FAQs of Eye


What is corneal blindness?
Cornea, the main focusing part , is the clear front surface of the eye. Like a window, it allows light to enter the eye. Vision could be markedly reduced or lost if the cornea becomes cloudy or scarred. This condition is known as corneal blindness.

What are the causes of corneal blindness?
Injuries to the eye, birth defects, malnutrition, infections, chemical burns, congenital disorders and complications of eye surgery.

Who can donate eyes?
• Eye donors could be of any age group or sex. • People who use spectacles, diabetics, patients with high blood pressure, asthma patients and those without communicable diseases can donate eyes. Persons with AIDS, Hepatitis B and C, Rabies, Septicaemia, Acute leukemia (Blood cancer), Tetanus, Cholera, and infectious diseases like Meningitis and Encephalitis cannot donate eyes.

What is an eye bank?
The eye bank is a non-profit organization and obtains, medically evaluates and distributes eyes which are donated by humanitarian citizens for use in cornea transplants, scleral reconstruction, research and education. To ensure patient safety the donated eyes and the donor’s medical history are evaluated by the eye bank staff in accordance with the Eye Bank association of America’s (EBAA) strict medical standards.

Who can be an eye donor?
Anyone. Cataract, poor eye sight and age do not prohibit you from becoming a donor. Prospective donors should indicate their intention on donor cards and driver’s licenses. Perhaps the most important single thing you can do is make your next of kin aware of your wishes to make sure they are carried out.

Why should eyes be donated?
Donated human eyes and corneal tissue are necessary for the preservation and restoration of sight and are used for transplantation, research and education. Over 90 percent of the more than 41,300 cornea transplant operations performed each year successfully restore vision to persons suffering from corneal blindness.

What is cornea?
The cornea is the clear surface at the front of the eye and is the main focusing element. When the cornea becomes cloudy from disease, injury, infection or any other cause, vision will be drastically reduced.

What is a cornea transplant?
Cornea transplant is the surgical procedure which replaces a disc-shaped segment of an impaired cornea with a similarly shaped piece of a healthy donor cornea. More than 90 of cornea transplant operations successfully restore the recipient’s vision.

How prevalent is cornea transplantation?
Cornea transplants are the most frequently performed human transplant procedure. In 1991 there were more cornea transplants than all other organ transplants combined. In the last 30 years, more than 500,000 cornea transplants have been performed, restoring sight to men, women, and children ranging in age from nine days to 103 years.