INTRODUCTION :
Observed every year from 25th August to 8th September, National eye donation fortnight is to aware the masses about importance of eye donation after death and to motivate them for same.
Blindness is one of major public health problem occurring widely among the population. Corneal disease means damage to the tissue covering the front eye ( cornea) is one of major causes of vision loss and blindness.
GOAL OF NATIONAL EYE DONATION FORTNIGHT :
- Aware masses about taking care of their eyes and to donate them posthumously, that is after death.
- Spreading education that eye donation doesn’t cause any harm, instead it gives light into someone’s dark life and will make their life more blissful. Also this way after leaving this world your eyes will be able to see the world.
- Educating masses about importance and need of eye donation.
WHY DONATE EYES AFTER DEATH :
Approximately 5% of world population and approximately 68 Lakh people in India suffers blindness. In many cases loss of vision can be corrected with eye donation, this doesn’t mean the removal of whole eye only the cornea is taken from eye and is placed in the eye whose vision is to be corrected.
Donating eyes after death, can help the corneal blind person to see again via the transplantation of donated cornea. This surgical procedure is known as corneal transplantation.
Gift of Sight is considered as one of the ‘best gift‘ one can give to someone in this world, by pledging to donate his or her eyes after death and giving the ‘gift of sight‘ to a living person whom eyesight is affected due to Cornea disease or disorder,” –
ABOUT EYE DONATION
- It means donating eyes after death, which will benefit the corneal blind people to see again.
- Anyone can donate eyes, irrespective of their age, gender, blood group.
- Cornea should be removed, within 1 hour of death and it’s removal doesn’t leave any scar on face and no facial structure is disturbed. This procedure of 10- 15 minutes can give happiness in someone’s life.
FAQ’s on eye donation
- Who can donate eye ?
Answer. Everyone can be a eye donor irrespective of their age, sex, blood group, religion etc. People who use lenses for shortsightedness or those who have get their eyes operated can also donate their eyes.
- Condition where eyes cannot be donated?
Answer. Persons suffering from infections like rabies, malaria, hepatitis cannot donate their eyes.
PROCEDURE TO BE FOLLOWED FOR EYE DONATION :
In case of person’s death, the nearby people can follow the following instructions to keep the cornea safe for excision.
The first ever thing to do is to close the eye lid of donor, and raise the head of donor slightly by placing a pillow underneath the head. Switch off the fan or you can on the air conditioner. The last step is to immediately contact the nearest eye bank the team of doctors will themselves come to your residence and will perform the procedure of cornea excision. Nothing of deceased will be disfigured, neither eyes nor facial structure.
So let’s all pledge to donate eyes after death and help someone. Lets donate eyes to fill someone’s life with light.
