Our Mission
Every year, tens of thousands of premature infants in low- and middle-income countries face irreversible, lifelong blindness due to Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP). With the ongoing expansion and improvement of neonatology care, more premature infants are surviving. However, this progress is accompanied by a growing risk of blindness, underscoring the urgent need for effective ROP screening and treatment programs.
Fortunately, blindness from this disease is almost entirely preventable with regular screening and prompt treatment when warranted. Zero Blind Babies is a nonprofit that leverages a locally driven, telemedicine-based approach to ensure prevention of blindness from ROP at partner sites.
Our Approach
Train non-physician screeners to conduct the time-intensive, high-skill screenings.
Utilize retinal cameras to capture high-quality images for concurrent remote grading by local champions and international pediatric retina experts.
Collaborate with US ROP experts to develop diagnostic and treatment expertise in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Ensure cost-effective care – treatment costs $120 to prevent lifelong bilateral blindness. The total cost, including equipment amortization, salaries, and treatment, is approximately $450 per treated baby.
Accomplishments to Date
Successfully launched the first entirely telemedicine-based ROP program in Sub-Saharan Africa (Kumasi, Ghana)
Developed and deployed a custom TeleROP software, which schedules patients, enables remote grading by local and remote physicians, and delivers reports to parents and neonatologists.
100% of patients with treatment-warranted ROP in Kumasi, Ghana have received treatment (bevacizumab intravitreal injection and panretinal photocoagulation)
250K+ raised from grants and private donors (for ROP screening/treatment and neonatal oxygen management).
Future Plans
We plan to expand ROP screening across dozens of cities in Sub-Saharan Africa, starting with Accra in February 2025. Following this launch, we aim to establish 2–3 additional sites to scale TeleROP throughout Ghana. Beyond Ghana, we intend to explore implementing programs in Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Nepal, and Bhutan.
We Need Your Help
Every dollar and every minute of support brings us closer to a future where no baby is needlessly blinded by Retinopathy of Prematurity. Your help is essential to expand our efforts and save more children from a life without sight. Here's how you can make a difference:
Your financial support helps us purchase retinal cameras, train non-physician screeners, and deliver life-saving treatments. Just $450 can ensure screening, diagnosis, and treatment for one baby, while $120 covers the cost of treatment to prevent blindness in a single child.
Are you part of a hospital, NGO, or healthcare organization? Partner with us to bring TeleROP services to new regions and strengthen local capacity for ROP screening and treatment.
Share our mission with your network. By raising awareness, you can help us find more advocates and supporters to join the fight against ROP.
We’re always looking for skilled professionals – medical experts, software engineers, videographers, fundraisers, and advocates – to contribute to our mission.
Together, we can ensure that every child, no matter where they are born, has the gift of lifelong vision. Join us today and be a part of the Zero Blind Babies mission!