Suchithra P

Narayana Nethralaya Eye Hospital

Narayana Nethralaya is committed to provide the best service in eye care through continual improvements of our systems, processes, technology and through the employment of dedicated and competent professionals of a progressive mindset, KIDROP Study: In India today, the number of specialists capable of handling the situation are few and spread far between. Considering this, the department has initiated a unique project wherein screening of these infants is performed in rural and semi-urban centres of Karnataka state. After acquiring the country's first portable pediatric digital retinal camera (Retcam Shuttle), the hospital has initiated an Internationally coordinated pilot study, which employs tele-ophthalmology for the diagnosis and management of ROP in peripheral underserved areas of India. This pilot project currently covers areas in Karnataka wherein no ROP screening facilities exist. Every week, each participating centre is visited by the team from the hospital. Babies are screened using the camera by trained technicians. The images are uploaded to a server, which is then accessed by a group of national and international ROP experts. Appropriate and timely diagnosis is thus made. Treatment when deemed necessary is performed in-situ, without the child having to be referred to the bigger cities.