The Hospital Cornea Retrieval Program (HCRP)

Two means of overcoming the acute global shortage in quality corneas are encouraging voluntary donation and exploring newer sources for cornea procurement. Voluntary Eye donation is a result of realization of one's social responsibility towards the corneal blind. However, in moments of grief, this realization may not materialize into actual eye donation, because the next-of-kin may not be in a position to make such emotional decisions. Eye Donation Counselors (EDCs) directly motivate the family members of the deceased for an eye donation.

The Ramayamma International Eye Bank initiated the Hospital Cornea Retrieval Programme (HCRP) in 1990 to concentrate on deaths that occur at hospitals and encourage eye donations using a combined method of motivation and grief counseling. The HCRP focuses on hospitals to retrieve corneal tissue because of several inherent advantages with the setting. Availability of medical history, availability of tissues from younger individuals, reduction in time interval between death and corneal excision and cost effectiveness are some of these.

The programme involves trained counselors who are stationed in Multi-Speciality hospitals. They counsel and motivate a family to pledge the eyes of their deceased relation, and contribute to the worldwide effort to reduce corneal blindness. The eye bank also accepts pledges from individuals who wish to donate their eyes in the future.

The L.V. Prasad Hospital Cornea Retrieval Programme recorded a high yield of donor tissues recovered through the HCRP. Of the 3,932 tissues collected by the RIEB between 1991 and 2000, 56% was achieved through the motivational approach of EDCs.

Despite increased public awareness about eye donation over the years, so acute is the shortage of donor corneas that there is a six-month waiting period for transplant patients at hospitals across the country. How can you contribute your eyes? Pledge your eyes to RIEB, and give the gift of sight.

Pledged corneas cannot be retrieved without the consent of the family. The families of those who have not pledged their eyes can also decide, at the time of death, to pledge the eyes of the deceased on his or her behalf. However, at the time of death, in the midst of grief and confusion even the best of intentions may not lead to an actual eye donation.

Do you have any questions/doubts on voluntary donation? FAQ will help you clear some of them.