AIIMS-Patna Eye Bank Marks Significant Progress in Corneal Transplants
Since its formal opening on April 30, 2025, the eye bank at AIIMS-Patna has achieved notable success, receiving 64 eye donations and completing 45 corneal transplant surgeries. The facility, which obtained approval from the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) prior to launch, currently maintains a waiting list exceeding 50 patients, with 10 individuals classified as blind.
Diverse Cases Treated by Skilled Surgeons
Surgeons at the eye bank have performed transplants to address a wide range of ocular conditions. These include congenital blindness, corneal edema, ulcers, hereditary disorders, scarring from injuries, and complications arising from cataract surgeries. The procedures have provided critical vision restoration for numerous patients.
Notable patient cases highlight the impact of these efforts:
- A 21-year-old from Sahpur village received a transplant for congenital corneal opacity, significantly improving his quality of life.
- Anjum Parveen underwent a successful transplant in January 2025 after two failed procedures in Kolkata in 2017 and 2021.
- Upendra Chaudhary of Arwal district benefited from a repeat transplant in October 2024, following an unsatisfactory outcome from a surgery in Hyderabad in 2023.
Leadership and Future Appeals
Executive director and CEO Raju Agarwal, along with medical superintendent Anup Kumar, have praised the eye bank team, led by Amit Raj, for these achievements. They emphasized the institution's ongoing commitment to enhancing eye care services in the region.
The eye bank continues to actively appeal for more eye donations to meet the increasing demand and reduce the growing waiting list of patients in need of transplants. This initiative is crucial for addressing vision impairments and improving public health outcomes in Bihar and beyond.
