis antibody titers and syphilis screen were negative. Aqueous polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis revealed the presence of Toxoplasma gondii DNA OU. Clindamycin (1.0 mg/0.1 mL) was injected bilateral intravitreal OU twice at 4 days apart with subsequent resolution of retinochoroiditis. CONCLUSIONS: When evaluating retinochoroiditis in an immunocompromised patient, one must keep a high index of suspicion for atypical presentations of well-known disease entities. Aqueous and vitreous samples for PCR can be useful in obtaining an accurate diagnosis and therefore provide appropriate management for the patient. Intravitreal clindamycin is an option for treatment in these patients.

Patent ductus arteriosus and indomethacin treatment as independent risk factors for plus disease in retinopathy of prematurity.

PURPOSE: To examine whether clinically significant patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) or indomethacin treatment are associated with plus disease or retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) requiring treatment. METHODS: Retrospective, cross-sectional study. Charts were reviewed for gestational age, birth weight, birth head circumference, birth length, maternal characteristics, gender, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, neurologic comorbidities, PDA and its treatments, gastrointestinal comorbidities, blood transfusions, and sepsis. Main outcome measures were increased rates of plus disease or ROP requiring treatment. RESULTS: A total of 450 premature infants screened for ROP in a mid-sized, urban neonatal intensive care unit were included. On univariate analysis, gestational age, birth weight, birth head circumference, birth length, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, neurologic comorbidities, PDA and its treatments, gastrointestinal comorbidities, and sepsis were significantly correlated to plus disease and ROP requiring treatment. PDA was significantly associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, neurologic comorbidities, sepsis, and blood transfusions (P < .0001). With type 3 multivariate analysis, only gestational age and bronchopulmonary dysplasia were independent risk factors for ROP. CONCLUSION: PDA and indomethacin were associated with plus disease and ROP requiring treatment on univariate analysis but this was not significant after adjusting for other risk factors. PDA was also strongly related to bronchopulmonary dysplasia and blood transfusions, which may explain its effect on ROP.

Optical coherence tomography findings in idiopathic macular holes.

Purpose. To describe the characteristics of idiopathic macular holes (MH) on optical coherence tomography (OCT) and correlate OCT with clinical assessment. Design. Cross-sectional chart review and OCT assessment. Participants. Sixty-seven eyes with a clinically diagnosed idiopathic MH with available OCT data. Methods. A retrospective chart review and OCT assessment. Results. Based on OCT grading, 40 eyes had a full-thickness macular hole (FTMH) and 21 eyes had a lamellar macular hole (LMH). Clinical exam and OCT assessment agreed in 53 (87%) eyes when assessing the extent of MH. Six eyes (14.6%) in the FTMH group, and 3 eyes in the LMH group (14.3%) had persistent vitreomacular traction. Thirty-seven eyes (92.5%) in the FTMH group and 11 eyes (52.4%) in the LMH group had associated intraretinal cysts. Two eyes (5.0%) in the FTMH group and zero eyes in the LMH group had subretinal fluid. Intraretinal cysts were found to be more frequently associated with FTMH than with LMH (P < 0.001). Conclusion. This paper described OCT findings in a group of patients with clinically diagnosed MH. A high level of correlation between clinical assessment and OCT findings of LMH and FTMH was observed, and intraretinal cysts were often present in FTMH.

Effect of partial posterior vitreous detachment on retinal nerve fiber layer thickness as measured by optical coherence tomography.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of partially attached posterior vitreous detachments (pPVDs) at the optic disc on retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness as measured by optical coherence tomography. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted using stored Stratus optical coherence tomography III scans of patients with suspected glaucoma from January 2003 to September 2006 at the Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York. All scans were evaluated for vitreous attachments at the disc and were divided into control (without pPVD) and pPVD groups. The RNFL thickness was compared using the fast RNFL protocol. Patients were defined as glaucoma suspects based on clinical findings of either glaucomatous-appearing optic discs or elevated intraocular pressure. All study patients had normal Humphrey visual fields. RESULTS: A total of 110 eyes from 110 patients were included; 59 were in the pPVD group and 51 were controls. Partial PVD was found in 40% of the glaucoma suspects. The mean RNFL thickness of eyes with pPVD was significantly broader than that of controls (101.6 microm vs 95.6 microm, respectively; P < .001). The average RNFL thickness of each quadrant was greater in the pPVD group than in the control group, with statistically significant differences in superior and inferior quadrants (P < .001 and P = .001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: More than one-third of this population of glaucoma suspects had a pPVD, indicating that this is a common phenomenon. The results suggest that RNFL thicknesses are greater in patients with pPVD than in controls. This may indicate a limitation of using RNFL thickness as a criterion for evaluating glaucomatous damage in patients with pPVD.