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Abstract
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness worldwide. In Guatemala, a large number of premature infants are born in hospitals outside the capital city and present for evaluation at advanced stages of the disease.
Objective: To compare the cost of screening and timely treatment versus the total cost of comprehensive management of patients with visual impairment secondary to ROP.
Patients and Method: The cost of the disease was calculated in patients who consulted due to low vision or blindness secondary to ROP. Direct costs were calculated based on those directly related to the management of the disease: medical care, rehabilitation, education, technical support, transportation, personal assistance, adaptations, and home equipment, compared with the costs of screening and timely treatment.
Results: The total cost of managing a child with severe visual impairment due to ROP is USD 214,666.37 and the cost of screening and timely treatment is USD 1,223.12, meaning an additional cost of USD 213,443.24 in patients who were not screened and treated on time. Conclusion: The cost of screening and timely treatment represents only 0.57% of the total cost of lifelong management of a child with severe visual impairment.
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