Cornea related problems are one of the most common causes of blindness around the world. According to the statistics of WHO, there are 45 million blind patients worldwide, of whom one-third i.e. 15 million reside in India. There is an estimated 4.6 million corneal blind people in India. Out of this, 90 percent are below the age of 45, including 60 percent children who are below 12 years of age.
If a cornea becomes irreparably damaged, there is only one solution: corneal transplant, which can only be performed using donated corneal tissue. Also known as “keratoplasty,” corneal transplant is performed by specially trained ophthalmologists who replace damaged corneas and correct conditions that would otherwise cause the loss of eyesight. Corneal transplants have a success rate of approximately 95% and can usually be performed on an outpatient basis. Corneal transplant is only possible through cornea donation, as there is no substitute for human corneal tissue. Without the generosity of cornea donors, thousands of Indians will be left in the dark.
There was a 5 months old baby, who was referred to Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital from South Africa. The baby had congenital corneal opacity due to raised intraocular pressure in both eyes, a condition known as buphthalmos. Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK), a form of lamellar keratoplasty was done for the patient by Dr. Kavita Rao, Cornea Specialist, Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital Pvt. Ltd. DSEK is a revolutionary technique of corneal transplantation without sutures. This is a new advanced method of corneal replacement surgery without the need for surface incisions or stitches, unlike conventional corneal grafting surgery.
Their aim was to salvage the eye and restore the vision before irreversible damage occurs which would bring a lot of psychological trauma to the patient and his family. But the arduous task was to procure a donor cornea which was the most frustrating factor for us as here was a patient who was in an urgent need of cornea, we were ready to operate him but the precious corneal tissue was not available in Mumbai. Therefore, we had to procure the corneal tissue from L.V.Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad and perform the surgery said Dr. Kavita Rao.
Luckily for the patient cornea of good quality was available and hence the patient underwent this surgery. Patient received excellent care and the surgery was performed successfully but all patients are not so lucky. Sometimes procurement of cornea is very difficult as good quality cornea is not available due to scarcity of eye donors.
100,000 corneas are needed for transplants each year in India but only about 10,000 are collected. This calls for a pressing need of launching a national awareness drive, backed by timely counseling of the grieving family, who are authorized to donate the eyes of their beloved relatives at the time of their death.
Remember, by donating a pair of eyes you can make a big difference to the lives of two corneal blind persons. Besides, nobody is going to live here forever so let us donate our eyes and light up the lives of others even after death. Also remember that common sense safety precautions such as wearing safety goggles or glasses may be your best approach to preventing eye injuries altogether and maintaining healthy vision for a lifetime.
Who can donate eyes?
Almost everyone from the age of one onwards can donate eyes. There is no age limit to become an eye donor. No matter if you have poor eyesight or have had cataract surgery, if you're young or old, have hypertension or diabetes, you can donate your eyes without any concerns. Even a person who has lost his/her sight due to retinal or optic-nerve related disease can donate eyes, given that the cornea is unclouded.
Those who wish to donate their eyes can make a pledge with any eye bank, resolving to donate their eyes after death. Even if the deceased family member has not signed a pledge form, their immediate relatives can give consent for the donation. As the eyes need to be collected within six hours of death, one must inform the eye bank as early as possible.
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