Why should we donate our eyes?
There are currently an estimated 15 million blind people in our country. Of these about 6.8 million suffer from corneal blindness with vision less than 6/60 in at least one eye. If the present trend continues, it is expected that the number of corneal blind individuals in India will increase to 8.4 million in 2010 and 10.6 million by 2020.
Procedure for donating eyes:
1. Contact the nearest eye collection centre or an eye bank which may be usually located in a medical college or an eye hospital.
2. Contact either through phone or a personal visit and register your pledge.
3. Get an Eye donation card.
4. The eyes of any dead person who has not registered can also donate with the consent of his or her relatives by law.
5. Anybody from the age of 1 year can donate.
6. No upper age limit for donation.
7. Persons wearing spectacles, those who had undergone cataract surgery, Diabetic persons, hypertensives can also donate their eyes.
What should be done till the eye donation team arrives?
1. Eyes of the person should be collected within 6 to 8 hrs of death.
2. Keep both the eyes of deceased person closed and covered with moist cotton.
3. Switch off the overhead fan.
4. Raise the head end of the body by about 6 inches, if possible - to decrease the incidence of bleeding during the removal of the eyes.
5. If possible, instill antibiotic eye drops periodically.
Who are not eligible for donating their eyes?
• Death from unknown cause.
• Death due to any infections like Rabies, syphilis, infectious hepatitis, septicemia and AIDS.
• Any ocular infection and previous refractive surgery.
Appeal to the public:
Take a pledge to donate your eyes and live even after your death.
Motivate and educate others about this eye donation.
In case of any death please motivate their relatives to donate the eyes of the dead person.
"Your eyes after death need not perish"
"Make eye donation a family tradition"
"Help blinds see, donate eyes after death"
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