New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur Thursday pledged to donate their eyes on the occasion of National Eye Donation Day.

According to a brief statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Manmohan Singh and Gursharan Kaur signed the form pledging to "donate their eyes on the occasion of National Eye Donation Day".

According to World Health Organisation, there are 284 million visually impaired people in the world -- 39 million are blind and 245 have low vision.

About 90 percent of them live in developing countries.

Eye donation means donating one's corneas after his or her death. In India, there are many organisations that act as eye banks that facilitate removal of corneas and distribute them to the needy.

Cornea is a clear tissue -- a focusing element -- that covers the front of the eye. People suffering from corneal blindness only can benefit from eye donations through corneal grafting.

State run telecom companies -- BSNL and MTNL -- have a toll free number 1919 all over the country to facilitate easy access to the nearest eye bank. 
   

Home | Top of the Page

Top Stories

Delhi blast email traced to Kishtwar, cops hunt for suspect

Police had got vital clues about the person who had sent an email claiming responsibility for the Delhi High Court blast after raids on a cyber cafe in Kishtwar in the state, officials said Thursday.  »

Delhi explosion toll rises to 12

Delhi blast: A horror retold

Blast victims pour in at Delhi hospital

  Most Read

Palestinian official hits out at US policy on UN bid

The United States is showing “disdain” for Arabs by trying to prevent the Palestinians from gaining statehood recognition at the United Nations, a senior Palestinian official said on Wednesday.  »

UN Vote on Palestine State: US envoy 'threatens to punish' PA

An earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter Scale shook the Indian capital for 5-6 seconds at around 11.30 p.m. Wednesday, the Met department said, scaling down its intensity from the initial 6.6. There were no immediate  »

  News Pick

According to the AMU VC, he is going to retire in January 2012 so all the official formalities to open the centre at Kishanganj should be finished before he leave the university. In fact  »

Who leaked Modi's letter to PM, asks court

The Gujarat High Court Wednesday issued notice to its registrar general, the personal secretary to the chief justice and Lokayukta R.A. Mehta seeking answers on how the contents of a letter from Chief Minister Narendra  »

A day after the special screening of his film, Shafeeque Ahmed, the local hero who played the lead-role in Malegaon Ka Superman - the award winning film starring the artists from  »

Picture of the Day

The 27th of Ramadan (August 26, 2011 this year), "Laylet al-Qadr" (Night of Power), is one of the holiest nights of the Islamic calendar, the night when the Quran began to be revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). Millions from around the world visit the Grand Mosque in Makkah from all over the world and pray over the night.