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Eye Donation : The Power To See After Death

What is eye donation?

Eye donation is a process where eye is removed from the body of a deceased person after obtaining consent of the relative(s) closest t

According to USFDA, a combination product is one composed of any combination of a drug and device; biological product and device; drug and biological product

o him /her. The cornea of such eyes is transplanted in the eyes of patients blinded by corneal diseases.

What is the cornea?

The cornea is the clear surface at the front of the eye which actually appea

; or drug, device, and biological product and fixed dose combination would include two or more combinations of drug.

Examples of combination products may in

rs as black of the eye. It is the main focusing element of the eye. Should the cornea become cloudy from disease, injury, infection, Vitamin A deficiency or any other cause, vision will be dramatically r

lude drug-coated devices, drugs packaged with delivery devices in medical kits, and drugs and devices packaged separately but intended to be used together.

educed.

Why eye donation is important?

Eye donation is important because about one million people are blinded by corneal diseases in India. And about 25000 are added to this pool every year. But the nu

here is enormous increase in the number of combination products entering the market in the recent years. Combination products have proven advantages but fixe

mber of eyes donated are around 12000 which leaves us with increasing deficit of around 13000 eyes every year. Corneal blindness commonly afflicts younger people and deprives them of educational and v

d dose combinations are still in the process of convincing regulatory authority on their advantages over the single ingredient formulations.

Combination pro

ocational opportunities. Corneal transplant surgery restores sight and makes a big difference in the lives of these individuals. Many of them still continue to suffer because of non availability of donor

ucts have become life saving products for the pharmaceutical companies who doesn’t have many innovative molecules in their product pipeline and have been inc

eyes. There is an urgent need to enhance awareness of eye donation and procurement of donor eyes to restore parity between demand and supply of donor eyes

Who can be an eye donor?

Anyone can be an eye

easingly used in the product life cycle management. Even the companies having product patents are trying to extend their product life cycle through the combi

donor. Cataracts, poor eyesight or age do not prohibit you from becoming a donor. Prospective donors should indicate their intention on donor cards. It is important for individuals wanting to be donors

nation products and maximize the revenues. But the companies involved in this practice are overlooking that they are burdening the patients both economically

to inform family members of their wishes to help ensure that their desires are fulfilled.

What is an eye bank?

An eye bank is a non-profit organization which obtains, medically evaluates and distribut

and physically. They need to rightly judge the benefits of the combination products and they have to even look at the risks involved when combining the produ

es eyes donated by caring individuals for use in corneal transplantation.

How soon after a donation must a cornea be transplanted?

Enucleation ( removal of the eyeball) of the donor eye should take pla

ts. Some of the combination products were well accepted by physicians while others suffered. Companies involved in development of combination products are fi

ce within 4- 6 hours of death. A corneal transplant is usually performed within 5 days after donation depending on the eye banking facilities.

What precautions should the family of the donor take to pre

ding difficulty in defining their combination products and facing various challenges from selecting a combination to marketing it.

Following aspects would a

serve the eyes of the deceased?

Close the eyes of the deceased and place moist cotton and ice covered with polythene over them. Raise the head about six inches with a pillow and switch off the fan.

Is

dd to the challenges in developing combination products:

Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
Which combination prod

the whole eye transplanted?

No. Only the cornea can be transplanted.

Are there religious objections to eye, organ, or tissue donations?

No. Donation is an opportunity to help save a life or restore so

cts are meaningful and rational?
Which therapeutic categories to select?
Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
Do combin

meone's sight. Eye donation is consistent with the beliefs and attitudes of major religions. Most religions preach the continuity of soul and not the body.

Will eye donation affect the appearance of the

tions increase the patient compliance?
What would be the developing cost?
How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen

donor?

No. Great care is taken to preserve the donor's appearance. Removal of eyeball is followed by the insertion of the artificial eye which restores the original look of the eye

Is there a fee char

t?

As combination products don't fit into the traditional categories of drugs, medical devices, or biological products, the USFDA is in the process of devel

ged for this donation?

No. It is illegal to buy or sell human eyes, organs, and tissues. Any costs associated with eye procurement are absorbed by the eye bank placing the tissue.

Will the donor family

ping new procedures for reviewing their safety, efficacy and quality.

Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust

be told who received the corneas?

No. The gift of sight is made anonymously. Strict laws prohibit provision of specific information about the recipient available to the donor family and vice versa.

If

y and representatives from various regulatory agencies are working out to design the regulatory requirements for manufacture and sale of combination products

a person has already signed a donor card, how can they be sure that their wishes regarding donation will be respected after death?

Tell your family you want to be an eye donor. Next-of-kin consent is r

.

As there is an increasing trend of the combination products companies manufacturing such products should be able to tackle the problems involved in the de

equired for donation, so it is helpful if your family knows ahead of time how you feel about it. Eye donation should not be included in a will as the eyes must be used long before a will can be probated.

elopment. They need to be wiser in analyzing the market trends and the regulatory requirements.

Companies that provide selfless information through particip

Nevertheless, the time of making a will is a good time to discuss eye, organ, and tissue donation with family members.

Medical Tourism in India

tion in industry events and feedback to regulatory authorities would be able to face the challenges and will be successful in developing combination products

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