The gift of Sight !!

In this world of pleasure and pain, most of us intend to help other in our capacities.
But, here are some of the revealing numbers:-

"India, as of today has over 12.5 million visually impaired individuals, roughly 20% of the world's total. About 4.5 million of them are disabled due to defective cornea. These individuals can have their eyesight restored by a simple surgery called corneal grafting. Unfortunately in India only 14000 to 15000 corneas are harvested for grafting."

Can we change that ? Yes, for sure if everyone of us decides to do the following things:
1) Decide to offer the gift of sight to two people (we need to do it first to encourage others)
2) Encourage others to offer the best gift - "the gift of sight"

A few vital points vis-à-vis eye donation are:
Practically every one from a newborn baby to even a 100-year-old senior citizen is eligible. Age, sex, blood group, caste, creed, religion do not matter.
Those who suffer from hypertension, diabetes, wear glasses or have undergone cataract operations too can donate eyes.
Eyes can be pledged during one's lifetime but can be donated only after death. Even visually disabled persons can pledge their eyes provided disability is due to other factors but cornea is in good condition.
Eyes can be pledged by filling a pledge card and sending it to an eye bank. Eye bank on receipt of pledge card issues a donor's card. For more information visit any of the following websites:
http://www.ebai.org/html/index.htm (Eye Bank association of India)
http://www.sankaranethralaya.org/eye_donation.htm ( Sankar Netralaya)
http://www.ebai.org/html/eyepledgeform.asp (Online eye pledging and eyebank addresses)

This is surily an ignored thing in India today. But, if we think we can make a difference then we we will make that difference. Charity is considered a very sacred act in Indian culture. Eye donation, especially is quite simple since one loses nothing except corneas which after death become unusable anyway. With one's eye donation, two visually disabled persons get invaluable gift of sight. Every one of us keeping aside our prejudices and superstitions must consider these facts seriously and contribute to this holy cause by not only pledging one's eyes but also motivating relatives of the deceased when a death occurs in a family or in the vicinity.

I am interested as well as committed to see this change happen !! I have decided to offer this gift so that I can help someone see the world through my eyes !!

Socrates said:
" Let him that would move the world first move himself. "