Eye Donation: Let your vision live beyond you

Dr Bhavani Raina, Dr Sadaf Chaudhary

Every year, from 25 August to 8 September, National Eye Donation Fortnight is observed across India. This 15-day nationwide campaign aims to create awareness about importance of eye donation and encourage more people to pledge their eyes for donation. With millions of people in India suffering from Corneal Blindness, eye donation remains one of the most powerful ways to give someone the gift of sight.

What is Corneal Blindness?

Cornea is the transparent, clear front part of our eye. It acts like a window through which light enters the eye and helps us see clearly.

When the cornea becomes cloudy, scarred, or damaged, light cannot pass through properly. Vision may become blurred or severely lost. This is called Corneal Blindness.

Corneal blindness remains one of the leading causes of avoidable blindness in India. No age group is exempt from its clutches.

Good news!

The encouraging news is that people with corneal blindness can regain their sight after corneal transplantation. A donated cornea can replace the damaged cornea and open somebody's window to see the world again.

Why is cornea donation needed?

For many people, cornea transplantation may be the only alternative to restore vision. The demand for cornea donation exceeds greatly than the number of corneas available for transplantation. According to National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCBVI), India requires more than one lakh donor corneas every year to meet the growing demand for corneal transplantation

Who can donate eyes?

People of any gender, religion, or age can donate eyes after death.

Final suitability of cornea is decided by trained eye bank team after medical assessment.

Who cannot donate?

Individuals with communicable diseases like HIV, Syphilis, Hepatitis B or C

People with active eye infection or blood borne diseases

Individuals who died due to unknown cause

When to donate?

Within 4-6 hours of death to preserve corneal viability.

Hence it is important to inform eye bank immediately after death of donor.

What is Eye bank?

An eye bank is a facility that collects, tests, preserves and distributes donated corneas for transplantation. India has one of the largest networks of eye banking bodies in the world.

AIIMS Jammu has recently received registration for eye banking, corneal transplantation and cornea retrieval services strengthening the eye donation and corneal transplant network in the region.

Steps involved include:

Inform an Eye Bank immediately after death of donor.

Consent and Medical assessment- done by trained recovery team on arrival to deceased's home or hospital. Both identity of donor and recipient are kept confidential.

Eye retrieval procedure- Cornea is removed with sterile technique. Process takes about 15-30 minutes ensuring there is no delay in performance of funeral rites.

Transport and transplantation- Cornea is transported to an eye bank where it is carefully evaluated, tested, and preserved before being allocated to a suitable recipient for transplantation.

Myths Vs Facts

Myth- Entire eye is removed and leaves an empty socket

Fact- Only cornea is removed. Structure of eye is left intact so that there is no facial disfigurement

Myth- People with spectacles, cataract, past surgery etc cannot donate

Fact- As long as cornea is still healthy, anyone can donate

Myth- Major religions forbid eye donation

Fact- All major religions consider eye donation as noblest act of charity

Myth- Wealthy individuals can buy donated eyes, or recipient families must pay a fee

Fact- Buying or selling human organs is strictly illegal in India. Eye donation is completely free of cost to donor's family. Corneas are distributed ethically through a regulated waiting list.

How to pledge your eyes?

Step 1- Pledge your eyes with a recognised eye bank or through NPCBVI.

Step 2- Receive your donor acknowledgement or pledge record after completing registration process.

Step 3- Inform your family about your decision. It is the family members who help the eye bank team with consent process and prompt arrangements in corneal retrieval upon your death. Discussing it beforehand with loved ones is going to prevent confusion at a tough time.

This fortnight pledge your eyes and let your vision live beyond you!

(Dr. Bhavani Raina, is Additional Professor , Dr. Sadaf Chaudhary, Senior Resident Dept. of Ophthalmology AIIMS Jammu)