New Delhi: Two-month-old Aarav (name changed), born at just 29 weeks and weighing barely 1.3 kg, was one such infant at risk. His parents, first-time caregivers from a small town in Uttar Pradesh (Meerut), had no idea that their baby’s early arrival could endanger his eyesight. When Aarav began showing irritability and abnormal eye movements, they assumed it was merely a feeding issue. It wasn’t until a routine follow-up at AIIMS that doctors detected advanced ROP.
“We were shocked. No one had told us about this disease,” his mother said, holding back tears. Aarav underwent laser treatment the same week—just in time to prevent retinal detachment. Today, he is recovering steadily, his vision saved because doctors caught the disease before it crossed the point of no return.
Doctors at the country’s premier medical institute, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), say they are witnessing a troubling rise in premature and underweight babies going blind, their sight slipping away even before they have truly opened their eyes to the world.
Dr. Radhika Tandon. Credit: msvvalumniofficial/instagram.com
At the heart of this crisis is Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), an eye disease caused by abnormal growth of blood vessels in the retina. Left undetected, it can permanently steal a child’s vision. “Infants with ROP in India typically weigh between 1,254 and 1,554 grams or are born before 32 weeks of pregnancy. In such cases, 20–60 percent are prone to develop ROP,” said a senior AIIMS professor, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
Dr. Radhika Tandon, Chief of the Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences at AIIMS, did not mince words. “Every premature baby must undergo an eye check-up within 30 days of birth,” she said. “These infants often receive supplemental oxygen after birth, which, if not carefully monitored, increases the risk of ROP.” Her warning highlights a gap in both awareness and medical follow-up—one that continues to cost families dearly.
Dr. Rajpal, another AIIMS eye specialist, stressed that blindness is not inevitable—but timing is everything. “If detected early, the damage can be stopped and vision preserved,” he said. Success rates for early treatment can be as high as 90 percent, giving thousands of children a chance at a normal childhood.
Child specialist Dr. Kumar Shahni sees the problem from its very beginning—the mother’s health. “Low birth weight often stems from maternal malnutrition, infections, high blood pressure, diabetes, or repeated pregnancies,” he explained. Yet many families fail to connect these factors to their child’s long-term vision.
“Parents often mistake early symptoms for minor issues and skip essential eye examinations. This neglect costs their children dearly.”
Across India, the numbers paint a worrying picture: nearly 5,000 babies develop severe ROP every year, and around 2,900 of them suffer permanent visual impairment. Doctors believe most of these cases could be prevented.
Experts say Aarav’s story could easily have ended differently, as it does for thousands of infants who are never screened in time.
With India carrying one of the world’s heaviest ROP burdens, doctors say the solution lies in a simple but critical step: early detection. A single eye check-up within the first month of life could spare countless children from a lifetime of darkness.
(Cover Image Credit: Canva)
