When KnowTheGlow (KTG) Co-founder Megan Webber and Director of Global Outreach Helene Dameris sat down virtually with Dr. Diego Ossandón, they were meeting someone who has made it his life’s work to protect the vision and lives of children across Chile.
Dr. Ossandón is a leading pediatric ophthalmologist based in Santiago de Chile, practicing primarily at Clínica Alemana de Santiago and Hospital Calvo Mackenna, where he works as a team with Dr. Juan Pablo López. He also has a secondary practice in the south of Chile. Together with Dr. Juan Pablo López, he co-leads Chile’s retinoblastoma program. The two share a unique bond as they completed their fellowships at SickKids Hospital in Toronto at the same time alongside Dr. Ashwin Mallipatna, now a member of KnowTheGlow’s Medical Advisory Board. Those shared years of training created a foundation for a strong collaborative network that continues to shape pediatric eye care across the Americas.
Dr. Ossandón described how retinoblastoma is managed in Chile today. The country sees about 15 cases per year, and earlier diagnoses have become increasingly common thanks to public awareness. Parents are often the first to notice a white reflection in their child’s eye and take immediate action, searching online and finding information that guides them to medical care. In Chile, unilateral cases are typically detected around a year of age, with bilateral cases appearing even earlier, although late diagnoses still occur among some low-income or immigrant families due to cultural and logistical barriers.
He explained how Chile’s AUGE/GES program, a legal framework that obligates both public and private insurers to provide complete treatment for children under 15, has been transformative. This comprehensive coverage includes chemotherapy, intra-arterial chemotherapy, plaque therapy, advanced imaging, and diagnostics, ensuring that care is accessible to all families. Treatment abandonment is very rare even when cultural fears around certain procedures are present. Their program is a shining example for the region.
Beyond clinical care, Dr. Ossandón has been instrumental in creating systems to improve access and outcomes. In 2013, he helped introduce RetCams into NICUs across Chile to detect childhood eye conditions earlier. His signature contribution is TELEROP, Chile’s national telemedicine program for Retinopathy of Prematurity, which ensures babies in remote regions receive screening and treatment. TELEROP has achieved a 98 percent success rate in preventing blindness. For retinoblastoma, survival rates now reach 92 percent and approximately 75 percent of affected eyes can be preserved.
Chile has built an impressive model for early diagnosis and seamless guidance of retinoblastoma patients into treatment, serving as an inspiring example of how a coordinated health system can ensure that children receive timely care and the best possible outcomes. Dr. Ossandón regularly consults with colleagues in Argentina, Canada, and other countries His long-standing connection with Dr. Mallipatna demonstrates how friendships formed during fellowship have grown into partnerships that transcend geography and result in better care for children.
He will be presenting his lecture at the Curso Internacional Actualización en Oftalmología UC, scheduled for October 10-11, 2025 at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and has already offered to highlight KnowTheGlow’s upcoming awareness campaign in Chile during his presentation. Despite his many leadership roles, Dr. Ossandón remains deeply committed to his clinical work. He shared how in retinopathy of prematurity they now achieve 98 percent success, a level of impact that changes lives forever.
Megan and Helene ended their conversation with deep admiration for his humility and dedication, as well as for the strength of Chile’s approach to protecting vision. With experts like Dr. Ossandón leading the way and partnerships that began years ago in a Toronto fellowship, there is a glow of hope for children everywhere.
