What is corneal blindness?

Corneal blindness is a disorder that results from the cornea becoming clouded, making a person blind. This condition can result from malnutrition, infections, chemical burns, congenital disorders & post operative complications.

This is a surgical procedure which replaces a disc-shaped segment of an impaired cornea with a similarly shaped piece of a healthy donor cornea.

Is the whole eye transplanted?

No. Only the cornea can be transplanted. The entire eye may be used for research and education.

How great is the need for corneas?

India needs approximately 1 lakh corneas/year. But only 16,000 corneas are donated.

Why should eyes be donated?

There is no substitute for human tissue. The transplantation process depends upon the priceless gift of corneal donation from one human to the next. Donated human eyes and corneal tissue are used for research, education, and transplantation.

Who can be a donor?

Anyone can. Cataracts, poor eyesight, or age do not prevent you from being a donor. It is important for individuals wanting to be donors to inform family members of their wishes.

Will not disfigure the face

Eye removal does not delay the funeral, since the procedure takes only 20 - 30 mins.

A small quantity of blood will be removed to rule out communicable diseases.

No religion is against eye donation.

Important points

In the event of death contact the nearest eye bank.

Give the correct address

Keep the death certificate if available.

Consent of the next of kin is necessary for eye donation.

Close the eyelids of the deceased.

What is an eye bank?

An eye bank obtains, medically evaluates and distributes eyes donated by caring individuals for use in corneal transplantation, research, and education. Eye banks are non-profit organizations.