Eye Donation
In India, we have an estimated 4.6 million people who suffer from corneal heart disease and can be treated with the help of one eye which is made possible by corneal transplantation. When the cornea becomes affected due to illness, injury, infection, or any other reason, vision is greatly reduced. More than 90% of corneal transplants are performed successfully and help restore vision in people with corneal blindness. A corneal transplant can make a big difference in the lives of babies born with a damaged cornea.
Facts about eye Donation
- Eyes can only be given after death.
- The eyes should be removed within 4-6 hours of death.
- Eyes can only be removed by a registered doctor.
- The eye bank team will go to the home or hospital of the deceased and remove the eye.
- Eye removal does not delay burying as the whole process takes 20 to 30 minutes.
- Extraction of the eye does not cause distortion.
- Maintaining the confidentiality of the identity of the donor and the recipient.
Who can donate their eyes?
Eye donors can be of any age or gender. Eye patients, diabetic patients, high blood pressure patients, asthma patients and infectious disease patients can donate eyes.
People with infectious diseases such as AIDS, hepatitis B, and C, leukemia, septicemia, acute leukemia (blood cancer), fever, cholera, meningitis, and encephalitis cannot be taken lightly.
When is the donation made?
Surgical removal of eye tissue is performed immediately after death, ensuring that the tissue is in the best possible condition for transplantation. It also ensures that there is no delay in the funeral arrangements.
How long after donation should a cornea transplant be performed?
Depending on the method of corneal protection, the corneal transfer is usually performed within 4 days.
Will the donor family pay or receive the fee?
No, it is illegal to buy and sell eyes, organs, and human tissues. Eye Bank charges every fee related to the purchase of eyes.
How can a person become a donor?
The most important thing anyone can do is to tell their family and legal representative. Many states now require families to give the option to donate in the event of the death of a loved one. Families can agree to donate. It is very helpful if they know in advance that they want to keep their eyes open. The donor card can serve as an indication of intent for family/legal and hospital representatives as eye donors.
Is it possible to donate living eyes?
There is no easy answer to this question. However, if someone’s eye has been removed for some reasons, but their cornea is healthy, a cornea can be used for this possible occurrence. However, there is no precedent for charity among people in other situations. There is another rare case where one can help the cornea where one eye has potential vision, but corneal vision is needed to restore active vision, while the other eye is blind to a clean cornea. In this case, after a detailed discussion with the patient about the risks and benefits of the procedure, a clean cornea can be removed and transferred to the eye.
Blindness and the burden of disease
An estimated 35 million people in developing countries are either already blind or have become blind. Most can be done with the proper intervention. At least 3 million of them can regain their vision after a heart transplant, and half of these patients (2%) are children under the age of 12.
About half of the world’s blind population lives in India, while the actual number of blind people in India reaches 15 million. Of these, 6.8 million are corneal blind with at least one eye with vision less than 6/60. At least one million people are blind in both eyes, and this bilateral corneal blindness is reversible.
Of these, at least 3 million people may benefit from corneal transplantation, which is an alternative to the cornea through surgery. To control such a large number of patients and effectively deal with the additional patients in this group, 150,000 corneal transplants are required every year in India alone.
Important points
For relatives of the deceased
To give eyes, the relatives of the deceased should perform the following actions
- Always turn off the fan if the body is up.
- Place the pillow under the deadhead and raise the head slightly.
- Contact your nearest Eye Bank soon.
- Provide the correct address, custom ID, and phone number to the Eye Bank team so that the site can be easily searched.
- If you get a death certificate from a doctor, have it ready.
- One eye can be granted only with the written permission of the relatives and in the presence of two witnesses.
After eye donation
- The family of the donor receives a certificate of appreciation from Eye Bank.
- Donated eyes are taken to the eye bank by trained staff and the eyes are examined.
- Tests are done and the tissue is sent to a corneal surgeon.
- Specifically refers to the waiting list and invites the recipient for corneal transplant surgery.
- Performs corneal transplant surgery.
- To ensure the success of the grafting, the recipient is periodically followed
Services of the eye bank
- Presence of full-time trained staff to answer calls.
- Providing high-quality corneal examination and trained staff for testing.
- Run corneal research with eyes unsuitable for grafts, discover new technologies, improve maintenance methods, and train corneal surgeons.
- Raises awareness among the public about eye donation and eye banking.
- Creating and establishing a network of eye donation centers.
Myth and Facts to Donate the eye.
Myth: The donor’s eye distorts the donor’s face, creating a hole in the eye socket that eventually distorts the face.
Fact: Absolutely not. Eye donation does not harm the face as the prosthesis is inserted into the socket.
Myth: When I die in this life, giving up means I will be born blind in the next life.
Fact: Donating someone’s eye is a very good and benevolent act and the fruit of this action in the next life can be obtained only if one believes in the law of karma. This myth has no basis in religion or logic.
Myth: When we go to a doctor for eye checkup and we sit before him / her, doctors will not try to save me if I become seriously ill.
Fact: Absolutely wrong. After taking the oath, every doctor is committed to saving lives. They will not risk your life or health to help another patient.
Myth: My family will be unhappy with my decision to donate my eyes.
Fact: You will be amazed at how much your loved one accepts and appreciates your choices when you tell them that you are thinking of leaving your eyes for donation after death. In fact, you will be praised for your respect, and your actions will encourage friends and family to keep an eye out.
Myth: The eyes of Indian donors are not suitable for corneal transplantation.
Fact: All eyes can be used regardless of ethnicity, race, caste, religion, or creed. The potential of each eye is assessed individually under strict guidelines by a trained eye care professional. All donated eyes are used for either vision restoration, transplantation, or research that will ultimately help millions of blind people.
Myth: Corneal transplant is a complicated process with a low success rate.
Fact: Corneal transplantation is a routine procedure performed around the world and has given the gift of vision to millions of blind people around the world. Of all organ transplants, corneal transplantation is considered the most successful.
Myth: Donated eyes can be sold.
Fact: Eye care is completely voluntary. The sale or purchase of the human eye or any other organ is illegal and a punishable offense under the Human Organ Transplantation Act (THOA, 1994). Eye banks must establish and document a delivery system that is fair, equitable, and equitable to all patients served by the eye bank. In fact, the eye bank covers every cost related to corneal reconstruction.
Myth: If I promise to do charity work, then after my death there is no need for any more consent.
Fact: Even though you promise to donate with your own eyes, the consent of your family members (relatives) is required to complete the work. It is up to them not only to report your death to Eye Bank but also to complete the required process of donating your eyes before you die.
Myth: You can’t blindfold me if I don’t make a vow.
Fact: If your relative informs Eye Bank about your death, and wishes to donate your eyes, Eye Bank staff will retrieve your eyes.
List of Major Eye Donation Centres in New Delhi
VENU EYE INSTITUTE AND RESEARCH CENTRE
ROTARY REGENCY GIFT OF SIGHT COORDINATION AND PROCESSING CENTRE
AT: EDWARD MOUMENEE EYE BANK
1/31, SHEIKH SARAI, PHASE-II, INSTITUTIONAL AREA
NEW DELHI- 110017
Phone: 29250952; 29251951; 29252370
Email: eyebank@venueyeinstitute.org
NATIONAL EYE BANK
DR. RAJENDRA PRASAD CENTRE FOR OPHTHALMIC SCIENCES
AIIMS, ANSARI NAGAR
NEW DELHI-110029
Phone:011- 26593060, 26588500; 26864851; 26569461, M-9868398404
Email: nationaleyebank_rpc@gmail.com
- SHROFF’S CHARITY EYE HOSPITAL
5027, KEDAR NATH ROAD
DARYA GANJ
NEW DELHI- 110002 011-43524444; 43528888
Email: donateeyes@sceh.net
Centre for Sight – Eye Bank
At Centre for Sight Eye Group Hospital
B05/24, Safdarjung Enclave
New Delhi-110 029
Phone: 011-45738888, 41644000
Incharge Eye Bank
Rotary Central Eye Bank
Sir Ganga Ram Eye Hospital
Rajinder Nagar
NEW DELHI – 110 060
Phone: 25721800, 25781837
Phone: akgrover55@yahoo.com
Eye Bank Incharge
Sewa Eye Bank
C/o. M.M. Eye Tech. Hospital
29, Lala Lajpat Rai Marg
Lajpat Nagar-III
NEW DELHI-110 024
Phone: 011-29841919, M-9212035119
Email: sewaeyebank@yahoo.in
List of Major Eye Donation Centres in Uttar Pradesh
DEPARTMENT OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
LLRM MEDICAL COLLEGE
MEERUT- 250004
Phone: 2763133; M-09837786980
Email: dephtha@rediffmail.com, mebs2003@gmail.com
VARANASI EYE BANK SOCIETY
J-12/9D, Ramkatora
VARANASI- 221001
(0542) 2333272; 2333284 m-9415228475 ( Dr. S.K. Sah)
Eye Bank Incharge
B.H.U. EYE BANK
DEPTT. OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, BANARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY
VARANASI-221005
Phone: 0542-2307590, 2367568
Email: saheye@india.com
LUCKNOW EYE BANK
Abhinav Drishti Eye Hospital
B-719; SECTOR-C, MAHANAGAR
LUCKNOW- 226006
Phone: (0522) 2381919; 2322669; 2335122
Email: info@abhinavdrishti.org
Eye Bank Incharge
C.L. GUPTA EYE BANK WELFARE SOCIETY
C.L. GUPTA EYE HOSPITAL, SWAMI VIVEKANANDA ROAD
OPP-GOVT. POLYTECHNIC
MORADABAD- 244001
Phone: (0591)- 2450681, 2454650, 2477800, M-9412241919
Email: clguptaeyebank@clgei.org
SRMS EYE BANK
(SHRI RAM MURTHI SMARAK TRUST)
N-3, RAMPUR GARDEN
BAREILLY- 243001
(0581)- 2582014 – 25
Email: srmsims@srmsims.org
ICARE CHARITABLE EYE HOSPITAL & P.G. INST. GLUCOMA RESEARCH CENTRE
E-3A,
SECTOR-26
NOIDA- 201301
(0120)- 4068800; 2535782
Email: icare@vsnl.com, icare@eyecarehospital.org
- ASHOK JAIN
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ROSHNI EYE BANK
FLAT NO-7, GURU NANAK MARKET
AMBALA ROAD
SAHARANPUR-247001
Phone: 0132- 2663779, 2663410, M-9359200744
Incharge Eye Bank
Teerthanker Mahaveer Hospital & research Centre
Teerthanker Mahveer Medical College & Research Centre
Delhi Road, Pakwada
MORADABAD-244001
Phone: 0591-2360077, 2360555 M-9756911114
Email: tmimtgroup@sify.com
Incharge Eye Bank
Post Graduate Dept. Of Ophthalmology
Swami Vivekanand Subharti University
Subharti Puram, N.H-58
Delhi-Haridwar By pass Road
MEERUT – 250 005
Phone:
Email: smc_ophthalmology2001@rediffmail.com
List of Major Eye Donation Centres in Madya Pradesh
M.K. International Eye Bank
Sai Sampada
Terrace Floor, 16, choti Khajrani, MR-9,
INDORE-MP
Phone: 0731-4075919, M-9406631919,
Email: info@eyebank.in
Sewa Sadan Eye Hospital Trust
Behind Civil Hospital
Sant Hirdaram Nagar
BHOPAL – 462030
Phone: 0755- 2643581, 2641156, 4244767, 2641200
Email: sewasadaneyehospital@gmail.com
GOMABAI NETRALAYA & RESEARCH CENTRE
VIKAS MARG
NEEMUCH- 458441
Phone: 07423-221526; 220122
Email: gomabainetralaya@gmail.com
PROF; & HEAD
DEPARTMENT OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
M.G.M. MEDICAL COLLEGE
M.Y. HOSPITAL
INDORE-452001
Phone: 2427301, 2514628
KASYAP ROTARY EYE BANK & CORNEAL CLINIC
101- B, NAHAR PURA
GALLI NO-1
RATLAM-457001
Phone: 07412-232556
Email: kamlaeye@sancharnet.in
RATAN JYOTI NETRALAYA
OPHTHALMIC INSTIUTE & RESEARCH CENTRE
18, VIKAS NAGAR, NEAR SAIBABA MANDIR
GWALIOR-
0751-2423350, 4070921
Email: rjn_drbhasin@sify.com