AIIMS Expands Cornea Retrieval Network with Three New Hospitals
AIIMS' National Eye Bank has partnered with three hospitals to boost corneal tissue procurement, enhancing its transplant capabilities.
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 is expected to bolster the availability of donor tissue for corneal transplants.
New Partnerships to Enhance Corneal Transplants
The eye bank has signed Memoranda 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 partnerships are part of the AIIMS-Delhi Hospital Corneal Retrieval Programme (HCRP), which focuses on procuring corneal tissue, conducting research, and providing training.
In 2025 alone, the eye bank collected 2,167 corneas and performed transplants on 1,775 patients suffering from corneal blindness. The HCRP was responsible for retrieving 81.9% of these corneas. The program trains eye-bank counsellors and technicians to identify potential donors and counsel grieving families for cornea donation.
Ongoing Achievements and Innovations
Over its 61-year history, the National Eye Bank has collected over 38,000 corneas and facilitated visual rehabilitation for more than 28,000 individuals through corneal transplants. The institution has also trained over 500 ophthalmologists in advanced corneal transplantation techniques.
In 2025, the center performed 631 optical keratoplasties and adopted sutureless Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK). This innovative technique involves transplanting only the functional endothelial membrane, allowing for faster visual recovery in patients with endothelial dysfunction.
Technological Advancements and Future Plans
During the 41st National Eye Donation Fortnight at AIIMS, the eye bank highlighted its fully online death-notification system, which improves communication with bereaved families. Additionally, an online eye-donation pledge system was introduced, with 100 people pledging their eyes in the past year.
The eye bank also supplied over 4,652 vials of its indigenous corneal preservation medium, ExStorSol, to 130 eye banks across 24 states during 2025-26. A RayMed-supported project is aiding the procurement of corneal tissue for pediatric keratoplasty.
Further expanding its reach, AIIMS has entered a five-year partnership with Vision-Aid to establish 10 Integrated Vision Centres across Delhi-NCR and a dedicated Cerebral Visual Impairment Resource Centre for children.
Recognizing its contributions to eye banking, the National Eye Bank received a national award last year. At the recent event, AIIMS honored donor families, partner hospitals, NGOs, and collaborating eye banks for their support.