The 6th Retina Summit 2024 and 8th iROP Annual Meeting took place from July 11 to 13, 2024, at the Shri V. D. Swami Auditorium, Sankara Nethralaya, Dr. S. S. Badrinath Campus, Nungambakkam, Chennai. This event brought together over 250 delegates and featured presentations and panel discussions by 50 Indian and international experts focusing on the management of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP).

Distinguished dignitaries such as Dr. E. Theranirajan, Dean MMC & RGGGH, Dr. Rema Chandramohan, Director ICH, Dr. Chandra Kumar, Project Director TNBCS, Dr. Mohan Rajan, Chairman Rajan Eye Hospital, Dr. Rajvardhan Azad, President i-ROP Society and APAO, Dr. Thangerani Raajaseharan, Director RIO-GOH, Dr. Pramod Bhende, Director of VR Services at Sankara Nethralaya, and Dr. Anand Vinekar, Hon Secretary of i-ROP Society, graced the summit with their presence.

ROP is a critical retinal disorder that can lead to blindness in infants, particularly those born prematurely with low birth weights. In India, with around 2 million low birth weight babies born annually, the risk of ROP is significant due to inadequate neonatal care, low awareness, and a lack of trained specialists.

Sankara Nethralaya’s Shri Bhagwan Mahavir Vitreoretinal Department annually hosts focused, theme-based meetings to advance ROP management and training. This year’s Retina Summit, in collaboration with the Indian ROP Society (iROP), emphasized the importance of early detection, uniform screening guidelines, treatment strategies, and specialist training to prevent ROP-related blindness.

The summit was preceded by two key events: an ROP training workshop for young ophthalmologists and an awareness program for medical and paramedical personnel involved in premature infant care, organized in collaboration with the Institute of Child Health, Egmore, Chennai. These initiatives aim to enhance the skills of healthcare professionals and raise awareness about the critical need for early intervention in ROP cases.

The inaugural ceremony of the event happened on July 12 followed by dinner at the Regency Ball Room, Hyatt Regency, Anna Salai, Tynampet.