HM emphasizes the role of awareness for eye donation
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh, August 25-
With an aim to spread awareness among the public about the importance of eye donation and to motivate people to pledge their eyes for donation after death so as to address the critical shortage of corneas for transplantation, Punjab cabinet Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Sunday launched 39th National Eye Donation Fortnight.
The Health Minister urged people to come forward to pledge their eyes for donation. “Eye donation is a noble cause as it can give a gift of vision to a blind person,” he said. The 39th National Eye Donation Fortnight will be observed from August 25 to September 8. The Health department will conduct intensified Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities to educate the masses during this fortnight.
Dr Balbir Singhan informed that the corneal damage leads to blindness, which is known as corneal blindness.The cornea is a transparent layer in front of the iris. “It is the Cornea which is taken from the donor’s eyes and is transplanted on to a corneal blind person, which enables the person to see the world,” he said while adding that this surgical procedure is called Keratoplasty.