Guru Nanak Eye Centre Celebrates Historic Eye Donation Milestone in 2025
The Eye Bank of Guru Nanak Eye Centre has achieved a historic milestone in the year 2025. As Delhi government s only registered eye bank, the centre collected 654 corneas during the year, with an exceptional utilization rate of nearly 90 percent—the highest ever recorded. This achievement has restored vision to hundreds of visually impaired patients and stands as a testament to organized eye banking, timely corneal retrieval, and advanced surgical facilities.
On this occasion, the Director of Guru Nanak Eye Centre lauded the entire eye bank team, stating that this success is the result of teamwork, discipline, and deep human sensitivity. She appealed to the general public to come forward for eye donation, emphasizing that eye donation is one of the greatest gifts one can give to society even after life.
Dr Parul Jain, Professor and In-charge of the Eye Bank, expressed her gratitude to the entire team for their dedication and hard work. She specifically acknowledged Dr Aastha Singh (Assistant Professor), Eye Bank Manager Nursing Officer Naresh Bayal, eye donation counsellors Rati Singh, Rakesh Verma, and Shailendra Tripathi, technicians Mahendra and Mukesh, senior residents Dr Kavya Bansal, Dr Arun Mehta, Dr Vandita Aggarwal, and Dr Riddhima Juneja, as well as postgraduate students Dr Kapil, Dr Rishita, Dr Sunidhi, Dr Shireen, Dr Kirti, and Dr Aditi. She also highlighted that in the past one week alone, corneal grafting was performed in eight pediatric patients, transforming the lives of eight children and their families.
Dr Jain emphasized the crucial role of eye donation counsellors and the Hospital Cornea Retrieval Programme (HCRP), stating that sensitive communication, accurate information, and empathetic counselling at the time of bereavement are the cornerstones of successful eye donation. Without the active involvement of counsellors, high rates of cornea collection and utilization would not be possible.
Explaining the eye donation process, Dr Jain stated that eyes can be donated within approximately six hours after death. People who wear spectacles, elderly individuals, and those with diabetes or hypertension can also donate their eyes. Eye donation is contraindicated only in certain infectious diseases or specific cancers. With modern lamellar corneal surgeries, a single donor can benefit up to four recipients. All these advanced facilities are available at the Eye Bank of Guru Nanak Eye Centre.
In conclusion, Dr Jain appealed to the citizens of Delhi to pledge for eye donation and to come forward for eye donation after the demise of their loved ones. She emphasized that eye donation is regarded as the highest form of humanitarian service across all religions—a gift that continues to bring light into many lives even after one’s own life has ended.
