SHIFTING PARADIGMS IN CORNEAL DONATION: AN ANALYSIS OF A DECADE OF TRENDS IN INDIA

To compare donor cornea demographics, collection trends, tissue quality, microbiology results and utilization between 2014 and 2024 at the National Eye Bank of India.

Tertiary eye centre in India

Retrospective observational study 

Between 2014 and 2024, the total number of donor corneal tissues increased 2.04-fold, with a 2.7-fold rise in procurement via the Hospital Corneal Retrieval Programme (HCRP). In contrast, the proportion of voluntary eye donations (VED) nearly halved during the same period. The availability of optical-grade donor corneas increased by 1.89 times. Donor tissues retrieved through HCRP were more frequently from younger, male, phakic individuals and were associated with shorter death-to-preservation intervals, higher endothelial cell densities (>2000 cells/mm²), and superior optical quality. However, HCRP tissues exhibited a higher rate of microbial contamination compared to VED tissues, with Gram-negative bacilli being the most commonly isolated organisms.

Over the past decade, the shift toward HCRP has enhanced the availability and quality of donor corneas, underscoring its potential to reduce corneal blindness, albeit with a need for improved infection control measures.