Facts about Eye Donation

  • Eye Donation - What is it ?

Fortunately, through the medical miracle of
Corneal Transplantation sight restoration is possible.

 Cornea transplant can restore vision

What is Corneal Blindness?

The Cornea, which is the clear surface at the front of the eye,

is the main focusing element of the eye.

If the Cornea becomes cloudy or scarred vision can be markedly reduced or

 lost.

  • Main causes of Corneal Blindness 

Injuries
 Congenital Disorders

Infections
Chemical Burns
Malnutrition
You can make a difference. Let Eye Donation be your family tradition.

Gift your corneas so someone else can see

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Anyone of any age can donate eyes.
Young, old & middle aged can donate corneas

Patients who have undergone cataract surgery can also donate eyes.

Spectacle wearers, diabetics, hypertensive and people suffering from systemic disorders like Asthma, Tuberculosis ... can also donate eyes.

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Your pledge to donate eyes to the Rotary Eye Bank is sufficient to donate eyes to any Eye Bank in India.
Pledge your eyes !

Eye donation gives sight to two corneally blind persons.Eyes are never removed from a living person.
A pair of corneas can give vision to two people

Eyes have to be removed within 6-8 hours of death.So, let no time be lost in informing the nearest eye bank.
Call the nearest eye bank immediately after the death

You could instrumental in getting an eye donation. If there is a death in your family, remember to call the nearest eye bank. This can be done irrespective of whether your family member has pledged his eyes or not.
Eye bank numbers are in the city Yellow Pages

Get the vital death certificate from your family Physician or a Physician nearby.


Death certificate is a must for enucleation

Switch off fans ( keep A/C On ) and place wet cotton/cloth over the closed eyelids. It will keep the eye balls moist. Raise head with a pillow.
Eye banks try to respond within a hour or two

If there is a death in your friends circle, either motivate the family or
call the counselor of the nearest eye bank.
Motivate your family, friends about eye donation

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The donor need not be taken to the eye bank.The eye bank team will come to take the eyes wherever the donor is, at no cost.
Eye banks are trying to respond quicker

The eye bank team carefully removes the eyes without disfiguring the face.
Only the eye balls are removed

10 cc of blood sample is collected from the donor's body for testing.
Blood tests filter out corneas with diseases like Aids

The eyes will be safely transported to the eye bank.
Special containers are used for handling corneas

The eyes will be evaluated by trained eye bank staff.
Sophisticated testing of corneas is now done in India

The cornea is used for transplantation to the patient's eye by a trained corneal surgeon.
Good quality corneas provide better vision

Eye bank are non-profit organizations and the retrieved cornea are supplied to qualified Corneal Surgeons.
Eye banks are monitored by EBAI

 

The patients are called strictly in accordance with the waiting list. Emergency cases are dealt with in conformity of guidelines.
We need more corneas to match the need

The intensity of eye donation varies from religion to religion.Jains and Buddhists practice it rigorously.Other religious leaders are not only endorsing eye donation, but preaching to their devotees.

Eye donation is considered a noble act by all religions

Money can't buy eyes. It is a gift only you can give, the gift of sight.
There is no substitute for human tissue

Cornea can not be used for Transplantation if the patients are identified with
AIDS, Hepatitis B, C, Rabies, Septicemia, active Leukemia and any other infectious disease.
AIDS is a dreaded disease

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Information Courtesy:

These facts have been reproduced from the booklet jointly printed as part of the National Programme for Control of Blindness by the: Eye Bank Association of India and Directorate General of Healthy Services, Ophthalmology / Blindness Control Section (EC Unit)
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