Thirty years of eye bank experience at a single centre in India

The global survey of eye banking and corneal transplantation reveals differences in eye banking trajectories in various countries. There is a need to encourage and lay down foundations of successful eye banking practices in many nations across the world map. The study evaluates demographics, trends in donor cornea retrieval, utilization and eye banking practices in over 30 years at a single eye bank in India.

A longitudinal descriptive analysis of eye banking practices from 1989 to 2018 at Ramayamma International Eye Bank, Hyderabad, India, was performed. Data on eye donations, practice patterns and various types of keratoplasty were collected. Data were analysed focusing on practices and historical development of the eye bank.

Over the years, the eye bank has made use of several advances in its practice patterns and evolved to a stage of self-sustainability. With the fulfilment of internal demand for corneal transplantation, 50% of retrieved corneas could be distributed for community needs outside the institute. Number of transplants increased from 20 in 1987 to 4738 in 2018. Total number of transplants touched 27,746 in 2018 which might be the highest numbers for a single centre anywhere in the world.

The study reveals a dynamic development of the eye bank over the last 30 years and emphasizes the importance of an active quality management in coping with the challenges of modern eye banking. The increasing trend of cornea collection and transplantation is a reflection of the needs and efforts towards treating and eliminating corneal blindness.