Donate Eyes-Give Sight! Walk to Support Eye Donation
1 Million needs your Eye – Walk to support Eye Donation!. AJ Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre will organize a Walkathon to mark “National Eye Donation Fortnight” on 2 September 2106 at 7 am, flagged off in front of Mangaluru City Corporation office building – rain or shine.
Mangaluru: AJ Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Mangaluru which has been instrumental in bringing awareness on Organ Donation/Cadaver Donation, is now making strenuous efforts to promote “Eye Donation” to facilitate large scale Cornea Grafting Surgeries. In India there is an amazingly poor supply of donor eyes, and the ignorance on eye donation seems to be the main culprit apart from religious dogmas. In order to bring awareness of Eye Donation, Department of Ophthalmology at AJ Institute of Medical Sciences and research Centre, in association with South Kanara Ophthalmic Society (SKOS) and SAKSHAMA, Mangaluru will organize a walkathon to mark “National Eye Donation Fortnight” on 2 September 2016 at 7 am, flagged off in front of MCC office building. The Walkathon will proceed from MCC towards AJ Hospital campus, and will culminate at AJ Institute of Dental Sciences auditorium, followed by the pledge and the swearing in ceremony.
Addressing the media persons during a press meet held at the Mangalore Press Club, Dr Sudheer Hegde-Prof. and HOD of Ophthalmology Department/ President of SKOS said, “Eye Donation means extraction of Cornea within six hours after death and to be used for Corneal grafting to corneal blind person. There will be no extraction of the entire eye. Only the cornea is extracted hence no facial changes. Eyes can be donated with the consent of the relatives even though application regarding eye donation is not submitted. Age is not a constraint for eye donation, and all religions can give consent for eye donation. Eyes can be donated even after cataract surgery”.
“Blind population in the world is around 500 Lakhs and India accounts for 100 Lakhs. Nearly 25 Lakh people are suffering from corneal blindness out of the 100 Lakh blind population of India. The corneal blind population can regain their vision through cornea grafting. In India alone, the number of corneal blind people is increasing by nearly 20 thousand every year. While the number of people waiting for cornea grafting is 25 Lakh, a meager 1500 cornea grafting are performed in the entire country, in a year. The National Eye Donation Fortnight is celebrated from August 25th to 8th September. The core objective of the Eye Donation campaign is to promote the eye donation process as well as to put forth the significant message to the people for being the special part of eye donation or eye pledging for giving a normal life to the common public ” added Dr Hegde.
Dr Hegde further said, ” Donation of eyes is otherwise service to God and an expression of gratefulness to him. Behold the speculate of eyes of the deceased living magnificently in the recipient’s body although the body of the deceased itself is no more. Eye donation is divinity and nobility exemplified in one. Pass on the lives of your lost dear ones by rendering their eyes to the blind. Let each one of us become a ‘living lamp’ dispelling darkness and ushering light and joy to the blind in millions. Please donate eyes and give sight”.
Shivaprasad Shetty-Manager, Marketing Department – A.J Hospital & Research Centre, Vinod Shenoy-Vice President, SAKSHAMA were among others present on the dais during the press met. For queries if any, please call 98802 19903