Dr.ANAND VINEKAR

DR. MANGAT R. DOGRA, DR. SHETTY BHUJANG K.

Abstract

The tele-ROP program based out of Bangalore was started in 2007. The program sequentially expanded in 2007, 2010, 2012 and 2014 to incrementally include six or more districts each until 29/30 districts of Karnataka were included. Till July 2022, 2,29,987 wide-field imaging sessions in 67,793 infants have been performed in 134 neonatal intensive care units. Of these, 40.2% are Government centres where free screening and treatment are provided. 3440 infants (6776 eyes) have been treated with laser (94.3%), anti-VEGF (4.8%) and vitrectomy (0.9%). A favourable outcome of ‘screened and treated eyes’ was achieved in 99.7% of eyes. Since 2015, no infant with stage 5 ROP has been detected in any NICU where KIDROP screens and 34 infants with stage 5 ROP have presented from the one district where KIDROP does not screen. The blind-man years saved by timely treatment is estimated at INR 3115 crores. KIDROP has been replicated in eight other states