HEALTHCARE

Screening for and Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP)

The challenge

Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is an eye disorder that primarily affects premature infants. ROP usually occurs within two or three weeks after birth; so the main challenge is to treat it within the first month. The treatment has to be done within 40 to 72 hours as an emergency. Left untreated, ROP, which usually develops in both eyes, is one of the most common causes of vision loss in childhood and can lead to lifelong vision impairment and blindness.

Key challenges in treating ROP include awareness levels among parents, availability of skilled ophthalmologists to detect and treat the condition and availability of medical equipment needed for diagnosis and treatment. To add to these, ROP does not produce any symptoms that makes a swift diagnosis possible.

The solution

Cognizant Foundation, in partnership with reputed not-for-profit organisations and specialist eye hospitals, has launched several projects to screen for and treat ROP. These projects, launched recently, plan to screen over 11,000 premature from underserved sections. Those babies identified with ROP will get treated with laser, injection or surgery depending on the stage of ROP. Treatment is administered either at the district hospital or at the city neonatal centres, depending on the severity of the case.

This programme uses the 3Nethra Neo, a compact, portable, and easy-to-use mydriatic wide-field imaging camera used for the photo documentation of ocular diseases that manifest in the human eye. It is an indigenous lower-priced alternative to the imported ROP screening equipment. Neo Camera at a lower cost with same functionality has facilitated ROP programs that were not possible earlier due to the prohibitive cost. The Neo camera helps a trained technician capture the image of the eyes. ROP experts examine the captured images transmitted over the internet and provide their diagnosis. Based on this consult, the programme provides the necessary treatment to babies requiring intervention.

The initiative has been implemented in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana and Tamil Nadu in partnership with Aravind Eye Hospital, Chennai, H V Desai Eye Hospital, Pune, L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), Hyderabad and Mission for Vision, Mumbai.