The gift of Life

Why donate eyes?

To begin with for a selfish reason; our eyes can live even after our death. Secondly, more importantly, we can light the life of two blind people by donating our eyes after our death. Thirdly, not to mention, eye donation is the noblest of all causes.

Over 90 percent of all cornea transplant operations performed each year successfully restores vision to people suffering from corneal blindness. Donated human eyes and corneal tissue are also used for research and education. How do research and education help the cause, you may ask. This is a very important aspect of the eye donation movement. More than 35,000 eyes are used annually for research and education.

Research into glaucoma, retinal disease, complications of diabetes and other sight disorders benefit from donations because many eye problems cannot be simulated and only human eyes can be used. These studies advance the discovery of the causes and effects of specific eye conditions and lead to new treatments and cures.
Other than these, there are a few more compelling reasons why you need to donate your eyes and these include:

1. 1.5% of the population are unnecessarily blind

2. 25% live below the poverty line

3. 2.5 million children are suffering, including those who don't have the correct spectacles

4. 32% are under 15

5. 60% of blind children will not make it to adulthood. A cumulative economic loss to India's GNP of US$11.1 billion

6. 75% live in rural areas

7. There are 12,000 ophthalmologists in the country but the majorities of them live and work in the urban areas

8. 40% live in rural areas in central & northern India where there is little access to quality eye care services.

Thanks to Bharat Eye