A new Thriveluzern project in India will target babies’ and children’s needs; specifically, children’s need for eyeglasses (correcting quality refractive error), and treating Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) in babies.

School-aged students will receive complete eye checkups, prescriptions, and a selection of stylish frames at their local Vision Centers. To ensure ongoing eye care there will be staff dedicated to vision monitoring and follow-up visits, as well as training a team of teachers and youth ambassadors.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a heartbreaking disease that causes blindness in babies born prematurely. It occurs when they are administered too much oxygen in the incubator, which can be highly toxic to the blood vessels, including those in the retina. If a baby with ROP isn’t treated within the first 30 days after birth, they will permanently lose their sight and they may never even see light. The good thing about ROP is that the child is not born with the disease, and it can be prevented.

The plan spans three years and puts forth ambitious yet achievable goals:

Screen 129,000 children, provide 4,500 glasses and 90 surgeries to children under the school screening initiative.

Train 1,500 teachers and 3,000 children as vision ambassadors to promote school eye health.

Screen 5,800 babies for ROP, provide treatment to 327 babies, and train 350 nurses and Pediatricians for ROP awareness in maternity and NICUS.

With these initiatives in place, eye care for kids will become more commonplace, bringing their world into focus immediately and into the future.