40TH EYE DONATION FORTNIGHT 2025 CONCLUDES 

Face2News/Chandigarh

Dr. Ashok Sharma, Director of Dr Ashok Sharma’s Cornea Centre, today urged everyone to pledge for eye donation and motivate others to do the same. He was speaking at the concluding ceremony of the 40th Eye Donation fortnight that was organized at the Centre in Sector 22 here today. 

The event was graced by Chief Guest Padma Shri Dr. Neelam Man Singh, Professor Emeritus, Punjab University, and Guests of Honour were Dr Rakesh Gupta, Former Deputy Director, Punjab Health Services & Director SIPHER; Mr J. S Bawa, President, Rotary Club Midtown; Prof Reena Dhillon, Director, R D Productions; Mrs Nandita Sisodia, Rotary Club; Ms Damanpreet, R D Productions; and Mr Kanu Gulati, Special Guest. 

On this occasion, he stated that corneal transplant is a miracle operation, as patients regain vision the very next day. He shared an example of a patient who, after undergoing corneal transplant, now leads a happy life. Dr. Sharma emphasized that corneal transplant not only restores eyesight but can also save lives. 

He informed that about 60 lakh people in India suffer from corneal blindness. Nearly 30,000 corneal grafts are performed annually, while 25,000 new patients are added each year. To address this issue, India needs around 2 lakh high-quality donor eyes in the coming years, as there is currently a significant gap between demand and supply.  

According to Dr. Sharma, this goal can be achieved if everyone comes forward to promote eye donation. Dr. Rajan Sharma, Cornea Consultant, is conducting research on limbal stem cell transplants. He has developed cell cultures from donor corneas, useful in treating chemical eye injuries. This research was published in the HP State Ophthalmology Journal (HPOS) and presented at several national and state conferences. Dr. Ashok Sharma also presented this research at the World Cornea Congress in Washington, USA. 

Padma Shri Dr. Neelam Man Singh congratulated everyone on the 40th Eye Donation Fortnight and urged every citizen to pledge their eyes for the nation. Dr. Rakesh Gupta expressed his commitment to eliminating corneal blindness from the Tricity through community participation. Prof. Reena Dhillon shared that her organization has produced documentaries on eye donation and will continue collaborating with Cornea Centre. Mr. J.S. Bawa and Ms. Nandita Sisodia also shared their views. 

Three pediatric patients, who underwent corneal grafting in infancy and now live normal lives, were specially presented during the program. 

Dr. Ashok Sharma, Director of Cornea Centre, has been actively promoting eye donation and corneal transplants for the past 35 years. He has performed the highest number of corneal transplants in the region, worked for 17 years at PGI, received numerous awards, and is the Founder Honorary Secretary of the Eye Bank Society, Chandigarh.