Frequently Asked Questions
What is corneal transplantation?
A corneally blind person can see again through a surgical procedure known as corneal transplantation wherein the damaged cornea is replaced with a healthy cornea from a deceased donor.
How soon should the cornea be removed after a donor's death?
The cornea should be removed within 6-8 hours of death.
Does eye donation cause any disfigurement?
No, removing the cornea does not cause any disfigurement; a transparent eye cap is placed in the eye in place of the removed cornea.
Is there an urgent need for eye donations?
Currently, the supply of donor eyes does not meet the demand. It is estimated that over two million people in our country suffer from corneal blindness, 60% of those requiring corneal transplants are below the age of 12. We need one lakh corneal transplants every year, but only 10,000 surgeries are performed.
How is the tissue harvested from a donor?
The Eye Bank uses a simple procedure known as in situ corneal excision . This involves removing only the cornea from the eye of the donor. The excised cornea is kept in a preservative called the M K medium (developed by Ramayamma International Eye Bank, LVPEI) and stored in the refrigerator until it is used for surgery.