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1) Why donate eyes? |
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The term eye donation is a misnomer as only the cornea is procured and transplanted to the recipient. The only substitute for a human cornea is another human cornea donated at death by someone. Donating the cornea helps your eyes live even after death and light the lives of two blind people. |
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2) What is cornea?
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Cornea is the transparent, dome-shaped layer that covers the front of eye like the watch glass. Cloudiness of the cornea due to infections, injury,nutritional deficiency, postoperative complication and hereditary diseases can cause loss of vision. Sight can be restored by corneal transplantation which is like replacing a cloudy watch glass. |
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3) What is corneal transplantation?
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A corneal transplant is a surgery which replaces the opaque cornea with a clear cornea obtained from a human donor eye. |
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4) Who can donate eyes?
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Almost everyone, irrespective of age, can donate eyes. It does not matter if one wears glasses, has undergone cataract surgery, has diabetes or hypertension. Those with poor vision or even blind due to retinal or optic nerve disease can donate eyes and give vision to others. Donor tissue that cannot be used for transplant can, with consent, be used for medical research and education. |
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5) Can living person donate eyes?
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No. Cornea can be procured only after death. |
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6) Does eye donation delay the funeral process?
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No, the procedure of cornea harvest takes about 20 minutes. Moreover, the eye bank personnel will come where the body of deceased is.The donor need not be shifted to the eye bank. |
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7) What are the cost involved in eye donation?
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No fees are charged nor paid to the family of the deceased. The corneal harvest is done free of cost by eye banks in larger public interest.
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8) How can I donate my eyes?
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To become a donor, you have to sign the pledge form and send it to any eye bank. Pledging is only to create an awareness. The eye bank also issues a wallet donor card which you can carrry on you. Also, let your family members know that you wish to be a eye donor. Prior registration is not mandatory for eye donation. Your next kin can give voluntary consent in absence of prior pledge by donor. |
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9) How can I help on the death of a close friend or relative?
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Motivate the next of kin of the deceased person to donate their eyes. Eyes need to be collected within 6 hours of death. Call your nearest eye bank at the earliest and give the complete address with nearby landmarks. You are authorized to donate the eyes of your beloved relatives at the time of their death, even if a pledge for donation has not been made earlier by the deceased. |
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10) What should I do till the Eye Bank team arrives?
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- Keep both eyes of deceased closed and covered with moist cotton.
- Switch off the overhead fan and raise the head end of the body by 6 inches.
- If possible, instill antibiotic eye drops periodically.
- Keep the death certificate ready.
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11) What does the Eye Bank team do?
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The eye collection team is dispatched within 15 minutes from the eye bank. The cornea is removed by a trained person using sterile procedure after verifying the death certificate. 10 cc of blood sample is also collected from the donor. The corneas are evaluated for suitability for transplant and stored at the eye bank. Patients on the waiting list needing transplant are contacted and the transplantation surgery scheduled. A letter of thanks along with a certificate is sent to the donor family. |
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12) Does my religion support eye, organ and tissue donation?
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All major religions support donation. However, if you have concerns about your religion’s position, please get in touch with your religious leader/ representative. |
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13) Can the recipients be told who donated the eyes?
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No. The gift of sight is made anonymously. It is the Eye-Bank policy to keep donor and recipient identities completely confidential. |
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14) Any special phone number for Madhava Netra Nidhi?
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Yes, a dedicated mobile phone: 9701321436 |
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