Affordable ultra-widefield smartphone PedCam for comprehensive pediatric retinal examination

Widefield fundus photography is critical for the detection, documentation, and management of pediatric eye diseases. Existing clinical pediatric fundus cameras offer a limited field of view (FOV) and suboptimal image contrast, hindering comprehensive peripheral retina examination. Additionally, the high cost and lack of portability of commercial devices restrict their use in resource-limited settings. We present a cost-effective smartphone-based pediatric camera (PedCam) capable of providing a 180° eye angle (126° visual angle) snapshot FOV without the need for pharmacological pupillary dilation. The device employs trans-pars planar illumination for uniform retinal illumination. By adjusting the optical axis of the PedCam relative to the ocular axis, the effective FOV can be expanded up to 240° eye angle (180° visual angle), enabling complete retinal evaluation. This innovative smartphone PedCam represents a significant advancement in affordable telemedicine for the screening, monitoring, and management of retinopathy of prematurity and other pediatric eye conditions.