AIIMS Expands Cornea Retrieval Network with Three New Hospitals
AIIMS National Eye Bank partners with three hospitals to boost corneal transplants under its Corneal Retrieval Programme.
The AIIMS National Eye Bank in New Delhi has expanded its corneal retrieval network by signing Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with three additional hospitals. This strategic move aims to enhance the availability of donor tissue for corneal transplants.
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 fall under the AIIMS-Delhi Hospital Corneal Retrieval Programme (HCRP), which focuses on corneal tissue procurement, research, and training.
Boosting Corneal Transplant Availability
The AIIMS eye bank has been a pivotal player in corneal transplants, collecting 2,167 corneas in 2025 alone and performing transplants on 1,775 patients with corneal blindness. With these new hospital collaborations, the eye bank aims to further increase its capacity to meet the high demand for corneal tissue.
Since its inception 61 years ago, the eye bank has collected over 38,000 corneas and facilitated visual rehabilitation for more than 28,000 individuals through transplantation. The HCRP has been instrumental in this success, with 81.9% of the corneas collected in 2025 sourced through the program.
Innovative Techniques and Training
AIIMS has been at the forefront of adopting advanced techniques, including the sutureless Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK), which involves transplanting only the functional endothelial membrane. This technique offers faster visual rehabilitation for patients with endothelial dysfunction.
Additionally, the eye bank has trained over 500 ophthalmologists in advanced corneal transplantation techniques, ensuring a well-equipped workforce to handle complex cases.
Technological Advancements and Community Engagement
Enhancing its operational efficiency, the eye bank has implemented a fully online death-notification system to expedite contact with bereaved families, along with an online eye-donation pledge system. Over the past year, 100 individuals have pledged their eyes through this platform.
In 2025-26, the eye bank distributed more than 4,652 vials of its indigenous corneal preservation medium, ExStorSol, to 130 eye banks across 24 states. Furthermore, a RayMed-supported project has been facilitating the procurement of corneal tissue for pediatric keratoplasty.
AIIMS has also announced 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.
The National Eye Bank recently celebrated its achievements at the 41st National Eye Donation Fortnight programme, where it recognized the contributions of donor families, hospitals, NGOs, and partner eye banks. The institution also received a National Award last year for its contributions to eye banking.