Let them see their share of the world

Sushmita Dutta

“The eye is the window to the world, at the same time; it is the window of the soul.” -Shakespeare Sit in a pitch dark room where not even a ray of light can reach you and then, you will come face to face with the plight of those who cannot see. We are lucky to be blessed with eyesight, for there are millions out there craving to see the myriad colours of this beautiful world. According to a survey, 35 million people in the world are visually impaired and out of them 60% are children below the age of 12. People with normal eyesight can hardly imagine the pain, fear and helplessness of the blind. It is shattering to continually move in darkness leaning on a walking stick or on a relative’s arms. But their life can change, Braille can give way to paper and pen, colours of the world can flow in their vision, if you and I are willing. Donate your eyes, so that they see their share of the world! What can be better than brightening someone’s life as you leave the world? Not even for a moment, can we adjust to being without electricity and light. We falter, grope in the darkness and our lives go topsy-turvy. Imagine the situation for blind people who are not able to see the light throughout their lives! We are fortunate that we have the opportunity of donating our eyes – the action is not only morally right it can be a source of great pleasure, as it is akin granting immortality to a part of our being – the idea of living on in someone else’s eyes. There are so many visually impaired people around us. They are an integral part of our society; they have so much to offer, only if we help them a bit. So many visually disabled people like Helen Keller and Beethoven have become renowned throughout the world for their determination and hard work and excellence in their field. According to estimates, 40 to 45 million of the world population are blind. About 25% of these fall in the category of completely blind. The major challenge faced by doctors and scientists is that there is no man-made substitute available for human cornea and it cannot be made artificially. Lack of awareness about eye donation deters people from donating their eyes. Awareness should be created among the people about the noble act of eye donation. It`s the only way you can help someone even after your death. "Service to man is service to God" and your reward will be great in the next world for this sublime act. Some facts on eye donation • Eyes must be removed within 4-6hours after death and the nearest eye bank should be informed immediately. • Only a trained doctor may remove the eyes. The eye bank team may remove the eyes at the home of deceased or at a hospital. • It takes only 10-15 mins and does not lead to any disfigurement. Only the transparent section of the eyes called the cornea is taken out and not the full eye ball. • The identity of both the donor and the recipient remain confidential. One pair of eyes gives vision to two corneal blind people. Who can donate their eyes? • Eye donors can belong to any age group or sex. Even people who use spectacles can donate eyes.