Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, in association with a few educational institutions, organised a massive human chain in Palayamkottai on Thursday to create awareness among the public of the importance of eye donation.
Along with the staff of the hospital, including transplant surgeon Lional Raj, Medical Head, Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, students from Higher Secondary School for the Blind, St. Joseph’s Girls Higher Secondary School, Sarah Tucker College and St. Xavier’s College formed the human chain.
The 31st National Eye Donation Fortnight was observed from August 25 to September 8 even as nearly 35 lakh corneally blind people were waiting for cornea transplantation to get back their vision. Approximately 20,000 new cases got added every year and a majority of them were young. The corneas harvested from a donor could give vision to two to four corneally blind people, Dr. Lional Raj said.
The students and the staff of the hospital carried banners and placards, highlighting the importance of eye donation.
Dr. Lional Raj also explained in detail the modern transplant procedures, including sutureless endothelial transplantation (PDEK) and Stromal Augmentation techniques, both available in the hospital.
