AIIMS Expands Cornea Retrieval Network with Three New Hospitals
AIIMS National Eye Bank partners with three hospitals to boost cornea retrieval and transplantation efforts.
The National Eye Bank at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi has announced the addition of three hospitals to its cornea retrieval network. This expansion aims to enhance the availability of donor corneas for transplantation, a critical need for those suffering from corneal blindness.
New Partnerships to Boost Cornea Procurement
AIIMS has 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 collaborations are part of the AIIMS-Delhi Hospital Corneal Retrieval Programme (HCRP), which focuses on corneal tissue procurement, research, and training.
The HCRP is a hospital-based initiative that enables eye-bank counsellors and technicians to identify potential donors, counsel bereaved families, and efficiently retrieve corneal tissues. In 2025, the program was responsible for 81.9% of the 2,167 corneas collected by AIIMS, which facilitated 1,775 transplants for patients with corneal blindness.
Commitment to Advanced Techniques and Training
Over the past 61 years, the AIIMS National Eye Bank has collected over 38,000 corneas and has been instrumental in restoring vision to more than 28,000 individuals through transplantation. The center has also trained more than 500 ophthalmologists in advanced corneal transplantation techniques.
AIIMS has embraced innovative methods such as sutureless Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK), which involves the transplantation of only the functional endothelial membrane. This technique offers faster visual rehabilitation for patients with endothelial dysfunction.
Technological Advancements and Collaborative Efforts
During the 41st National Eye Donation Fortnight program, AIIMS showcased its technological advancements, including an online death-notification system for quicker contact with donor families and an eye-donation pledge system. In the past year, 100 individuals pledged their eyes to the AIIMS National Eye Bank.
The institute also distributed more than 4,652 vials of its indigenous corneal preservation medium, ExStorSol, to 130 eye banks across 24 states in 2025-26. A RayMed-supported project is further facilitating the procurement of corneal tissue from other eye banks for pediatric keratoplasty.
Looking Ahead: Expanding Vision Services
In a bid to extend its services, AIIMS has entered a five-year partnership with Vision-Aid to establish 10 Integrated Vision Centres across Delhi-NCR. This collaboration will also see the creation of a dedicated Cerebral Visual Impairment Resource Centre for children.
Recognized with a National Award last year for its outstanding contributions to eye banking, AIIMS continues to honor donor families, hospitals, NGOs, and partner eye banks for their support and collaboration in its mission to combat corneal blindness.