Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of preventable childhood blindness, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where there is no systematic screening.

This project seeks to eliminate preventable childhood blindness from ROP in Syria and neighboring countries. Although early detection and treatment can prevent severe visual loss, Syria currently lacks a coordinated national ROP program. More than a decade of conflict has disrupted ophthalmic services, reduced access to specialized equipment and training, and fragmented neonatal care, leaving high-risk premature infants without routine ophthalmic evaluation.

Researchers will build and assess a new program to screen for and prevent blindness from ROP in Damascus and ldlib, Syria. The project will adapt some of the successful approaches from an earlier seed grant-supported project that developed an ROP screening and treatment program in Ghana.

Co-Principal Investigator Ahmad Al-Moujahid said he was excited by the opportunity to build a sustainable, high-impact system to prevent avoidable childhood blindness in underserved communities.

“This project is especially compelling because it combines clinical care, technology, education, and health-system strengthening in a way that can create lasting impact beyond a single study,” he said. “By developing a telemedicine-based screening model and training local teams, we have the opportunity not only to improve outcomes for vulnerable infants today, but also to help establish the foundation for a sustainable national program.”

Al-Moujahid added that the grant was particularly meaningful for him as a Syrian physician who trained in the US.

“I find it deeply meaningful to apply the knowledge, research experience, and clinical training I have gained toward advancing ophthalmic care in our region and reducing preventable blindness in children.

Principal Investigators:

Ahmad Al-Moujahid, MD, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Stanford Byers Eye Institute.

Arthur Brant, MD, Vitreoretinal Surgery Fellow, Mass Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School

Prithvi Mruthyunjaya, MD, MHS, Professor, Stanford Byers Eye Institute

Funders:

Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health

Stanford Department of Ophthalmology