The gap between demand and supply of cornea tissue in the country is increasing day by day and is a cause for concern, say ophthalmic surgeons here on Sunday.
The surgeons took part in an awareness rally on eye donation organised by the Coimbatore Society of Ophthalmic Surgeons (CSOS) and Coimbatore Chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA). The surgeons said that despite efforts by voluntary organisations and government agencies to improve public awareness, the gap between the demand and supply of cornea was high.
Quoting World Health Organisation, the surgeons said corneal blindness was the fourth leading cause of global blindness after cataract, glaucoma, and age-related muscular degeneration. One third of the world blind population (1.5 million) lived in India.
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Though an average of 6.8 million people were affected by corneal blindness, 1.5 lakh to two lakh corneas were needed in a year. But only 45,000 to 50,000 were collected through eye donations, according to a press release.
About 40 % of corneas collected through donations were used for sight restoration and the rest did not meet the standard for transplantation. Hospital Corneal Retrieval Programme, which involves eye donation after death from the hospital premises itself, was functioning effectively. It was important to promote eye donation awareness, the release added.
Members of CSOS, corneal eye surgeons, members of Youth Red Cross Club of CIT College, and nurses from Aravind Eye Hospital took part in the rally.
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Coimbatore City Deputy Commissioner of Police Sujith Kumar flagged off the rally.