National Blindness, Visual Impairment Survey-2019; 68L people suffer from corneal blindness in India

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Around 68 lakh people suffer from corneal blindness at least in one eye. Around 10 lakh of them have become blind owing to cornea problem in both eyes.

According to the National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey conducted in 2019, corneal damage is the leading cause of blindness in people below the age of 50 years in the country. It is the second leading cause of blindness in people above the age of 50 years.

Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr. Prabhakar Tiwari said that eye donation fortnight would be organised from August 25 to September 8 to create mass awareness on eye donation. Awareness activities and counselling sessions would also be organised in health institutions, schools and colleges during this period.

Non-government health organisations would be roped in to create awareness and motivate people towards eye donation in Village Health, Nutrition and Sanitation Committees and Women Health Committees, CMHO added.

Anyone can donate an eye even if they suffer from low vision or wear glasses. For donation, cornea has to be removed within six hours of death.

Cornea is an important part of the eye. Light reaches the pupil only through the cornea. Damage to the cornea causes blindness. There is no deformity on the eyes or face of the eye donor, CMHO added.

According to the World Health Organisation, 5% of the world's population suffers from blindness due to cornea damage.

For eye donation, the number of hospitals of Bhopal are as follow--Gandhi Medical College - 4050290, 2711885, JP Hospital -2557142, 2556812, Seva Sadan Eye Hospital - 2643581, 2641156, 1919, AIIMS 2832202.