‘ Gift Your Sight ’ An Initiative To Bring Colors To A Blind’s Life - Pradeep Sudarshan http://www.giftyoursight.info http://giftyoursight.blogspot.com

Agenda My Introduction Introduction to Eye Donation About Cornea / Causes of Blindness Why Eye Donation? Facts on Eye Donation Procedure of Donating Eyes How to contribute, get involved? Road traveled till now…but still… Q & A

My Introduction

Introduction to Eye Donation

About Cornea / Causes of Blindness

Why Eye Donation?

Facts on Eye Donation

Procedure of Donating Eyes

How to contribute, get involved?

Road traveled till now…but still…

Q & A

My Introduction Pradeep Sudarshan, born in Mysore and brought up/studied in Bangalore, Graduated with Bachelors’ degree from University of Mysore. Working in IT sector from past 5 years. Presently with Hewlett-Packard; have worked earlier in Huawei Technologies, Bangalore and iGate Global Solutions, Bangalore.

Pradeep Sudarshan, born in Mysore and brought up/studied in Bangalore, Graduated with Bachelors’ degree from University of Mysore.

Working in IT sector from past 5 years.

Presently with Hewlett-Packard; have worked earlier in

Huawei Technologies, Bangalore and

iGate Global Solutions, Bangalore.

Introduction to Eye Donation Eye Donation is donation of our eyes after death so that our eyes can give light to a blind person’s life. Eyes are very precious and they cannot be wasted either through burying or burning; Instead it can be re-used! Eyes are so important to every human on earth that we all are here because we are able to see! There is a huge, huge gap between the supply and demand of eyes; supply being 10% of demand! And in a country like India, having billion population, this gap keeps on increasing day by day. A small gesture from us, can bring down this gap! The 2 eyes of a donated person will go to 2 different Corneally Blind individuals; so through our eyes, 2 blind people will get to see this world! We are not permanent in this world; Let us gift our eyes and go so that we give life to 2 blind persons!

Eye Donation is donation of our eyes after death so that our eyes can give light to a blind person’s life.

Eyes are very precious and they cannot be wasted either through burying or burning; Instead it can be re-used! Eyes are so important to every human on earth that we all are here because we are able to see!

There is a huge, huge gap between the supply and demand of eyes; supply being 10% of demand! And in a country like India, having billion population, this gap keeps on increasing day by day.

A small gesture from us, can bring down this gap!

The 2 eyes of a donated person will go to 2 different Corneally Blind individuals; so through our eyes, 2 blind people will get to see this world!

We are not permanent in this world; Let us gift our eyes and go so that we give life to 2 blind persons!

About Cornea / Causes of Blindness Cornea? This layer is the entry point for every eye to see things around you, in this world! If Cornea gets damaged, then well, it leads to blindness! This is the outer layer at the front of the eye. The colored part of the eye (called Iris ) and the round opening in it (called Pupil ) can be seen through the cornea. The Cornea helps to focus and transmit light as it passes to the lens and on to the Retina at the back of the eye. (When light reaches the retina, it is converted into impulses which are transmitted via the Optic nerve to the visual centre in the brain) Cornea may get damaged Some people are born with abnormalities of the Cornea. Even some childhood infections like Measles can cloud the Cornea, often causing permanent blindness throughout that Child’s life. In later years, Infection or Traumas to the eye are the main causes for the Cornea to become cloudy and this can reduce the vision. In older people, Degenerative diseases, often caused by excessive exposure to sunlight can cause the Cornea to become dull and hence loss of vision.

Cornea?

This layer is the entry point for every eye to see things around you, in this world! If Cornea gets damaged, then well, it leads to blindness!

This is the outer layer at the front of the eye. The colored part of the eye (called Iris ) and the round opening in it (called Pupil ) can be seen through the cornea.

The Cornea helps to focus and transmit light as it passes to the lens and on to the Retina at the back of the eye. (When light reaches the retina, it is converted into impulses which are transmitted via the Optic nerve to the visual centre in the brain)

Cornea may get damaged

Some people are born with abnormalities of the Cornea.

Even some childhood infections like Measles can cloud the Cornea, often causing permanent blindness throughout that Child’s life.

In later years, Infection or Traumas to the eye are the main causes for the Cornea to become cloudy and this can reduce the vision.

In older people, Degenerative diseases, often caused by excessive exposure to sunlight can cause the Cornea to become dull and hence loss of vision.

About Cornea / Causes of Blindness (Contd…) Getting back Eye Sight People who have lost their sight because of Corneal damage can hope to regain their sight only by the help of people who have healthy vision, like us! The surgical procedure for getting their vision is called Corneal Grafting or Corneal Transplantation. More on Corneal Grafting/Transplantation This is a surgical procedure to replace the damaged Cornea or part of it, with a healthy Corneal tissue. The new Cornea, obtained from donated Corneas will undergo thorough testing before being used for transplantation. How do hospitals get the Corneas for transplantation? Corneas are removed from the Eyes of the dead person, with the consent from the individual or his family. This is collected and kept in Eye Banks. Note: Corneas are not taken from donors known to have infectious conditions. All donors are screened for carriers of AIDS or Hepatitis viruses before their corneas are used.

Getting back Eye Sight

People who have lost their sight because of Corneal damage can hope to regain their sight only by the help of people who have healthy vision, like us!

The surgical procedure for getting their vision is called Corneal Grafting or Corneal Transplantation.

More on Corneal Grafting/Transplantation

This is a surgical procedure to replace the damaged Cornea or part of it, with a healthy Corneal tissue.

The new Cornea, obtained from donated Corneas will undergo thorough testing before being used for transplantation.

How do hospitals get the Corneas for transplantation?

Corneas are removed from the Eyes of the dead person, with the consent from the individual or his family. This is collected and kept in Eye Banks.

Note: Corneas are not taken from donors known to have infectious conditions. All donors are screened for carriers of AIDS or Hepatitis viruses before their corneas are used.

Why Eye Donation? Donation of the eyes gives sight to TWO Corneally Blind persons, enabling them to come out of their dark and dreary life into a life full of colors, a life where they can see their parents, their friends and above all enjoy their life in this beautiful world! So, Instead of burning or burying our eyes, let us pass on this god given gift to the vision-deprived people so that we bring back colors to their life! "There is no lovelier way to thank God for your sight than by giving a helping hand to those in the dark." - Helen Keller

Donation of the eyes gives sight to TWO Corneally Blind persons, enabling them to come out of their dark and dreary life into a life full of colors, a life where they can see their parents, their friends and above all enjoy their life in this beautiful world!

So, Instead of burning or burying our eyes, let us pass on this god given gift to the vision-deprived people so that we bring back colors to their life!

"There is no lovelier way to thank God for your sight than by giving a helping hand to those in the dark."

- Helen Keller

Facts on Eye Donation There are 12 million+ blind people in India, out of which about 4 million+ are Corneally blind. There is a huge backlog of the number of corneal blind people waiting to get their sight and it is increasing! As of today, Eye collection figures stand at around 20000+ eyes per year, from around 400+ eye banks across India. This number itself is not sufficient for the freshly added corneal blind. One startling fact of this is we still import eyes from Sri Lanka, which is less than 1/4th the size of India. Sri Lanka, besides catering to its own requirement, sends the eyeballs to several other countries. Over the last quarter of the century, it has flown over 20000+ eyeballs to 135 centres in the various countries of the world.

There are 12 million+ blind people in India, out of which about 4 million+ are Corneally blind. There is a huge backlog of the number of corneal blind people waiting to get their sight and it is increasing!

As of today, Eye collection figures stand at around 20000+ eyes per year, from around 400+ eye banks across India. This number itself is not sufficient for the freshly added corneal blind.

One startling fact of this is we still import eyes from Sri Lanka, which is less than 1/4th the size of India. Sri Lanka, besides catering to its own requirement, sends the eyeballs to several other countries. Over the last quarter of the century, it has flown over 20000+ eyeballs to 135 centres in the various countries of the world.

Procedure for Eye Donation Pledging procedure The Eye Pledge form needs to be filled with the correct contact details, signed by 1/2 witness/es (can be your relative/friend) and given back to the eye bank. Once done, the eye bank people will issue a DONOR card that has contact details of the eye bank. Please place this card at home, in a place where all the family members have access to it. At the time of that person’s death, his/her relative/friend, who was a witness for the pledge form or any other family member/friend who had the knowledge that the person who passed away intended to donate the eyes, should call the nearest eye bank.

Pledging procedure

The Eye Pledge form needs to be filled with the correct contact details, signed by 1/2 witness/es (can be your relative/friend) and given back to the eye bank.

Once done, the eye bank people will issue a DONOR card that has contact details of the eye bank.

Please place this card at home, in a place where all the family members have access to it.

At the time of that person’s death, his/her relative/friend, who was a witness for the pledge form or any other family member/friend who had the knowledge that the person who passed away intended to donate the eyes, should call the nearest eye bank.

Procedure for Eye Donation (Contd…) Donating procedure Irrespective of whether a person has pledged his/her eyes OR not, Eye Donation can happen. Pledging is for creating awareness and acts as a reminder to do this job. Once a death of a person happens in your family or in your friend's family, pick up the phone and dial to the nearest eye bank . Please note that this should be done WITHIN 6 hours of the death. Give the eye bank officials the location of the house along with a landmark so that they can come soon and collect the eyes. These eyes will be giving new lives to TWO Corneally Blind people!!

Donating procedure

Irrespective of whether a person has pledged his/her eyes OR not, Eye Donation can happen. Pledging is for creating awareness and acts as a reminder to do this job.

Once a death of a person happens in your family or in your friend's family, pick up the phone and dial to the nearest eye bank . Please note that this should be done WITHIN 6 hours of the death. Give the eye bank officials the location of the house along with a landmark so that they can come soon and collect the eyes.

These eyes will be giving new lives to TWO Corneally Blind people!!

How to contribute, get involved? Make this Eye Donation a part of your WISH list! You can be a messenger to your family, friends and colleagues; spreading the word of the importance of Eye Donation; Include the message as part of your mail signature! You can motivate your family and friends to Pledge their eyes and at the time of death, motivating them to make a quick decision for donating the eyes. In your Organization, you can organize a talk on the need of supporting this cause; even you can arrange for an ‘Awareness Camp’ in co-ordination with your nearest Eye Bank/Hospital. You can Blog about this, Talk about this and Act on this! – Spreading the word and Creating Awareness should be the mission! This requires no money but only some precious time of yours – leads to more Corneally Blind folks to get their Sight and Enjoy the colors of this world, as we are doing!

Make this Eye Donation a part of your WISH list!

You can be a messenger to your family, friends and colleagues; spreading the word of the importance of Eye Donation; Include the message as part of your mail signature!

You can motivate your family and friends to Pledge their eyes and at the time of death, motivating them to make a quick decision for donating the eyes.

In your Organization, you can organize a talk on the need of supporting this cause; even you can arrange for an ‘Awareness Camp’ in co-ordination with your nearest Eye Bank/Hospital.

You can Blog about this, Talk about this and Act on this! – Spreading the word and Creating Awareness should be the mission!

This requires no money but only some precious time of yours – leads to more Corneally Blind folks to get their Sight and Enjoy the colors of this world, as we are doing!

Road traveled till now…but long way to go… Written a Blog on increasing awareness on Eye Donation, accessible @ http://giftyoursight.blogspot.com Came up with a temporary website @ http://www.freewebs.com/giftyoursight ; This will be transformed to a website of mine accessible @ http://www.giftyoursight.info Spoke about this initiative, Live on Radio City 91FM, in the month of January this year. Organized an Eye Donation Awareness Camp in my previous employer’s campus (iGate), in co-ordination with Lions International Eye Bank, Bangalore; The camp drew a great attention and a very good response from the people! ORBIS, an International NGO had featured my work in their website! Accessible @ http://www.orbis.org.in And still, I have a long, really long path to walk, to make people aware about the need of supporting this noble cause and with the help of friends like YOU, I feel We call can achieve this and bring colors to the Blind’s life!

Written a Blog on increasing awareness on Eye Donation, accessible @ http://giftyoursight.blogspot.com

Came up with a temporary website @ http://www.freewebs.com/giftyoursight ; This will be transformed to a website of mine accessible @ http://www.giftyoursight.info

Spoke about this initiative, Live on Radio City 91FM, in the month of January this year.

Organized an Eye Donation Awareness Camp in my previous employer’s campus (iGate), in co-ordination with Lions International Eye Bank, Bangalore; The camp drew a great attention and a very good response from the people!

ORBIS, an International NGO had featured my work in their website! Accessible @ http://www.orbis.org.in

And still, I have a long, really long path to walk, to make people aware about the need of supporting this noble cause and with the help of friends like YOU, I feel We call can achieve this and bring colors to the Blind’s life!

Q & A For exploring more and for Eye Bank contacts, visit: http://www.giftyoursight.info http://giftyoursight.blogspot.com Further, if you have any queries, suggestions, feedback on Eye Pledging/Donation, please mail me @ [email_address] and I will try to clarify them at my best!

For exploring more and for Eye Bank contacts, visit:

http://www.giftyoursight.info

http://giftyoursight.blogspot.com

Further, if you have any queries, suggestions, feedback on Eye Pledging/Donation, please mail me @ [email_address] and I will try to clarify them at my best!

Thank You! THANK YOU for your time! "Light up the darkness in life. Enable blind to see this beautiful world, through your eyes! – Pledge & Donate Your Eyes, Gift Your Sight - Make it your WISH!“ http:// www.giftyoursight.info

THANK YOU for your time!

"Light up the darkness in life. Enable blind to see this beautiful world, through your eyes!

– Pledge & Donate Your Eyes, Gift Your Sight - Make it your WISH!“

http:// www.giftyoursight.info