It is estimated that about 24.5 Million people in Pakistan suffer from various forms of visual impairment, out of which around 250,000 people suffer from vision loss due to corneal diseases. Most of the time, the vision of such patients can be recovered through corneal transplant surgeries.
Al-Shifa Trust Hospital is the biggest Corneal Transplant Centre of Pakistan where about 50% of the country’s corneal transplant surgeries take place at the Rawalpindi and Sukkur Hospitals.
Since there is no proper eye banking mechanism in Pakistan, all corneas for transplants are imported from abroad. The supply of corneas cannot match the huge patient demand. To address this issue, Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital has established an advanced eye bank in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, where people can submit their will for corneal donations after their passing.
Donating one’s cornea/eyes after death is a noble gesture and creates a legacy that outlives you.