‘Retinopathy leading cause of blindness in preterm babies’

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 23

Babies born with less than 2-kg weight or before six weeks from the due date should be screened for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), an eye disorder affecting premature children, within 30 days of birth, said Prof Mangat Dogra, Chief of Ophthalmology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, while addressing participants during a seminar organised by the Indian ROP Society (iROP) here.

The ROP is a leading cause of preventable blindness in the world. The ROP affects preterm babies who are born with low weight. If they are not diagnosed and treated on time, they go blind even before they turn three, said Dr Subhadra Jalali, Senior ROP Specialist, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad.

“India has the highest number of preterm babies born annually compared with any other country. We have 35 lakh babies born preterm in a year. Of these, 24-47 per cent develop ROP and about 10 per cent require treatment. Unfortunately, of the 2,00,000 ophthalmologists in the country, less than 100 are ROP specialists. Most of the preterm infants are not screened and treated on time,” said Prof Raj Vardhan Azad, President, Indian ROP Society.

He said the first screening should be done before 30 days of life of the infant. Follow-up would be required depending on the features of the first examination. “Treatment is very successful (with over 90 per cent success) if it is performed on time and done adequately. Treatment is done with a special laser and must be done by a trained ROP specialist,” he added.

Prof Mangat Dogra said, “Five to six new babies with blindness in both eyes from ROP come to the PGIMER every week. The epidemic must be addressed urgently,” he said.