"EYE DONATION"
Let it be your family tradition

 PLEDGE FORM FOR EYE DONATION
Mobile: 9811771213

What is Corneal Blindness?

The cornea is the clear tissue covering the front of the eye. It is a focusing element of the eye. Vision will be dramatically reduced or lost if the cornea becomes cloudy from disease, injury or infection.

          

Main causes of Corneal Blindness:

• Injuries

• Malnutrition

• Infections

• Chemical burns

• Congenital disorders

• Post operative complications or infections

Fortunately lost sight can be restored through the medical intervention of corneal transplantation through the donated eyes.

You can help this happen. Let Eye Donation be your family tradition. Donate eyes of your dearest. Age does not matter.

The eyes of the deceased of any age can be donated whether he/ she has pledged the eyes or not. For Eye donation call nearest Eye Bank (or 1919 in Delhi)

Spectacle wearers, diabetics hypertensives and people suffering from systemic disorders like asthma, tuberculosis can also donate eyes. Patients who have undergone cataract surgery can also donate eyes.

Donate eyes of your dearest. Dial 1919 for eye donation. Eye donation gives sight to two corneally blind persons.

All religions endorse the practice of eye donation.

Eyes have to be removed within six hours of time of death. So, lose no time in informing the nearest Eye Bank. You could be instrumental in ensuring an eye donation in time. If someone unfortunately dies in your family or friend circle, remember to call the nearest Eye Bank. This can be done irrespective of whether the deceased had pledged his / her eyes or not.

Switch off fans, keep air conditioner or cooler running and place wet cotton with ice over the closed eyelids. It will help keep the tissue moist . Raise head with a pillow.

 

The Eye Bank personnel with a doctor or trained technician visits the donors home. This is done free.

10 cc of blood sample is collected from the donor for testing.

The eyes are removed by a trained person using sterile procedure. It leaves no scar disfigurement of the face. Eye donation gives sight to two blind persons as one blind person receives one donated eye.

On reaching the Eye Bank, tissues are examined, processed and used for corneal transplant operation as early as possible.

The needy patients are contacted in accordance with the waiting list at the Eye Bank. Emergency cases are dealt within conformity of guidelines.

The donated eyes are never bought or sold. Request for eye donation is always attended to.

The recipient of corneal will always remain anonymous but the donor family should be satisfied knowing that the eyes have been used to restore the vision of two blind persons.

EYE BANKING IN INDIA

In India , thee are approximately 120 lakh blind in both eyes and 80 lakh blind in one eye , which is about one fourth of the total blind population of the world . This means 14.9 out of every 1000 people in India are blind compared to just 3 per 1000 in the developed countries. Blindness in most cases is avoidable that is, either preventable or curable. Of the 120 lakh blind, approximately 103 lakh are curable by relatively simple operations, unfortunately yet they remain uncured.

About 96 lakh persons suffer from cataract which can be cured by a simple operation. Seven lakh of Indias population suffering from corneal blindness, mostly children in their early childhood, can be cured by corneal transplantation.

Corneal blindness

Corneal blindness means that ones cornea, which is the transparent and thin outer layer of eye, becomes clouded due to nutritional deficiency, injury or disease such as trachoma, corneal ulcer, conjunctivitis, et. Leading to loss of vision. This blindness can be cured in most cases by corneal grafting. Corneal grafting is performed on a patient when a voluntary donor pledges and donates his / her eyes after death.

Status of donor eyes in India

There is a severe lack of donor eyes in India and only 4.500 operations are being performed every year, while 30,000 new victims are added each year to the long list of 7 lakh patients already waiting to be cured. Although there are enough qualified surgeons and plenty of potential patients, corneal transplantation cannot be carried out due to lack of donor corneas. Eye donation means people pledging to donate their eyes after death to be used for corneal grafting for restoring sight to corneal blind people. In India there are more than 80 lakh deaths every year but sadly the corneal donations do not exceed a few thousand.

The reason for very low number of eye donations are manifold

• Lack of awareness in general public

• Improper development of infrastructure

• Absence of motivation even among the trained personnel or

• Social and religious taboos

Keeping in view the above factors, the Rotary Delhi Central Eye Bank (RDCEB), sponsored by Rotary Club of Delhi Central was formed at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in 1979 with the main objective of creating awareness about eye donation and kindle the hope of sight among the dark lives through donation of eyes pledged by the benevolent donors during their life time.

Procedure for eye donation

The Rotary Delhi Central Eye bank at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital is situated right in the heart of the Capital in Rajinder Nagar, New Delhi. You may enquire about the nearest Eye Collection Centre of Eye Bank. There are three other eye banks located in Delhi and many more all over the country.

Contact the nearest eye bank by phone or personal visit and it will register your pledge to donate eyes and will provide you with an eye donation Card. It is preferable if all the members of the family pledge their eyes together, In the card provided by Rotary Delhi Central Eye Bank four members of the family can pledge their eyes on the same card. However any person can individually pledge eyes at any time in his / her life.

The eyes of a deceased person can also be donated whether he / she has pledged the eyes in his /her life or not. Under the law, relatives of the deceased can donate his/ her eye provided he/ she (the deceased) had never spoken against eye donation.

Who can donate eyes

Almost any one of any age can pledge to donate his / her eyes after death

It does not matter even if you

• Wear glasses

• Are hypertensive 

• Are diabetic, or 

• Have undergone any eye surgery

The ultimate decision about usage for transplantation is made after evaluation by a specialist. The recipient of cornea will always remain anonymous. However, the family of the donor should be satisfied that the eyes have been used for noble cause of giving vision to the blind. What could be a greater donation than donating the eyesight, enabling the blind to see the vividity of the world !

Eye donation: How does it work?

• The eyes have to be removed within six to eight hours to death; therefore the nearest eye bank or eye collection centre must be informed of the death immediately

• The donor needs not to be taken to the eye bank the eye bank team will come to take the eyes wherever the donor is, at no cost.

• Removed of eyes is a simple procedure and it does not take a long time. It causes no scar or disfigurement of the face

• On reaching the eye bank eyes are evaluated processed and used for a corneal transplant surgery

• The donated eyes who are on transplantation on the patients eyes who are on the waiting list in accordance with the priority based on the guidelines

 Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is cornea?
   Cornea is the glass like covering over the pupil of the eye.

2. Why does the cornea get damaged?
   The cornea usually gets damaged because of infections or injuries of the eye or poor nutrition especially in childhood.

3. How can the eyesight in these patients be restored?
   Persons who have lost their sight because of damage to the cornea can hope to regain it with corneal grafting.

4. Who can be an eye donor?
   Any ones age sex is not important, and it does not matter if you wear glasses or have undergone a cataract operation or any other eye surgery. All that is needed is a clear and healthy cornea.

5. Are any costs involved in eye donation?
   No fees are charged from the family. The Eye Collection Center will rush a doctor to the donors home. This is a free service in the public interest.

6. Can I choose who will receive the corneas from my eyes?
   You may make a request to that effect to the eye bank. But the corneas are usually transplanted into the next two patients on the waiting list to avoid any unfair practice.

7. Can my family meet the person who receives the corneas from my eyes?
   No. the recipient will always remian anonymous. But the family should take pride in knowing the fact that the donors eyes have been used to restore vision to two blind person.

8. Can the eyes be removed at home?
   The eyes can be removed at home or any other place where the body is kept after death.

9. Does the recipient have to pay for the eye that is used for grafting?
   Services by the government and voluntary sector are provided free of charge. Donated eyes are never bought or sold.

10. What are the normal and religious views on eye donation?
    Religious leaders throughout the world have voiced their support for eye donation as an expression for the highest humanitarian ideals.

Suggestions for all rotary clubs and other voluntary organisations

• Hold meetings where the concept of eye donation explained and distribute folders to all members and non-members regarding eye banking.

• Set up a booth or display at place frequented by the public such as a shopping area a hospital a Theatre library a college etc.

• Put up posters and banners or distribute folders to the general public.

• Organise door to door campaign in the community.

• Advertise in the local media etc.

The ultimate goal is to increase public awareness of eye donation and help in actual donation of eyes.

Rotary Delhi Central Eye Bank
Sponsored by Rotary Club of Delhi Central 
at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Rajinder Nagar, New Delhi 110060

For pledging your eyes please contact:

Dr. A.K. Grover
Incharge, Rotary Delhi Central Eye Bank & 
Chairman, Deptt. of Ophthalmology
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Rajinder Nagar New Delhi - 110060

Ph.: 5735205, 5851463 -Extn 1136, 1356 (Eye Bank)
Mobile: 9811771213

Join this movement of 
"EYE DONATION"

BECOME OUR
"Sight Ambassador"

• Dial nearest Eye Bank (or 1919 in Delhi)

• Soon after unfortunate death of your near & dear one consent to donate the eyes of your close relative or friend

• Motivate family members of the person who has died in your area .

• Spread information about eye donation

• Your word of mouth will help the movement

• Make yourself a friend of Eye Bank