AIIMS Expands Cornea Retrieval Network with Three New Hospitals
AIIMS National Eye Bank partners with three hospitals to bolster corneal tissue availability for transplants.
The National Eye Bank at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi has expanded its corneal tissue retrieval network by partnering with three additional hospitals. These collaborations aim to enhance the availability of donor tissues for transplantation, addressing the needs of patients with corneal blindness.
New Partnerships for Enhanced Tissue Procurement
This year, AIIMS has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia (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), focusing on corneal tissue procurement, research, and training.
The HCRP facilitates the identification of potential donors, counseling of bereaved families, and efficient retrieval of corneas at hospital settings. In 2025, the eye bank collected 2,167 corneas, with 1,775 (81.9%) obtained through this program. The centre has performed over 1,300 corneal transplants annually for four consecutive years, significantly contributing to the rehabilitation of visually impaired individuals.
Innovative Techniques and Achievements
AIIMS has been at the forefront of adopting advanced techniques like Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK), which involves transplanting only the functional endothelial membrane. This method offers quicker visual recovery for patients with endothelial dysfunction.
In 2025, the eye bank conducted 631 optical keratoplasties and supplied over 4,652 vials of its indigenous corneal preservation medium, ExStorSol, to 130 eye banks across 24 states. A collaboration with RayMed supports the procurement of corneal tissue for pediatric keratoplasty.
Community Engagement and Future Plans
During the 41st National Eye Donation Fortnight, AIIMS highlighted its achievements, including a fully online death-notification system to expedite donor family contact and an online eye-donation pledge system. Over the past year, 100 individuals pledged their eyes through the eye bank.
AIIMS has also initiated a five-year partnership with Vision-Aid to establish 10 Integrated Vision Centres in Delhi-NCR and a dedicated Cerebral Visual Impairment Resource Centre for children. The eye bank, which received a national award for its contributions, continues to honor donor families, hospitals, NGOs, and partner eye banks for their support.