1. ADDI Medical
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  3. HOPE Medication Adherence
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  5. HOPE DropROP
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From hospital to home – the DropROP study empowers parents to become partners in care and paves the way for a safer, non-invasive treatment of ROP

ROP treatment is invasive, resource-intensive, and difficult for the family

When an extremely preterm infant develops severe ROP, current treatment requires laser therapy under general anesthesia or injections directly into the eye. Both procedures carry risks, require specialized hospital care, and are stressful for children and parents already in a vulnerable situation. The need for a simpler, non-invasive alternative has long been clear. The DROPROP study is the world’s first randomized clinical trial investigating whether dexamethasone eye drops can reduce progression to treatment-requiring ROP.

The parents are not passive recipients – they are partners in care

A crucial part of DROPROP is how parents are involved. Through the digital platform HOPE (ParentROP), parents receive a clear, individualized self-care plan describing exactly how and when the eye drops should be administered. Parents administer the drops at home – one drop in each eye daily or every other day depending on severity – and register each dose in an electronic diary in the HOPE app. The platform sends reminders, provides information about the next appointment, and makes it possible to follow the child’s ROP progression graphically. ‘Being able to see on the graph that our child’s eyes are developing in the right direction, and that we ourselves are contributing by giving the drops every day – it makes an enormous difference for the sense of control,’ describes one parent in the study.

For healthcare staff, the digital support provides both overview and precision

Researchers and clinicians gain through HOPE a consolidated view of each child’s treatment adherence and clinical development. When parents register administered doses and the child’s condition, the information is updated in real time, making it possible to quickly identify deviations and adjust care interventions. Consent and randomization are handled digitally directly in the platform. ‘We can see immediately whether the parents are following the schedule and act proactively instead of waiting for the next hospital visit,’ describes an ophthalmologist in the study.

The results point toward a safer future for the most vulnerable children

A total of 100 children at 12 Swedish hospitals were randomized to dexamethasone or placebo. Preliminary data suggest a positive effect of the intervention without adverse side effects. For every child spared laser treatment or injection, it means less suffering, fewer instances of general anesthesia, and shorter hospital stays. For the healthcare system, it means freed-up resources in operating and neonatal units.

But DROPROP is about more than a drug – it is a new way of organizing care. By giving parents the right tools and the right information at the right time, they are transformed from passive recipients to active participants. The digital self-care plan in HOPE makes it possible to shift parts of care from the hospital to the home – without compromising safety.

Tomorrow it is not just about eye drops – but about a new model for neonatal care at home

DROPROP shows that a clinical trial can be more than research – it can simultaneously serve as a prototype for how future care is organized. When parents become partners, when data flows seamlessly between home and hospital, and when treatment can be safely administered at home, the door opens for more equitable and accessible care – even for the very smallest patients.

In summary, DROPROP demonstrates how clinical research, digital innovation, and active parental partnership can go hand in hand to protect the child’s vision, strengthen the family’s sense of security, and point toward a simpler, safer treatment of ROP. This is not just a study – it is a model for the future of neonatal care.

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