Govt allows collection of cornea from home

New Delhi: In a move aimed at minimising the spread of Covid-19 infection among ophthalmologist, support staff, patients and their attendants, the Union Health Ministry has allowed collection/retrieval of eyeballs/corneas from home settings with all precautions being taken to prevent the spread of infection to retrieval technicians and to the recipient of corneas.

According to the "Guidelines on Safe Ophthalmology Practices in COVID-19 Scenario", screening of patients for cataract and other eye diseases in outreach areas may be undertaken only after duly following social distancing, hand hygiene and personal protective measures.

However, the eye care facilities in containment zones would remain closed and only eye care centres outside containment zones will be allowed to open up. The guidelines have also suggested encouraging tele-counselling and teleconsultation to lessen patient visits or appointment system to call patients needing examination or procedures. While for OPD, the Health Ministry has suggested promoting digital or app-based registration system.

As per the guidelines, eye drops should be put in the patient's eye by nursing or paramedical staff with a no-touch technique. Persons above 65 years of age, persons with comorbidities, pregnant women and children below the age of 10 years should be encouraged to stay at home, unless they are patients themselves.

As per the guidelines, some of the urgency in the eye care include any kind of injury to the eye, sudden loss of vision, retinal detachment, retinal tear, acute pain in the eye, acute red eye, acute onset of eyelid lesions, acute onset of double vision or sudden onset of drooping of the eyelid, etc.