EYE DONATION

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EYE DONATION an Indian Perspective

• Dr. Hitendra Ahooja, M.S (Ophthalmology), Fellow
  Cornea Anterior Segment

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1.8 Million Corneal Blind In India, out of which
1 Million are Children
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8-9 million deaths occur in India every year and
only 20,000 eyes were donated in 2003?
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Donations- Zone wise
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North Zone- Donations
Gurgaon has no Eye Bank
Source Purnajyoti, EBAI Journal
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Causes of Corneal blindness

• Infections
• Injuries
• Complications following eye surgery

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Dont burn or bury your eyes
One Eye Donation means SIGHT to two needy
persons
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Anyone can be an Eye Donor

• People of any age
• Spectacle users
• Eye surgery patients
• Diabetics, Hypertensives

Eye Donation the only cost is a little love
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What can you do to help us?

• You as an Individual
• As a responsible family
• As a member of Society
• As conscious Corporate Citizen

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Eye Donation is simple!

• It is only one phone call away
• Call us at 0124-2254848 (Eye Donation Helpline)
  or nearest Eye Bank

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Removal of eyes takes only 20 minutes
Does not delay funeral arrangements or disfigure
the face
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Eyes can be removed within 6-8 hours of time of
death
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• Eye can be donated irrespective of whether the
  deceased had pledged his/her eyes or not

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A Few Precautions

• Do Switch off the fans
• Do keep air conditioners / cooler running
• Do place wet cotton with ice over the closed
  eyelids

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Simple Process

• The Eye Bank personnel with a doctor or trained
  technician visits the donor home
• The eyes are removed by trained person using
  sterile procedure, leaves no scar or
  disfigurement of the face
• 10cc of blood sample is collected from donor for
  testing

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• On reaching the eye bank tissues are examined,
  processed and used for corneal transplant
  operation as early as possible
• The need patients are contacted in accordance
  with waiting list at the eye bank
• The donated eyes are never bought or sold

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

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Eye Donation Taboos

• Lack of awareness
• Fear of disfigurement
• Apathy / Forgetfulness
• Lack of favorable legislations

Actually eye donation has sanction of all key
religious leaders
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What is an Eye bank
Eye bank is the link between the donor family and
a cornea recipient
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Eye Bank
Is a Community non-profit, charitable
organization dedicated to restoring sight to
those who are blind or visually impaired through
the promotion and advancement of Eye donation
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Functions

• To produce quality tissue
• To screen eyes as per eye bank standards
• To evaluate the tissue
• To test for HIV, Hepatitis
• To eliminate waiting list

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You along with
Medical Profession Voluntary Organisation Media G
overnment Academia Corporates Social Workers Can
help make a difference
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BecomeDrishti Mitra Friends of EYE BANK