AIIMS Expands Cornea Retrieval Network with Three New Hospitals
AIIMS's National Eye Bank partners with three hospitals to boost cornea retrieval for transplants.
The National Eye Bank at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi has broadened its cornea retrieval network by signing Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with three additional hospitals. The new partnerships include the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr. RML Hospital, Indira Gandhi Hospital in Dwarka, and Northern Railway Central Hospital. These collaborations aim to enhance corneal tissue procurement, research, and training under the AIIMS-Delhi Hospital Corneal Retrieval Programme (HCRP).
Strengthening Corneal Transplant Efforts
The inclusion of these hospitals is a strategic move to address the demand for donor tissues for corneal transplants. In 2025, the eye bank collected 2,167 corneas and successfully performed transplants on 1,775 patients suffering from corneal blindness. Notably, 81.9% of the corneas were procured through the HCRP, highlighting the program's effectiveness in identifying potential donors and facilitating timely retrieval of corneas.
Over the past four years, the AIIMS eye bank has consistently performed over 1,300 corneal transplants annually. The bank has also been at the forefront of adopting advanced techniques, such as the sutureless Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK), which allows for faster visual rehabilitation in patients with endothelial dysfunction.
Innovations and Community Engagement
AIIMS has introduced several innovations to streamline operations and engage the community. The eye bank has implemented a fully online death-notification system to expedite the process of contacting bereaved families. Additionally, an online eye-donation pledge system has been launched, resulting in 100 new pledges in the past year.
In its ongoing efforts to support eye banks nationwide, AIIMS distributed over 4,652 vials of its indigenous corneal preservation medium, ExStorSol, to 130 eye banks across 24 states in 2025-26. Furthermore, a RayMed-supported initiative is helping procure corneal tissue for pediatric keratoplasty, demonstrating AIIMS's commitment to specialized care.
Recognition and Future Plans
AIIMS's National Eye Bank, which received a National Award last year for its contributions to eye banking, continues to honor donor families, hospitals, NGOs, and partner eye banks. Looking ahead, AIIMS has embarked on a five-year partnership with Vision-Aid to establish 10 Integrated Vision Centres across Delhi-NCR and create a dedicated Cerebral Visual Impairment Resource Centre for children. These initiatives reflect AIIMS's dedication to enhancing eye care and transplantation services.