Experts discuss eye disease in premature newborns, treatment

LAHORE:College of Ophthalmology and Allied Vision Sciences (COAVS), Mayo Hospital Lahore organised a seminar on retinopathy among premature newborns and Dr Umar Khalil Mian, MD, Montefor Medical Centre, Associate Professor of Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, attended as a special guest.

The objective of this programme was to create awareness about retinopathy of pre-maturity, to discuss strategies to deal with this situation as a team and to appreciate the services of Dr Umar Khalil Mian in promoting the prevention of ROP blindness in children in Pakistan.

Retinopathy in newborns with premature birth is a major cause of blindness, especially those born in less than 35 weeks of pregnancy, weighing less than two kilograms, or needing oxygen.

The survival rate of newborns and premature births in Pakistan has increased, in view of which the diagnosis of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) has become even more necessary. If these children are not diagnosed in time, this disease can take the form of an epidemic and cause permanent blindness. As a precautionary measure, it is necessary to get premature newborns examined by an ophthalmologist within a month to protect their eyes.

King Edward Medical University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mahmood Ayaz, Principal College of Ophthalmology and Allied Vision Sciences Prof Muhammad Moin, Prof Asad Aslam Khan Prof Emeritus, Prof Dr Haroon Hamid, Chairman of Peads Department, KEMU, Prof Dr Shahid, Prof Dr Farrukh Chairperson of Anesthesia Department KEMU, Prof Dr Ali Madih Hashmi Chairman of Psychiatry Department KEMU, Prof Dr Ali Ayaz Sadiq, Dr Suman Ali, Dr Lubna and many other eminent ophthalmologists, faculty and students participated.

Prof Dr M Moin, Principal, College of Ophthalmology and Allied Vision Sciences said: ‘A pilot project is being conducted by COAVS in Sheikhupura, Muridke and Kamonki districts to deal with the risk of blindness in premature newborns.

It is a revolutionary step to reduce, through this we can extend our services to children in remote areas and provide them with timely treatment. Dr Umar Khalil Mian appreciated this revolutionary step of Prof Dr M Moin and said that it is an important development in the health sector.

Highlighting the benefits of these initiatives, he said ‘This initiative of College of Ophthalmology and Allied Vision Sciences is an important development in the health sector. This will provide timely treatment to children in remote areas.’

This project is a promising development that can help to make health care accessible to all. The initiative of College of Ophthalmology and Allied Vision Sciences, Mayo Hospital, is an exemplary initiative which should be followed by other hospitals.

Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mahmood Ayaz said ‘We are very happy to introduce the diagnosis and treatment of ROP, a blindness in children. This is a revolutionary step that can change the lives of the children in remote areas.’

Prof Haroon Hamid explained how a pediatrician can play an important role in limiting ROP blindness. Professor Emeritus Dr Asad Aslam highlighted the initiatives, problems and solutions related to ROP at the provincial level for two decades and appreciated the innovative approach and welcomed the innovative methods.

In recognition of the distinguished services of Dr Umar Khalil Mian in the field of ROP and the newly promoted doctors to the post of Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, Prof Dr Mahmood Ayaz, Vice Chancellor of KEMU, in the presence of distinguished guests, awarded them respectively.