Dateline Dehradun: Himalayan Hospital Jollygrant is running a campaign to raise awareness about eye donation. Under the National Eye Donation Fortnight, various activities are being conducted to make people aware of the importance of eye donation.
Dr. Renu Dhasmana, Head of the Department of Ophthalmology at Himalayan Hospital Jollygrant, mentioned that in India, around 6.8 million people are affected by corneal blindness in at least one eye. Out of these, 1 million people are blind in both eyes. Highlighting the significance of eye donation as a service to humanity, Dr. Renu Dhasmana appealed to people to make eye donation a family tradition.
Dr. Sukriti Upadhyay, the in-charge of the Eye Bank at Himalayan Hospital, and senior ophthalmologist Dr. Harsh Bahadur stated that one person can brighten the lives of two visually impaired individuals. On this occasion, optometry students performed a play to inform people coming to the hospital’s OPD about the importance of eye donation and to dispel any related myths.
During this period, Dr. Chhavi Garg, Neelam, Kavita, and Ashish Kumar also motivated people to donate their eyes.
Contact for Eye Donation: Himalayan Hospital has a registered eye bank in Uttarakhand. Interested individuals can contact the hospital at +91-8194009630 or the phone numbers +91-135-2471440, 355.
Instructions for Eye Donation: Eyes should be taken within six hours after death. The eye bank team visits the donor’s home, and this is a free service. The eyes of the deceased can only be taken with the consent of the family. Trained personnel collect the eye (cornea) using a sterile process. This does not leave any marks or deformities on the deceased’s face.
Who Can Donate Eyes: Any person of any age with a clear and healthy cornea, including those who wear glasses, suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, or have had cataract surgery.
Instructions for the Deceased’s Family: Turn off fans, and if there is an air conditioner or cooler in the house, keep it on. Place wet cotton with ice over the closed eyes. Raise the head with a pillow to keep the tissue moist. Donated eyes are never bought or sold.
