Nepal Eye Bank
Nepal Eye Bank is a non profitable community based organization working for restoring sight to the corneal blind. Once cornea develops opacification, there is no other treatment except corneal transplantation. Nepal Eye Bank was established on 16th September 1994 at Tilganga Eye Centre with the generous support of HEIR (International Federation of Eye & Tissue Banks). Currently, Nepal Eye bank is associated with Sight Life U.S.A.
Vision, Mission and Goals of Nepal Eye Bank
Vision
Eliminate Corneal blindness by real time transplantation in Nepal and beyond.
Mission
- To establish Nepal Eye Bank as a National Center for eye banking working with international standard quality
Goal of Nepal Eye Bank
- 1000+ corneal transplantation in a year.
- Maintain & Sustain Consent rate of 60%.
- Maintain tissue utilization rate of corneal tissue by 90%.
- Achieve International Accreditation: SightLife USA SOP for International Standard Quality.
Aim of Nepal eye bank
Corneal Blindness is one of the major causes of blindness after cataract in Nepal. Nepal Eye Bank is responsible for the procurement, processing, storage and distribution of donated corneas. Besides this, it also runs public awareness programs for cornea donation through Eye Donation Society, which is a group of volunteers from various social organizations. Nepal eye bank keeps records of all corneal donors and pledgers. It also registers patients who are waiting for corneal transplantation. Nepal Eye Bank is working with vision and mission of eliminating corneal blindness by real time transplantation in Nepal and beyond. It is being established as a National Center for eye banking and is working with international standard quality.
Functions of Nepal Eye Bank
- Awareness and Education on Eye Donation
- Obtaining tissue from donors
- Run smooth HCRP (Hospital Corneal Retrieval Program at donor hospitals and main crematoriums with the process of notification, screening, approaching and getting consent
- Attend call for a voluntary donation
- Processing and preserving corneas including pre-cut tissues
- Serological screening
- Distribution of corneas to surgeons
- Co-ordinate with national and international stakeholders
- Maintain international Quality standard as per Sightlife USA partner standard
- Tattooing opaque corneas of blind eyes for cosmetic aid
- Update and maintain donor and recipients records
- List down patients who are waiting for corneal transplants
- Train eye bankers from regions of country and outside country
- Follow protocol of EBAA (Eye Bank Association of America), EBAI (Eye Bank association of India) and Ophthalmic society
- Formulate plan policy strategy with guidance of Nepal Eye Bank Advisory Board
- Research on eye banking and innovate new technology in regards of eye banking
- Share learned lesion on eye bank and its technology with the ophthalmic fraternity.
- Create a platform for the growth and development of eye banking
Quality Certificate
Cornea obtained from Local donors
HOW DO YOU DONATE YOUR EYES AFTER PASSING AWAY?
It is better to discuss about eye donation with your family and friends. Donating corneal tissue does not entail any cost to the donor or the donor's family. If you decide to become an eye donor, you have to fill out the eye donation form by visiting Nepal Eye Bank or you can apply online. Donate Eye – Nepal Eye Donation. Please do a recall or remind when your loved one has passed away, does not matter whether S/he pledged already for eye donation or not. Do contact or call directly to eye bank personnel on duty eye donation counselors at donor hospitals like Bir Hospital, TU Teaching Hospital, Patan Hospital, Gangalal Heart Hospital, or at Crematorium sites of Pashupati Area or on duty Technicians.
Contact numbers are:
9851146825 Crematorium
9851146826 T.U. Teaching Hospital
9851146827 (24 hours on call) Technician
9851020933 (24 hours on call) Technician
9861911801 Bir Hospital
9864595656 Ganga Lal Heart Hospital
9861494921 Patan Hospital
If any… please mail at: shankha.twyana@tilganga.org, nepaleyebank@tilganga.org
Frequently Asked Questions ?
It's giving your corneas upon death to help save and restore the sight of someone who is blinded by disease of the Cornea.
The cornea is the clear transparent window in front of the eye, and allows light to enter the eye. The cornea can be damaged by injury or infection.
The cornea is a clear transparent layer of the Eye. Due to various factors, the corneas becomes opaque like frosted glass and this may result in loss of sight.
A damaged or cloudy cornea can be replaced surgically by a procedure known as corneal grafting or transplantation. During this operation, the cloudy, diseased cornea is replaced by a healthy, normal cornea which is donated by another individual. After a successful transplant, vision can be restored to normal. Corneal donation therefore restores vision to those blinded by corneal disease.
The rate of success of corneal grafting is very high. So, a successful corneal graft can restore his/her sight and enable a person to regain independence.
Because for many, the only hope of sight is offered by someone who donates his/her cornea. Donating your corneas is one of the most precious gifts you will ever bestow on another human being. This special gift will dramatically improve the quality of life for someone now living in darkness. Hundreds of people have been helped through corneal donation. They've been given a new lease on life because others have cared enough to be come donors. But, hundreds more are waiting for desperately needed corneal donations. The demand for corneas far exceeds the supply. People like you can help change the situation!
In Nepal, most of the people live in villages and depend upon agriculture. Agricultural and other industrial trauma to the cornea, corneal infections and lack of immediate medical treatment to corneal problems result in large number of corneal blind in developing countries like ours. Besides this, sometimes complications of diseases like measles, Typhoid, Small pox, Malnutrition, Eye surgeries etc. may cause cornea to become opaque.
Most people think that to become an eye donor, they should have good vision. But the truth is that anyone can be an eye donor even if the donor is old. Wears glasses or is blind from causes other than corneal diseases. However if a person has Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C. HIV/AIDS, Syphilis or blood borne infectious diseases. s/he can't donate eyes.
After death the donor eyes should be well closed and be protected from red powder (Abhir) and direct sunlight to protect the corneas. The corneas are removed from donor within 8 to 12 hours after death. Earlier the cornea is removed after death, better is the quality of cornea.
No. The Eye Bank Technologists or Doctors will treat he dead body with respect and only the cornea is removed from the eyes (NOT THE WHOLE EYE BALL). So removal of the corneas does not disfigure the appearance of the face.
Yes! Your eyes may be useful even if you have poor vision. You are never too young or too old to be an eye donor. People with short-sightedness, long-sightedness, or astigmatism can also donate their eyes. Even people with eye diseases other than corneal disease can donate their eyes.
It is better to discuss about eye donation with your family and friends. Donating corneal tissue does not entail any cost to the donor or the donor's family. If you decide to become an eye donor, you have to fill the eye donation form by visiting Nepal Eye Bank at Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology.
