The recent gesture of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and wife Gursharan Kaur to pledge their eyes has come as a hope to the medical fraternity who believe that people in general may follow the “much required” gesture.
Specially when the gap between the demand and the supply is immense. According to Dr J.S. Titiyal, professor, Ophthalmology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) there are about 2,00,000 eye donations required every year, the actual collection is however 40,000, of which 25,000 are usable eyes, which clearly means that there is a back log, despite all efforts,” he said.
Adding that such gestures definitely could help. “It is always a good gesture. This makes people aware, though it doesn’t translate into a donation. The awareness among people however increases,” added Dr Titiyal.
The largest eye bank-National eye bank at AIIMS collects about 700 eyes annually, with the utility rate of 90 per cent. “Out of all corneas, about 350 are optical grade others are used for therapeutic purposes,” Dr Titiyal further said. In an entire eye, the cornea is the most usable part, specially in cases of visibility.
The recent amendment bill-Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Bill, 2009 passed by Parliament this session could also do the much needed help, however for eyes, doctors say the bill would rather make it difficult. “Eye collection cannot be clubbed with other organs, so strict regulations are not required for eye donation. There have to be some guidelines though. As per one of the clauses it makes it mandatory that only a MBBS doctor could take out eyes. Earlier it was not so, a technician could go and get it done. It may be a correct way but sometimes medical doctor may not be available and eyes could be taken out only within six hours of one’s death,” added Dr Titiyal.
According to the bill it will be mandatory for the ICU or the treating medical staff to request relatives of brain dead patients for organ donation.
As of now, there is no law that binds medical practitioners to ask the family of a brain dead person for organ donation. Considering a huge gap between the demand and the supply of organs in the country, the Delhi high court in 2004 had directed the Union ministry of health & family welfare to have the Transplantation of Human Organ Act, 1994, reviewed by a committee of experts.