In collaboration with The International Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus Council, The Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary hosted the IPOSC ROP Africa Symposium 2018. This international symposium on retinopathy of prematurity was held September 3rd and 4th at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. Participants attended presentations from renowned international faculty, with topics including epidemiology, neonatology, and diagnosis of ROP. Focused workshops – including a leadership development course and hand’s on skills transfer labs – provided practical tools for continuing ROP advocacy and clinical care in Sub-Saharan Africa.

View the complete program. 

“On behalf of our team… I wish to thank you for giving us this opportunity to participate in this symposium. We’ve really learned a lot. Our eyes are open.” 

– Nigeria Grantee Team

Thanks to the generous support of the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. (KTEF), IPOSC was able to provide education grants for selected retinopathy of prematurity teams in Sub-Saharan Africa to attend the IPOSC ROP Symposium. The goal was to assist a small number of ophthalmology teams in improving the diagnosis, management and treatment of ROP and to assist with the establishment of such specialized ophthalmology teams. There were 28 grant recipients from Sub-Saharan Africa; 4 individuals from 7 potential centers of excellence.