title: Screening eye diseases in babies: an Italian experience on 5000 healthy, consecutive newborns.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Visual performance of eyes with congenital pathologies is conditioned by an early diagnosis. Families having problems in accessing health services risk to delay or miss both an early diagnosis and an early treatment and amblyopia (lazy eye) prevention.
  
  
  METHODS
  In our hospital, all full-term, healthy newborns are thoroughly examined by an ophthalmologist in the maternal ward, 1 to 3 days after birth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the first 5000 newborns examined, a high incidence of congenital pathologies compared to international literature was reported, with differences between Caucasians and non-Caucasians.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Performing an early in-hospital thorough eye examination in all newborns as a screening would be an effective way to miss none and to start an early and effective pathway of disease treatment.
authors.affiliation: UOSD Oftalmologia Sociale Territoriale, AUSL Pescara, Pescara, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Perilli
authors.affiliation: UOC Oculistica, Ospedale "Spirito Santo", Pescara, Italy.
authors.forename: Modesto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lanci
authors.affiliation: UOC Oculistica, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romanzo
authors.affiliation: UOC Neonatologia, Ospedale "Spirito Santo", Pescara, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sabatini
authors.affiliation: UOC Neonatologia, Ospedale "Spirito Santo", Pescara, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fusilli
mesh_terms: D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015997:Neonatal Screening