Your eyes can give someone the gift of sight
In collaboration with Madhav Netra Eye Bank, Thakur Eye Hospital, Karnal is championing the cause of eye donation and eradicating corneal blindness.
Why Eye Donation Matters?
Understanding Corneal Blindness
The cornea is the clear, dome-shaped window at the front of your eye that helps focus light, making vision possible.
When the cornea becomes clouded, scarred, or damaged due to infection, trauma, or disease, light cannot pass through properly leading to corneal blindness.
Corneal blindness is unique because it’s one of the few types of blindness that can be cured through corneal transplantation, a procedure where a healthy cornea from a donor replaces the damaged one.
The Alarming Reality
People living with corneal blindness in India
Over 1.2 million people suffer from corneal blindness that’s nearly 1 in every 1,000 Indians. Around 25,000–30,000 new cases are added annually.
Gap between need and availability
Gap between need and availability: India collects around 55,000 corneas every year, but only about half are suitable for surgery.
This gap leaves thousands waiting in darkness, hoping for a second chance to see.
Treatable through donation
Percentage of blindness due to corneal causes
Nearly 8% of all blindness cases in India are due to corneal diseases a preventable category if more people pledge to donate their eyes
Why Every Pledge Matters
- Every eye donor can restore sight to two people.
- Give the gift of vision to those who have never seen the world clearly.
- Bridge the critical gap between cornea availability and need.
- Help India move one step closer to becoming corneal-blindness free
Eye Donation Process at Thakur Eye Hospital, Karnal
In Collaboration with Madhav Netra Eye Bank
At Thakur Eye Hospital, Karnal the entire eye donation process from pledging to corneal retrieval is carried out in partnership with Madhav Netra Eye Bank, following ethical, medical, and scientific standards.
Our goal is to make the process simple, transparent, and respectful, ensuring that every pledged eye truly helps restore someone’s vision.
Pledge Eye Donation
Age: Anyone above 18 years of age can pledge to donate their eyes.
Medical History: A donor’s medical history should not include certain infectious diseases or conditions that could affect the suitability of the donated eyes.
Eye Condition: Donors should ideally have healthy eyes with clear corneas, although some eye banks may accept corneas with specific conditions, subject to evaluation.
Notification at the Time of Donation
When a registered eye donor passes away, it is vital that the family members or friends immediately inform Thakur Eye Hospital, Karnal or Madhav Netra Eye Bank within 6 hours of death.
This quick action ensures that the corneas remain viable for transplantation, helping restore vision for patients suffering from corneal blindness.
📞 24×7 Eye Donation Helpline: 999 999 9999
📍 Thakur Eye Hospital, Karnal – Eye Donation Unit (in association with Madhav Netra Eye Bank)
Our trained medical team and certified eye bank technicians are available round-the-clock to respond swiftly and reach the location for corneal retrieval under safe and sterile conditions.
Corneal Retrieval at Thakur Eye Hospital, Karnal
Once notified, a specialized team from Madhav Netra Eye Bank and Thakur Eye Hospital, Karnal performs the procedure at the hospital itself.
The corneal retrieval is conducted under sterile conditions by qualified ophthalmologists and eye bank technicians.
● The procedure is non-disfiguring and does not alter facial appearance.
● It usually takes 20–30 minutes
● Every step follows Eye Bank Association of India (EBAI) guidelines to ensure safety and dignity.
Corneal Transplantation performed at Thakur Eye Hospital,Karnal
1) Preservation and Evaluation:
After retrieval, the donated corneas are immediately transported to the Madhav Netra Eye Bank laboratory, located within Thakur Eye Hospital,Karnal.
Here, each cornea undergoes a thorough medical evaluation and preservation process to ensure it meets all quality and health standards for transplantation.
Corneas are stored in a specialized preservation medium to maintain viability.
Advanced microscopic techniques are used to assess tissue clarity, safety, and suitability.
Only healthy corneas are cleared for transplantation.
2) Surgery:
This surgery restores vision in patients suffering from corneal blindness, giving them a renewed chance at life.
Conducted by experienced cornea specialists at our hospital.
3) Each donor can restore sight to two individuals.