Increasing the number of eye donations is crucial as corneal blindness can be treated only through transplantation from eye donations as there is no substitute for human tissue, said K. Bhujang Shetty, chairman and managing director of Narayana Nethralaya.
Addressing presspersons here on Tuesday, Dr Shetty said although an average of 57,000 eyes are collected across India annually, there are approximately 15 lakh corneal blind people who are in need of transplant in the country.
Moreover, every year, nearly 20,000 people are detected with corneal blindness, according to the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment.
“In Bengaluru alone, there are close to 300-400 deaths per day but out of these, less than eight eyes are collected. It is deeply saddening to see this huge gap. It is crucial for everyone to not only come forward to donate eyes after death but also work for eye donation by educating and enrolling friends, families and extended circles on this noble cause,” said Dr Shetty, who heads Dr. Rajkumar Eye Bank, one of the first started in 1993.
The hospital’s annual eye donation award instituted in the memory of the late Harish Nanjappa (who whispered his desire to donate his organs minutes before dying after he met with a terrible accident that severed his body in two in 2016) was presented to Government Hospital Yelahanka in recognition of their contribution for the cause of educating the public about blindness and also collecting maximum number of donor eyes.
The award was received by doctors Anil, Venkatraju and Premananad, in the presence of Bengaluru Rural District Blindness Control Officers Shanthala B.N.
To mark the fortnight, the hospital also organised a four-kilometre cyclothon in which doctors and staff of the hospital participate.
Walkathon
Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital organised a walkathon to raise awareness about eye donation as part of the ongoing eye donation fortnight.
More than 100 students from Sri Aurobindo College, doctors’ and members of the public walked from Rajajinagar Metro Station to the college, carrying placards, encouraging people to pledge their eyes.
