AIIMS Expands Cornea Retrieval Network with Three New Hospitals
AIIMS' National Eye Bank partners with three hospitals to enhance corneal tissue procurement, aiming to boost transplants and research efforts.
The National Eye Bank at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi has taken a significant step to bolster its cornea retrieval efforts by partnering with three additional hospitals. This move aims to enhance the availability of donor corneal tissue for transplantation, research, and training.
New Partnerships to Boost Corneal Transplants
The eye bank recently signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr. RML Hospital, Indira Gandhi Hospital in Dwarka, and Northern Railway Central Hospital. These agreements are part of the AIIMS-Delhi Hospital Corneal Retrieval Programme (HCRP), which focuses on corneal tissue procurement and related research activities.
In 2025, the eye bank collected 2,167 corneas, facilitating transplants for 1,775 patients suffering from corneal blindness. This hospital-based programme empowers eye-bank counsellors and technicians to identify potential donors, counsel families, and retrieve corneas efficiently. Remarkably, 81.9% of the corneas collected were sourced through the HCRP.
Legacy of Corneal Transplantation
Over the past 61 years, AIIMS' National Eye Bank has collected over 38,000 corneas, leading to the visual rehabilitation of more than 28,000 individuals. The center has been a pioneer in training, having educated over 500 ophthalmologists in advanced corneal transplant techniques.
In 2025 alone, the eye bank performed 631 optical keratoplasties and adopted the sutureless Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK) technique, which allows for faster visual rehabilitation by transplanting only the functional endothelial membrane in patients with endothelial dysfunction.
Innovations and Future Plans
AIIMS highlighted its advancements at the 41st National Eye Donation Fortnight, including a fully online death-notification system to expedite contact with bereaved families. An online eye-donation pledge system has also been implemented, with 100 pledges recorded in the past year.
Further supporting its mission, the eye bank distributed over 4,652 vials of its indigenous corneal preservation medium, ExStorSol, to 130 eye banks across 24 states during 2025-26. A RayMed-supported initiative is also underway to procure corneal tissue for pediatric keratoplasty from other eye banks.
Additionally, AIIMS has forged a five-year partnership with Vision-Aid to set up 10 Integrated Vision Centres across Delhi-NCR and a specialized Cerebral Visual Impairment Resource Centre for children, underscoring its commitment to comprehensive eye care.
The National Eye Bank's efforts were recognized last year with a National Award for its contributions to eye banking. During the recent event, the institution honored donor families, hospitals, NGOs, and partner eye banks for their vital roles in these achievements.