COVID lockdown hampers donation even as people wait for gift of sight

A recent study conducted in the State shows that 79.5 per cent of people don’t know how to donate eyes.

Nearly 20 lakh people suffer from blindness caused by damages in the cornea across the country, and the number of eye donations made is only about 50,000 per year. However, health experts said Tamil Nadu stands first in eye donation with 8,000 people donating eyes in a year. Meanwhile, due to a shortage of eye donors, many patients in city hospitals are waiting for eye transplantation.

Dr Srinivasan G Rao, ophthalmologist, Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, said there is a huge shortage of eye donors. “Donations during pre-COVID rimes were much better due to awareness campaigns.”

“However, Tamil Nadu stands first in donating eyes, with almost 8,000 eyes donated per year. Also, a recent study conducted in the State shows that 79.5 per cent of people don’t know how to donate eyes as there is no awareness,” added Dr Srinivasan.

An eye donor can belong to any sex or age. However, there are a few diseases that can restrict the donation, like AIDS, Hepatitis B and C, rabies, septicemia, acute leukaemia (blood cancer), tetanus, cholera, and infectious diseases like meningitis and encephalitis. The eyes can be donated only after death; they must be removed within four to six hours after death.

On the other hand, experts said, fearing COVID transmission, people are scared to let other people inside the house as the eye bank team would visit the home of the deceased or the hospital to remove the eyes. Also, a major reason for the shortage of donors is that people don’t inform their family or friends after registering in any camps or hospitals.

“During the first wave COVID, even the eye banks were closed. We didn’t even know whether the donor was tested positive for COVID,” said Dr Anil Chandra, senior consultant PHACO and refractive surgeon, Kauvery Hospital.