VIJAYAWADA : An increased awareness of eye donation is coming as a ray of hope to the rising number of patients requiring cornea transplantation. The news that makes everyone happier is that a lesser number of families these days are objecting to collection of eyeballs from the donors.

In the city alone, cornea transplants have increased from a mere three to four a month three years ago to nearly 12 a month now. This welcome change in people's perception has raised new hope among ophthalmologists at a time when they are preparing to celebrate World Sight Day on October 12. As the city has the required facilities to preserve eyeballs for up to 48 hours, donors' families are being sensitised to the noble ideal of gifting vision to others.

Change of mindset

Refractive surgeon M.N. Raju says there is a change of mindset even among women on the aspect of donating eyes of the deceased. Three years ago, 50 per cent visits to donors' premises proved unsuccessful, with women members raising objection at the last minute. Now, nearly 80 per cent o the families are cooperating with the technicians involved in collecting eyeballs.

Dr. Raju has put in place enough facilities to attend to all calls from Swetcha Gora Eye Bank. He says four technicians and supporting staff are made available round the clock to respond to any call from eye banks, hospitals and donors' families.

Since eyeballs are to be collected only from donors after their death, minor problems arise in the form of objections from family members, who consider it inauspicious for future generations. But of late, this unfounded belief is not being given any importance, he points out.

Technicians felicitated

Acknowledging the support extended by Dr. Raju and his staff, Swetcha Gora Eye Bank recently felicitated technicians Hari, Bhasker, Sekhar and Viswanath.

Dr. Raju says the spread of information through the media and the consistent efforts made locally have yielded good results. Counsellors and supporting staff are being sent to donors' houses to persuade and convince the family members. Many a time, family members of those donors whose eyeballs have been transplanted are being involved in the campaign.

Similarly, patients who have received eyeballs are also taking part in the campaign. It has gone well with women members, who are responding sympathetically to the need for gifting vision to others.

During such campaigns, it is highlighted that anybody can donate eyes, including those who suffer from diabetes, hypertension and who have undergone cataract operation.

But those suffering from infectious diseases cannot donate eyes. The eyeballs have to be collected within six hours of donor's death, as cornea is made of a soft tissue with no blood vessels.

The technicians involved in eyeball collection are trained well in counselling families of donors and in preserving what is collected.

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