DALLAS, July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Children's Eye Foundation and RIPROP join forces to support the development of a compact and inexpensive device to detect retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a treatable disorder that can cause blindness in premature babies.
This collaboration was motivated by Dan Lochmann, the father of a girl left blind in one eye from ROP. Lochmann founded RIPROP in hopes of one day saying "RIP" to ROP and to fund research into both preventative measures and better treatment to protect the eyesight of children like his daughter.
"ROP is a treatable disease, but immediate detection is crucial so that the hallmark swift deterioration does not develop so far as to cause vision loss," says Lochmann. "During our outreach efforts we found very low awareness levels of this disease that affects our smallest children but so many who want to help improve the lives of those affected by it. We are so grateful to all those who have supported us so far and especially to the Children's Eye Foundation for giving us the means and direction necessary to fight on another important front against ROP."
To raise funds and awareness for ROP, Lochmann and his friend Tim West rode more than 850 miles on a temple pilgrimage on the island of Shikoku in Japan. This two-week journey raised more than $17,000 from individual and corporate donors, including Lochmann and West's respective employers; Edelman, a global PR firm, donated $2,500 under its Community Investment Grants program, and J.P. Morgan Japan, the Tokyo-based branch of the American bank and financial services firm, gave $9,250. John Edelman, head of Edelman's Community Investment Grants said, "We are pleased to support our employees through our community grants program and are gratified that our funding will fund prototype devices to detect retinopathy. It is an honor to support outstanding programs such as RIPROP that provide practical solutions and help improve lives." Simon Walls, Head of JPM Japan's Philanthropy Committee, said, "We always encourage charitable initiatives by our employees in Japan, so we were delighted to sponsor Tim's bike ride in support of what is obviously a very worthy cause".
The money raised by RIPROP will fund four prototype devices that detect retinopathy of prematurity. These devices, currently in development are more compact and considerably less expensive than anything currently available in the marketplace. Once the prototypes have been produced, likely in August 2011, validation studies will begin with participating pediatric ophthalmologists across the United States.
Children's Eye Foundation executive director Thomas Rogers says, "We are most thankful to Dan Lochmann and Tim West for joining in the fight against retinopathy of prematurity. A more compact and less expensive ROP-detecting device will ensure that more children receive a screening for ROP and receive the care they need. This new device will also help us to accomplish our mission: to eliminate preventable blindness in children."
For more information about ROP, visit: http://www.childrenseyefoundation.org/Research/Retinopathy-of-Prematurity.aspx.
About the Children's Eye Foundation
The Children's Eye Foundation, dedicated to the elimination of preventable blindness in children, is the foundation of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS).
For more information: www.childrenseyefoundation.org
About RIPROP
RIPROP helps raise money to fund research into both preventative measures and better treatment to protect the eyesight of these precious young lives.
For more information: http://88temples.posterous.com/
SOURCE Children's Eye Foundation
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