Retinopathy of Prematurity Workshop Conducted at Bhubaneswar
Written by LVPEI Communications
Published 30th May 2026
A state-level workshop on Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) was organized by the LVPEI Mithu Tulsi Chanrai (MTC) Campus in Bhubaneswar on May 23, 2026. The workshop brought together 30 participants from District Early Intervention Centres (DEICs) across 28 districts of Odisha. The workshop focused on strengthening frontline capacity in early detection and management of ROP through retinal imaging and newborn eye care through a combination of academic sessions, live demonstrations and hands-on practical training.
The program was co-organized by the LVPEI ROP team and the State National Health Mission (NHM) with support from the Cognizant Foundation. The day’s sessions were structured around two key aspects: academic learning and skill development.
Academic sessions covered topics including the fundamentals of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), screening criteria, pathogenesis, classification, staging, treatment approaches, and follow-up protocols. The program also focused on care and rehabilitation aspects such as pediatric refraction, spectacle prescription for neonates, vision stimulation techniques, and the safe handling of preterm infants.
Meanwhile, practical sessions included live demonstrations of retinal imaging technology for infants, led by engineers from the program’s technology partner, Forus Health, along with Sameer Ranjan Nayak, Dr Tapas Ranjan Padhi, and the LVPEI ROP care team. Participants practiced capturing high-quality retinal images using dummy eyes while learning to minimize stress for fragile preterm newborns while ensuring diagnostic accuracy.
The workshop also featured several expert speakers associated with ROP and neonatal eye healthcare. Dr Tapas Ranjan Padhi and Sameer Ranjan Nayak from the Newborn Eye Health Alliance (NEHA), MTC Campus, LVPEI, Bhubaneswar, spoke about the basics of ROP and shared practical tips for infant retinal imaging and real-time ROP tele-screening.
Pediatric faculty members including Dr Vivek Warkad and Dr Debasmita Majhi, Consultant Optometrists including Ms Soumya Panda, Ms Sony Singh, and Rehabilitation Assistant, Ms Mitarani Nayak, emphasized the importance of comprehensive eye care for preterm infants, covering refraction, spectacle prescription, follow-up, tracking, and rehabilitation.
Dr Subhadra Jalali, Head, NEHA–LVPEI Network, stressed the urgent need for universal newborn eye screening through trained paramedical professionals. Dr Lingaraj Pradhan from National Health Mission (NHM), Odisha explained the physiology of preterm infants and outlined critical do’s and don’ts during neonatal screening. Ms Usha Rani, Director at Cognizant Foundation, shared experiences from multiple states and highlighted the key role optometrists play in expanding ROP care.
Dr Aditya Mohapatra, Additional Director, Child Health, Government of Odisha, showcased the state’s progress in ROP services and encouraged participants to work towards the vision of a ROP-blindness-free Odisha. The workshop concluded with an interactive discussion during which participants pledged to strengthen ROP screening services in their respective districts, and contribute towards the prevention of avoidable childhood blindness in Odisha.
