With the advancement of medical sciences, the survival rate of ‘preterm’ babies has improved and with it the incidence of Retinopathy of Prematurity (RoP) has also increased requiring doctors and parents to be more vigilant. The L.V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) observed purple day to promote awareness about RoP on its campus here on Saturday.
The hospital staff were dressed in purple and the institute was illuminated in purple. “Important landmarks like the Eiffel Tower in Paris and other famous buildings in the rest of the world are illuminated by purple light to mark the World Prematurity Day,” Vitreo-Retina and Uvea Specialist Dr. Sameera Nayak told The Hindu.
More than 50,000 children were affected by RoP globally. In India around 500 children were affected every year, but these estimates based on blind school surveys were just the tip of the iceberg, Dr Sameera said. Blindness due to RoP could be very easily prevented by screening all preterm babies.
