| Health Administration Ludhiana is celebrating eye | | | | centers equipped at the most with refrigerators. |
| donation fortnight from 25th of August to 06 of | | | | Retrieval of corneal tissue from a dead person is |
| September 2007. There is a unique sociological | | | | not an offence unless the person has openly |
| aspect of eye donation. Someone can see this | | | | declared on a public plat form that his eyes should |
| colorful world through your eyes even after your | | | | not be removed after death. Earlier position on |
| death. You can enrich a visually impaired individuals | | | | the subject was that a person had to pledge his |
| life, a precious gift without costing you anything. | | | | cornea and the relatives gave the consent for |
| Yet there are far few people enlightened enough | | | | retrieval of corneal tissues after the death of |
| to understand this. Precious graftable tissues | | | | individuals. This proved to be an impractical idea |
| continue to be burnt away after the death of | | | | and the pledge forms were not found at the time |
| individuals. Simply pledge your eyes and live after | | | | of need. Removing corneal tissue from dead does |
| death. Yet like any other noble cause, this cause | | | | not constitute mutilation in any way and it is not |
| also needed protection from exploitation by | | | | prohibited by any religion. In fact Buddhists |
| unscrupulous elements of our society. Human | | | | advocate organ donations after death. Sri Lanka |
| Organ Transplantation Act (HOTA) was framed | | | | with majority Buddhist population was the main |
| with a broader view to curb unethical tissue | | | | donor location and Madras the main recipient |
| transfers. Ethical requirements of corneal transfer | | | | destination. Specialist Surgical Centers evolved at |
| demand that the identity of the donor should not | | | | a fantastic pace in South India and until only a few |
| be disclosed to the recipient of the tissue and | | | | years back eye donation movement had gained |
| there should be no money involved. Any financial | | | | momentum but the emerging technologies and |
| transaction in tissue transfer out rightly amounts | | | | stringent laws halted this movement in its tracks. |
| to sale and a criminal offence. However a surgeon | | | | Inherently poor and unpredictable clinical results |
| doing corneal transplantation surgery has the right | | | | consumer right awareness, stringent laws, |
| to ask for a reasonable operative fee. Operating | | | | privatized market forces driven health care |
| surgeon has to be a qualified Ophthalmologist. | | | | system all became obstacles for the eye donation |
| Surgery has to be conducted in Hospital Operation | | | | movement. |
| Theatre and the Government of India has banned | | | | Now at present we are left with a few corneal |
| all kind of outdoor surgeries including corneal | | | | transplantation centers and far few corneal |
| transplantations in field make shift operation | | | | transplantation surgeons. At community level, the |
| theatres. Most suitable donors for corneal tissue | | | | incidence of the corneal opacification the main |
| transfers are the unfortunate youngsters who | | | | indication for corneal surgeries can be reduced by |
| lose their life in accidents and the best time for | | | | preventive measures in school gong children. Still it |
| tissue transfer is within six hours after death but | | | | is not only the corneal opacity that requires |
| in hot and humid conditions it can be as short as 2 | | | | corneal transplantation but countless other clinical |
| hours. Time minimized between the tissue | | | | entities like perforated corneal ulcers, viral corneal |
| retrieval and grafting vastly improves the results. | | | | disease, industrial accidents, thermal and X-ray |
| The critical determinant of graft suitability is | | | | irradiation induced damages, congenital deformities |
| endothelial cell count of the graft but | | | | etc. Corneal grafting is a procedure getting |
| unfortunately determination assays for endothelial | | | | relegated to backstage but we definitely need to |
| cells are generally not available at most of the | | | | take corrective steps to salvage this situation. |
| places. | | | | Dr. Capt. |
| Most of the eye banks are in fact eye collection | | | | |