Punjab to observe National Eye Donation Fortnight from August 25; Health Dept to intensify awareness drive
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, August 24, 2026: Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Monday launched the 41st National Eye Donation Fortnight, urging people to pledge their eyes after death to help address the shortage of corneal tissue required for transplantation.
The fortnight will be observed from August 25 to September 8, during which the Punjab Health Department will conduct intensive Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities across the state to raise awareness about eye donation and address myths and misconceptions surrounding the process.
Dr Balbir Singh, who is also an eye surgeon, said eye donation could help restore sight to people suffering from corneal blindness. He explained that the cornea, the transparent layer at the front of the eye, is the tissue used for transplantation in patients with corneal blindness. The surgical procedure to replace a diseased cornea with a healthy donor cornea is known as keratoplasty.
The Minister said corneal blindness particularly affects children and young adults, who may otherwise have many years of life ahead of them. He added that one eye donation can potentially help restore vision to two people with corneal blindness.
Gap between demand and corneal transplants
According to Dr Balbir Singh, around 11 lakh people in India are affected by corneal blindness, with approximately 25,000 new cases reported annually. He said more than one lakh corneal transplants are required every year, while only around 25,000 are performed annually.
He said India has trained eye surgeons and the necessary hospital infrastructure for corneal transplantation, but a shortage of donated eye tissue remains a major challenge.
“We need to come forward to fill this gap by pledging our eyes for donation and work towards making our state and nation free from corneal blindness,” he said.
Punjab has 13 registered eye banks
Punjab currently has 13 registered eye banks and 20 registered corneal transplantation centres, according to the Health Department.
A total of 1,041 keratoplasty procedures were performed in Punjab during 2025-26, while 351 procedures had been conducted up to July 2026, the department said.
Director Health and Family Welfare Dr Hitinder Kaur said detailed guidelines had been issued to all Civil Surgeons for conducting awareness activities during the fortnight.
She said the campaign would focus on dispelling myths and superstitions surrounding eye donation and educating people about eligibility, the process of donation and how donated corneas are used.
Special awareness activities will also encourage people to formally pledge their eyes for donation after death and discuss the importance of informing family members about their decision.
State Programme Officer of the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCBVI), Dr Neeti Singla, said people can pledge their eyes through the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) portal and download the pledge certificate after registration.
Who can donate eyes?
The Health Department said anyone can pledge their eyes irrespective of age, sex or blood group, subject to medical eligibility at the time of death.
Only the cornea is generally used for corneal transplantation; the entire eye is not transplanted. The cornea is a transparent tissue without blood vessels, and a healthy cornea can help restore vision in eligible patients.
The department said eye tissue should ideally be collected within six hours of death. Relatives of a deceased person who has consented to eye donation should contact the nearest eye bank or eye collection centre immediately.
People with conditions such as diabetes and hypertension can also donate their eyes, subject to medical assessment. However, eye donation is not accepted in certain infectious or medical conditions, including HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B or C, sepsis, leukaemia, rabies, meningitis, encephalitis and tetanus.
The department also clarified that eye removal is a minor procedure and does not disfigure the donor’s face. Eye donation is provided free of cost to the donor’s family.
The Health Department advised those who pledge their eyes to inform their family members of their decision, as family consent is required for the donation to proceed after death.