Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) Awareness Week begins February 24, 2025
Prevent Blindness will be sharing a variety of free educational resources to the public and professionals during the awareness week, which will be held February 24, 2025, through March 2, 2025.
(Image credit: AdobeStock/moodboard)
The Second Annual Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) Awareness Week will take place February 24, 2025, through March 2, 2025. The initiative by Prevent Blindness is designed to provide education and support for families of children with ROP, promote the role of early intervention programs for these children, and explain how allied healthcare professionals assist in continuity of care.
The organization’s awareness efforts during this week will include updated fact sheets, web pages, social media graphics in English and Spanish, and a new video series. The ROP Education and Support Program and ROP Awareness Week is supported by funding from Regeneron.
ROP is an eye disease that occurs in some babies who are born earlier than 30 weeks of pregnancy, have birth weight less than 3 lb 5 oz or 1,500 g, or have complications after they are born and receive extra oxygen for more than a few days. The condition affects the retina and occurs when the retinal blood vessels, which are not fully developed at birth, begin to grow abnormally and in the wrong direction.
Prevent Blindness recently conducted a roundtable discussion, “Your Child and ROP- 2025.” This recorded session will be published as a free video series available on the Prevent Blindness ROP website and as part of the ROP-dedicated Prevent Blindness YouTube playlist to educate the public on this condition.
Prevent Blindness will also collaborate with parent and advocacy organizations, including Hand to Hold, the National Coalition for Infant Health, and the SPAN Parent Advocacy Network, to enhance and expand the reach of the program.
