AIIMS Expands Cornea Retrieval Network with Three New Hospitals
AIIMS' National Eye Bank partners with three hospitals to enhance cornea retrieval and transplantation efforts.
The National Eye Bank at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi has expanded its cornea retrieval network by partnering with three additional hospitals. This strategic move aims to bolster the availability of donor tissues for corneal transplants, a critical procedure for patients suffering from corneal blindness.
New Partnerships Enhance Cornea Procurement
The eye bank has formalized agreements with the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr. RML Hospital, Indira Gandhi Hospital in Dwarka, and Northern Railway Central Hospital. These collaborations are part of the AIIMS-Delhi Hospital Corneal Retrieval Programme (HCRP), which focuses on corneal tissue procurement, research, and training. The programme is designed to streamline the process of identifying potential donors, counseling bereaved families, and retrieving corneas at partner hospitals.
In 2025, AIIMS collected 2,167 corneas, with 1,775 of these retrieved through the HCRP, accounting for 81.9% of the total. The eye bank successfully performed transplants on 1,775 patients, maintaining an impressive track record of conducting over 1,300 corneal transplants annually for four consecutive years.
Innovations and Achievements
The eye bank's achievements include performing 631 optical keratoplasties in 2025 and transitioning to Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK). This advanced technique involves transplanting only the functional endothelial membrane, which can result in faster visual recovery for patients with endothelial dysfunction.
AIIMS has also implemented a fully online death-notification system to expedite contact with bereaved families, alongside an online eye-donation pledge system. Over the past year, 100 individuals pledged their eyes, reflecting growing community engagement.
National Impact and Future Initiatives
Beyond its immediate network, the National Eye Bank distributed over 4,652 vials of its ExStorSol corneal preservation medium to 130 eye banks across 24 states in 2025-26. Additionally, a project supported by RayMed is underway to facilitate the procurement of corneal tissue for pediatric keratoplasty.
AIIMS has also embarked on a five-year partnership with Vision-Aid to establish 10 Integrated Vision Centres in Delhi-NCR and a dedicated resource center for children with cerebral visual impairment. These initiatives underscore AIIMS's commitment to enhancing eye care services and expanding access to vision rehabilitation across the region.
The eye bank's efforts were recognized with a National Award for its contributions to eye banking. During the recent 41st National Eye Donation Fortnight programme, AIIMS honored donor families, hospitals, NGOs, and partner eye banks, celebrating the collective effort to improve vision health in India.