Donate eyes, help the blind, say docs

An article in Times Of India, Bangalore edition (Page 5) related to Eye Donation Fortnight. ======================================================== Donate eyes, help the blind, say docs TIMES NEWS NETWORK Bangalore: The Bangalore West Lions super-specialty eye hospital will observe the 23rd National Eye Donation Fortnight to spread awareness on eye donation from August 25 to September 8. During these 15 days, the hospital will disseminate information about corneal blindness, the importance for eye donation and who can donate eyes and encourage people to donate eyes. About 45,000 corneal graftings are required in the country but only 20,000 are being done now as not many donors are ready, says Dr Rekha Gyanchand. Dr Rekha said one person in the world goes blind every second, one child goes blind every minute and 60% of them are less than 12 years. There are around 45 million visually challenged persons in the world. People with diabetes or using spectacles or having hypertension can make eye donation but those who died due to infections caused by rabies, syphilis, infectious hepatitis, septicemia and AIDS cannot be donors. For eye donation, the relatives of the deceased person should inform the hospital immediately after the death of the person. The eyes need to be collected within six hours after death and both eyes of the deceased should be closed. The procedure takes 10-15 minutes. The Lions International Eye Bank is giving sight to the needy since 1984 and has collected 1,421 eyes. For eye donation, contact: 9740556666 / 22121253 / 22237628 or e-mail: Lionseye@blr.vsnl.net.in. ========================================================