Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is the leading cause of preventable blindness in childhood. Managing ROP is a priority policy to reduce its prevalence and promote eye health.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Retinopathy of Prematurity establish, based on the best available evidence, that ROP management policies should establish prevention, diagnosis, and treatment guidelines.
ROP is a potentially serious disease that can occur in up to 34% of preterm newborns.
Approximately 15 million births are recorded annually in the Americas, of which more than 1.2 million are premature. Of these, more than 30,000 are likely to present moderate or severe complications, and approximately 25,000 are at risk of developing ROP.
According to the Guide, a premature newborn care service must have written guidelines, protocols, and standardized operating procedures. But, fundamentally, it must promote competent, motivated, empathetic, multidisciplinary healthcare teams working in a network, with an awareness of the importance of preventing, identifying, and, when necessary, treating ROP and monitoring it.
