More than a lakh await corneal donations in Karnataka but pledges sparse

Every year, on average, 5,600 eye donations are made in Karnataka, but an estimated 1.25 lakh corneal blind are waiting for corneal donations.

Of the 32 eye banks functioning in Karnataka, only seven are government-run. At state-run Minto Eye Hospital, for example, an average of 250 eye donations were made every year pre-Covid which has reduced to 55 during Covid.

This when the waiting list at this hospital alone was less than 10 prior to the pandemic, it has increased to 80 patients now. Doctors say that with a death rate of eight per 1,000 currently in the country, even if 10% of the population donate their eyes, it would suffice.

Deaths at homes can contribute significantly, even though cornea retrieval programmes at hospitals exist.

Dr B L Sujatha Rathod, director, Minto Ophthalmic Hospital, said, "A large proportion of blindness cases are avoidable. Corneal scarring either as a result of corneal diseases including ulcers or trauma is a major cause of bilateral or unilateral blindness and vision impairment in children and young adults. Even among the donated eyes, the proportion of unused eyes has increased over the years due to various factors."

Despite the fact that vision restoration is possible for a sizable proportion of the corneal blind, relatives of the deceased who has pledged his/her eyes do not honour that pledge after his/her death. There is still lack of awareness about essential aspects of eye donation like corneal retrieval needing to be done within six hours of death and that it does not cause facial disfigurement.

Dr Bhujang Shetty, chairperson, Narayana Nethralaya, said, "There's been a drastic drop of 70% to 80% in corneal donations over the last year. We used to collect 200 eyes a month but it has come down to 40 a month. We have 100 people on our waiting list. It comes down to zero whenever a Covid wave peaks.

"Even when patients die of heart ailments in non-Covid deaths, there is some suspicion on whether Covid infection is present in the cornea. RT-PCR testing takes time but we err on the side of caution."

During the first and the second Covid waves, Eye Bank Association of India had placed some restrictions on retrieving the eyes of Covid suspects.

On a positive note, senior consultant of Cornea and Cataract Services at Sankara Nethralaya, Dr Anand Balasubramaniam, said, "Corneal donations have slightly improved now. Also, because of the National Eye Donation Fortnight from August 25 to September 8, we've got quite a lot of pledges."

Steps to follow in case of death at home:

* Call the nearest eye bank
* Switch off fans of the rooms
* Keep ACs (air conditioners) on
* Place wet cotton on closed eyes of the donor
* Support the head with a pillow