Eye Bank urges Nigerians to donate their corneas at death

*Restores sight in reversible blindness using transplanted material
*Performs 98 operations with over 90% success rate

A fresh call on Nigerians to donate the cornea from their eyes at death, in order to let others with sight problems see, has been made by the Eye Bank For Restoring Sight Nigeria.

Eye Bank for Restoring Sight Nigeria (EBRSN) is a non-profit making voluntary organization, sponsored by the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria (OSN) and the Federal Nigeria Society for the Blind (NSB).

An Eye Bank is a storage where corneas removed from dead donors soon after their deaths are processed and kept until it is used by the surgeon for sight restoration-cornea transplant.

Chairman, Board of Trustees, EBRSN, Dr. Olaseinde Akinsete, in an attempt to improve, promote and restore hope of sight to the blind in the country, over the weekend, disclosed that 98 cornea operations with success rate at over 90 percent have been performed with the help of the Eye bank For Restoring Sight in Nigeria (EBRSN).

Medical Director of the Eye Bank, Dr. Mosunmade Omotesho Faderin, at the press conference in Lagos, said: “The Eye Bank is a storage place where corneas removed from dead donors after their deaths are processed and kept until it is used by eye surgeons for sight restoration.

“Furthermore the Eye Bank is primarily an organization that was set up to harvest, process and distribute donated corneas/eyes. In doing this the organization will be promoting the concept of cornea/eye donation so that people that need this sight saving surgery will have the donated cornea available to them locally.”

So how does the process work? Faderin explained: “Cornea is the transparent front part of the eye, also referred to as the window of the eye. When the cornea is damaged, it loses its transparency and the person cannot see which is known as cornea blindness. Sight can be restored to such a person through cornea transplantation or cornea graft.

“Cornea transplantation is the process of using a clear, healthy cornea from a donor, to replace the damaged cornea. Furthermore, for donor corneas to be used it must be harvested and stored in culture medium (optisol GS) within 12 to 18 hours of death. If the body is kept in the morgue, the cornea can be harvested within 24 hours before embalming.”

The themed of the press conference was: “Cornea donation- A Brighter World.”

Chairman Board of Trustees, Dr. E. Olasiende Akinsete, expressed his joy to all interested in the blinds’ welfare and ophthalmologists. He also talked about a paper he wrote back in 1970 titled “The Need for a National Eye Bank in Nigeria,” which he presented to the government through the federal ministry of health for approval.

Akinsete said: “Although the federal government under General Yakubu Gowon accepted the proposal and later on publicize the Decree no.23 of the 5th May 1973 titled Cornea Grafting not many cornea grafting operations have been carried out in Nigeria and only but a handful of Nigerians have donated their corneas after death for cornea grafting to restore sight to cornea blinded Nigerians.

“One main mission of the eye bank is to provide and distribute donor corneas and other tissues for transplantation services.”

How safe is cornea transplantation? Faderin assured the public that before any harvesting could take place the blood is taken for investigation. She explained: “The blood is screened for Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV), syphilis, hepatitis, and other communicable diseases. After which the harvested corneas are then kept in optisol GS and must be used within 14 days at a temperature of between 4 to 10 degree Celsius.”

During the event, three of the cornea transplant candidates were present and called upon to narrate their experiences. Chief Emma Akana who was diagnosed with cataract and during treatment faced some complications that led to his loss of sight. Heard about the eye bank over the radio got in contact with them and was able to correct his sight through the help of Faderin and her team.

When asked how he felt he replied: “What Eye bank has done for me and the society in fact I can never thank them enough.”

Mr. Akhabue Friday whose cornea was damaged while undergoing herbal therapy in his home (Edo state) was able to meet with Faderin and with the financial assistant of the Lion foundation was able to replace the damaged cornea. When asked how he felt, with a teary eyes he replied: ‘’I Thank God, if not for God who used Faderin, I just don’t know where to start from.”

Another successful candidate is Elder Dickson Akinbanjo, who was so grateful and kept singing praises of the Eye Bank and God.

Faderin further stated: “Since the set up of the Eye Bank in 2004, people do not believe in any form of organ donation therefore cannot accept the fact that cornea transplant can restore sight to those that are cornea blind. To disapprove this belief, the Board of the Eye Bank decided to facilitate cornea transplant by importing corneas. Till date the Eye Bank has facilitated about 66 cornea transplants amongst whom were 15 children from ages of 30months to 15years.

“In August 2010 and September 2012, corneas were harvested locally from two Nigerian donors (a male and a female) who had indicated to be donors before their death. The corneas had been successfully transplanted and the recipients are doing well.”

Akinsete said there could be many more successful stories if not for the difficulties faced such as scarcity of eye donors, remedial legislations, inadequate number of ophthalmologist, financial aids, culture shock and religious beliefs.

Akinsete spoke about overcoming some of the obstacles by importing some of the cornea outside of Nigeria for instance Europe, United States, India and Sri Lanka. “Till date 98 corneas transplant operations have been performed, with a 90 per cent success rate.”

Faderin encouraged the public to participate in being a donor as well as encourage those in the medical field to learn and train in the ophthalmology field.

“Yes, It is the first of its kind in Nigeria. Our culture and religion promotes love while not become a donor today so together we can help fight reversible blindness,” Faderin added.