Eye Donation, the Gift of Sight in India with a Narrative Public Health Approach

Abstract Corneal blindness is the third leading cause of vision impairment globally, affecting almost 10 million people with blindness in both eyes. There is a significant gap between the demand and supply of donor eyes which presents a substantial challenge in public health system. Efforts by the government and nongovernmental organizations to address the shortage of donor corneas involve several strategic interventions. Hence, this review article seeks to identify overlooked opportunities that contribute to the low rates of eye donation, which are often neglected during service delivery, healthcare professional training, capacity building, and the evaluation of outcomes. Opt-in consent model maintains the status quo of slow improvement with significant dependency on awareness drives. Soft opt-out consent model provides a pragmatic opportunity to balance availability, consent, and cultural sensitivities. An opt-out system in selected states or urban regions can be piloted within the domain of robust legal frameworks and evidence-based advocacy. The Hospital Cornea Retrieval Program needs adequate structural and process strengthening with the coordination of public and private hospitals. Eye donation is medically feasible, but public awareness, cultural acceptance, and logistical preparedness need a realistic strengthening. With increasing demand, even a small increase in actual donations can eliminate corneal blindness in the country over time. The combination of government support, medical advancement, and social awareness holds the key to making this vision a reality. Digital registries is another missed opportunities to use a centralized online platform to track pledges and coordinate corneal transplants more effectively.