For your eyes only

Picture credit: Moi

I went to Netradhama Super Speciality Hospital today in search of story ideas. I got none but I came back satisfied with a lot of information that I had assumed I already knew about. I was wrong. And I am glad I was :-)

As a young child (and even today), eye donation always interested me. I used to wonder with amusement when I thought that my eyes could give light to someone else's life. Let me make it clear that I was no philanthropist (I still don't claim to be one, by the way).
It wasn't altruistic motives but sheer pride that dictated such thoughts. My eyes will give light to someone else. Someone will be able to see the world because of me. It boosted my pride and my ego. So long as it serves the purpose, I don't think the motive matters!

Perhaps eye donations and organ transplantation was also an area of interest because death, as an event, has always intrigued as well as fascinated me at the same time. It's weird to imagine how life for others would be after your death. I have done that a million. I still do and it amuses me even today. Try and imagine how this world would be once you're dead and I gurantee you amusing thoughts. Perhaps you should read Who will cry when you die? by Robin Sharma.
P.S. I tried. But non-fiction bores me to death. Unless, of course, if it's someone like Arundhati Roy :))

So, anyways... *too much digression*
A chat with Dr. Sagar at Netradhama Hospital was not only informative but also insightful. Donating eyes is the most simplest process. In fact, today I learnt that one eye donation can give vision to 2 persons. So, I decided that, for a change, this post will be an informative and educative one.

Here's some useful information worth noting:

1. 1.5% of the population are unnecessarily blind
2. 25% live below the poverty line
3. 2.5 million children are suffering, including those who don't have the correct spectacles
4. 32% are under 15
5. 60% of blind children will not make it to adulthood. A cumulative economic loss to India's GNP of US$11.1 billion
6. 75% live in rural areas
7. There are 12,000 ophthalmologists in the country but the majorities of them live and work in the urban areas
8. 40% live in rural areas in central & northern India where there is little access to quality eye care services

Facts about eye donation

• Eyes can be donated only after death
• Eyes must be removed within 4 - 6 hours after death
• Only a Registered Medical Practitioner can remove eyes from a deceased.
• The eye bank team will remove the eyes from the home of the deceased or from a hospital
• Eye removal does not delay the funeral since the entire procedure takes 20-30 minutes only
• A small quantity of blood will be drawn to rule out communicable diseases
• Eye retrieval does not cause disfigurement
• Religions are for eye donation
• The identities of both the donor and the recipient are kept confidential

Source: Shankara Eye Hospital, Kundalahali Gate, Bangalore-33.

Picture Credit: Google Images

DID YOU KNOW?

Who can donate eyes?
Virtually anyone and everyone

-Age and sex doesn't matter; eyes of deceased can be donated irrespective of age/sex.
-Spectacle wearers, diabetics, hypertensives, asthmatics, tuberculosis, cancer patients can also donate eyes.
-Patients who have undergone eye surgery can also donate eyes.
-Even people who haven't previously pledged, can donate their eyes.

More information regarding the same can be viewed here

Happy reading! :)