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LETTER TO EDITOR |
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Year : 2003 | Volume
: 51
| Issue : 2 | Page : 198 |
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Enhancing eye donation.
Sudesh K Arya, S Sood, R Sood
Correspondence Address: Sudesh K Arya
Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None | Check |
PMID: 12831158
How to cite this article: Arya SK, Sood S, Sood R. Enhancing eye donation. Indian J Ophthalmol 2003;51:198 |
Dear Editor,
We have read with great interest the Letter to the Editor by M. Vanathi et al about eye donation. Vanathi et al[1] have rightly stressed the role of nurses in approaching and motivating family members to donate eyes. As we know, procurement of eyes in India is far below the demand for corneas. Hence newer and more effective strategies are required to meet the demand for corneal tissue. Campaigns encouraging people to pledge their eyes have definitely increased awareness about procurement of corneal tissue. Hospital corneal retrieval programmes (HCRP) have been introduced to focus on active counseling of relatives in the hospitals after death. Although all this has helped in increasing eye donation rates, it has not reached the needed target. In hospital corneal retrieval programmes too, there is scope for for further improvement. At the Govt. Medical College, Chandigarh, we have introduced a novel approach to the existing HCRP. We have observed that at the time of death, specially at night, it is not possible to approach the relatives of the deceased. Hence sometimes even if the relatives would have been willing to donate the eyes, they could not do so due to ignorance and lack of awareness. To increase awareness, we have introduced a proforma with a request for eye donation. This proforma is filled by the staff nurse on duty in cooperation with the attendants of all the deceased in the hospital while giving them the death certificate. Thus all the relatives are made aware of eye donation, and those willing to donate the eyes of the deceased, do so immediately. This has helped a lot in procuring more corneas at our centre. The proforma can be obtained from us on request.
References | | |
1. | Vanathi M. Enhancing eye donation. Indian J Ophthalmol 2002;50:358. |
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