Premature Babies in Pakistan at High Risk of Blindness from ROP

Preventable Blindness Threatens Premature Infants in Pakistan

Premature babies in Pakistan are facing an alarming risk of blindness due to gaps in screening for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a treatable eye condition caused by abnormal blood vessel growth in the retina. If left undetected, ROP can lead to permanent blindness.

According to data from Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, Pakistan recorded nearly 921,600 preterm births in 2020, ranking fourth globally in total preterm births and third in neonatal deaths. Clinical studies reveal that 32.2% of premature infants in Pakistan develop ROP, compared to just 12–18% in high-income countries.

Experts link this disparity to improved survival rates among premature babies without a corresponding expansion in screening and treatment services. Infrastructure and staffing shortfalls remain a major challenge. In Peshawar, only two out of seven neonatal intensive care units with ophthalmology services had staff trained for ROP screening. In Balochistan, neonatal units lacked essential equipment altogether.

Research at Lahore General Hospital highlighted further gaps, showing that only 46.7% of 3,521 eligible infants were screened between 2015 and 2021. The consequences of untreated ROP are devastating: one study found that 76.4% of affected children became completely blind, while 23.6% developed severe visual impairment.

These figures underscore a preventable health crisis. While Pakistan has made strides in improving newborn survival, the lack of accessible ROP screening and treatment threatens to reverse these gains. Expanding infrastructure, training healthcare professionals, and ensuring timely screening are critical steps to protect premature infants from avoidable blindness.

This issue highlights the urgent need for policy reforms, investment in neonatal eye care, and public awareness campaigns to safeguard the vision and future of Pakistan’s most vulnerable children.