Corneal Transplant and Eye Donation Mission

""One of the basic human rights is to see and, therefore, it is to be ensured that no citizen goes blind needlessly; or being blind does not remain so, if, by reasonable deployment of skill and resources, his eyesight could be prevented from deteriorating and if already lost could be restored." *" *

(*(*From the Resolution of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare))

Blindness is one of India's most challenging public health problems, with an estimated 15 million blind people in the country - roughly one-third of the 45 million blind patients estimated in the world.

Around the world, it is estimated that, every five seconds, one person goes blind. A child goes blind every minute.

The good news is that 80 per cent of blindness is avoidable; 20 per cent is preventable and 60 per cent is treatable.

In India, there are an estimated 4.6 million corneal blind people, 90 per cent of whom are below the age of 45 and 60 per cent are children below the age of 12.

While these numbers are truly staggering, one can draw heart from the fact that up to 66 per cent of these cases are preventable or curable if basic steps are taken. This means that more than 3 million people can recover their vision through, and only through, corneal transplantation.

Unfortunately, because of an abysmal lack of awareness, the actual number of transplants carried out in the country - estimated at 10,000 a year - fall way short of the 100,000 needed annually to address this problem.

This is where the Tej Kohli Foundation has decided to play a role through its new charity effort in India - the Corneal Transplant Program that is aimed at raising awareness about the issues involved, popularizing eye donation and facilitating transplantation of corneas.

Mr Kohli recognizes that surgery alone is not the solution for this problem in the country. There is also a lack of well-trained surgeons and nurses, clinical facilities are often poorly equipped and maintained, eye bank facilities are often unreliable and long-term care is inconsistent.

Moved by the plight of blind people in India during a recent visit to the country, Mr Kohli is planning to launch his first clinic in India as part of an effort to combat this terrible travesty.

Tej Kohli believes that eye donation and restoration of vision through corneal transplant is a winning combination of benevolence and the wonders of modern medical science.

Corneal transplant is a safe procedure with a success rate of more than 90 per cent.

The Tej Kohli Foundation, in association with a local NGO and eye institute, is hoping to assist as many people as possible in regaining their sight through corneal transplants. Among other efforts, the Foundation will also help organize eye camps and awareness programs regularly.

CORNEA TRANSPLANT

The cornea is a transparent, watch glass like structure, spherical in shape, in the front of the eye that permits light to enter the eye and focus on the retina. The cornea is normally crystal clear but it can become cloudy or misshapen, leading to gravely reduced vision or blindness.

Diseased corneas can be replaced successfully through transplantation, or keratoplasty, using human donor cornea.

Almost anyone at anyone at any age can pledge to donate his or her eyes after death. Even people who wear glasses, have cataracts or have undergone successful eye surgery can do this. All that is needed is a clear, healthy cornea.

The eyes have to be removed within six hours of death. This means that the nearest eye bank or eye collection center must be informed immediately, even if the initial pledge may have been made in another center in some other city.

Their next of kin can donate the eyes of loved ones that have passed, even if they had not pledged their eyes. Convesely, the eyes of deceased persons cannot be removed without the consent of the next of kin, even if they had already pledged their eyes.

The removal of eyes takes only 10-15 minutes and leaves no scar or disfigurement of the face. Only the cornea is transplanted, for all practical purposes, and not the entire eyeball. However, other parts of the eye are used for research and education purposes.

When one person donates his eyes, two people get sight because one blind person is given one eye. The recipients of the corneas are kept anonymous.

Donated corneas are transplanted to the eye of patients who are in a waiting list, formed in accordance with guidelines, to avoid malpractice. Eyes are never bought or sold. Eye donation is never refused.

As can be easily understood, corneal disease is a public health problem that, in more than half of the cases, can be prevented or treated if there is a multi-dimensional approach. There is a large unmet need of natural donor material despite the many facilities and services that have come up.

Here is a case where the goal - that of reduction of corneal blindness - is entirely doable. All it needs is the establishment of efficient linkages between eye banks, eye surgeons, health personnel, patients, potential donors, their families and the community at large. This is where organizations such as the Tej Kohli Foundation and individuals like you come in. We can all play a role.