PEDIATRIC EYE CARE PROJECT - Duration 03 years

Childhood blindness is caused by various defects and diseases. Estimation of actual visual impairment in India - 14.8% school going children, national estimate of 680,000 blind children, nearly 275,000 have refractive errors. 4-5% of all blindness is due to childhood blindness, 1 in 1000 children is blind.

Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is a significant cause of severe visual disability in children. If not treated in time, it can lead to irreversible blindness. Owing to its asymptomatic nature, a good screening procedure is crucial for early detection and treatment of this avoidable disease.

Unfortunately, there is paucity in rural areas as most of the ophthalmologists practice in bigger cities & also medical facilities, human resources, hamper delivery of care. Sick premature babies in neonatal ICU s & from vulnerable sections of the society like migrant labourers, undocumented slum dwellers, home bound are not addressed. Surgical and rehabilitation care suffers from dropout rates due to lack of information, education, lack of ability to pay for surgical interventions and follow up systems.

The project will be in the south Indian state of Karnataka for a period of 3 years, where we have already implemented multiple vision screening and treatment programs across 17 districts.

A multi-pronged screen-diagnose-treat or rehabilitate strategy will be implemented to address age groups Age lesser than 1 and premature, 1-3 years, 3-6 years, 6-16 years. Children with visual impairment will be identified by conducting a house to house survey in the target area, screening in Anganwadis, Government and private schools . Premature babies in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) will be screened and treated for ROP. Free medical or surgical treatment for children with visual impairment will be provided & rehabilitation to those with irreversible blindness.

• Impact will be the continuum of care from identification of the problem in the community to addressing them with need based solutions.

• Treatment at primary, secondary and tertiary care levels is accessible to all children.

• Interventions, in the form of laser for ROP, corrective glasses, low vision aids, surgeries and rehabilitation.

• NICU based tele-screening will address the scourge of ROP in both government and private hospitals.

• Paediatricians and community health workers will be educated in recognition of vision problems in children younger than 3 yrs of age and mechanism can be accessed for referral and follow up.

• Preschool / school screening program will strengthen to identify and intervene in all school going children between the ages of 3 and 16.

• Informative education and communication strategies will raise awareness about preventable causes.

• All children with visual impairment will be identified in a target population of 1, 50,000.

• Rehabilitation for visually impaired children will make them to pursue their education and hence there won't be any drop outs due to eye related ailments.