Sri Lanka is reported to be home to one of the largest cornea providers in the world. Cornea transplantation replaces diseased or damaged corneas restoring sight to the visually impaired. Such transplantations are possible through donation of corneal tissue. Sri Lankans has become major contributors to what is considered a meritorious act.
The Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society, a charitable organization established in 1961 and the National Eye Bank founded much later in 2011 are currently the key facilitators of the movement in the island.
According to National Eye Bank Project Director Dr. Charith Fonseka the percentage of people who donate corneas among the Sri Lankan public are relatively high compared to other countries in the world, making one of the largest cornea providers in the world.
The Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society and the National Eye Bank have been able to collectively donate 113,055 corneas up to date. While they give first preference to patients in Sri Lanka, the surplus is provided to other countries around the world.
A brief History
The first eye bank in Sri Lanka was founded by the late Dr. Hudson Silva. Still a medical student, it was in 1958, that Dr. Hudson launched his campaign to collect corneas. The first harvested set of corneas in 1959 was from a condemned prisoner of the Bogambara Prison. Struggling with the lacuna of technology, the founder stored corneas in his personal freezer, while sending corneas to patients worldwide in jars containing hot water.
Speaking to The Nation Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society Secretary Kalyanawathi Wickramasinghe stated the society has been able to donate 65,000 corneas internationally, while donating 46,000 locally since its inception. The Society continues to donate corneas to 57 countries and 117 cities worldwide.
National Eye Bank
In 2011, The National Eye Bank of Sri Lanka (NEBSL) was established under a directive of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Last year while 1000 corneas were donated through NEBSL, 900 of them were grafted successfully, said NEBSL Manager Anuruddha Marasinghe, while giving The Nation a tour of the Lab located at the Eye Hospital premises in Colombo. “Up to 250 – 300 of these corneas were sent abroad, some of these were for research purposes” he further stated. Singapore, Thailand, China, Pakistan and Egypt are the main receivers of corneas from Sri Lanka explained Dr. Charith Fonseka, who functions as Project Director NEBSL. NEBSL supplies corneas free of charge to local as well as patients overseas. This institute has been showered with praise by former Indian President Dr. Abdul Kalam for the services rendered. This year NEBSL is aiming to donate over 1200 corneas to patients suffering from various visual impairments.
Process
In Sri Lanka any individual over the age of 18 is able to donate their corneas, while consenting parents can donate corneas of a deceased minor. However explaining the process, Dr. Fonseka stated the permission of the next of kin is a must in order to harvest corneas, even though the individual had pledged to donate during his life time.
Donor corneas are then tested for HIV 1 & 2, Hepatitis B & C, and VDRL to ensure they are suitable for transplantation. Such harvested corneas can be kept in preservative media for up to 14 days awaiting transplantation clarified the manager of the eye bank.
Corneal grafting can restore vision for patients suffering from corneal blindness, industrial/ chemical injuries, Fuch’s dystrophy, Lattice dystrophy and various other visual impairments.
Donation by locals
Comparatively a high percentage of Sri Lankans appear to be willing to donate their eyes. Marasinghe put this tendency down to the willingness of Sri Lankans to be giving. “Despite which religion or race one belongs to, we see as a whole Sri Lankan’s are generous and wanting to donate. This is why there are so many cornea donations in Sri Lanka” he said. While the willingness around the world to donate organs is said to be 84%, in countries such as India it is only a meager 7%. “Some belief systems and religions do not allow donating organs, so Sri Lanka is able to help these countries” he said.
The Nation spoke to an individual who has pledged to donate his eyes after death in order to gain a perception as to why Sri Lankan’s have a high tendency to donate. “I decided to donate my eyes because I believe we need to help those in need, it is part of my religious upbringing” said the 25-year-old. “It is considered to be one of the highest virtues” he further stated perhaps reiterating the explanation by Mr. Marasinghe.
Currently the Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society boasts of the donor register numbering one million and hopes to increase by 200,000 this year.
Those who wish to pledge in order to donate may do so by visiting either of the two eye banks in Sri Lanka and signing consent forms.
Further details about donating corneas can be obtained by calling either National Eye Bank on +94 11 2672626 or Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society at Wijerama Mawatha Colombo 7 on +94 11 2698040.
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