Why do blind recipients “pay” huge amounts of money to receive “sight” when it is termed as an Eye Donation (in the city of Mumbai) ?
Although the burden of eyeball collection from the deceased still remains with the eye banks, the cost of eyeball processing, surgery and hospitalization remains with the blind recipient (barring government hospitals) ….. and yet remains termed ironically as an “eye donation” This is mainly because eye banking is neither looked upon as a specialised medical fraternity nor as a noble function but as a mere social cause meant only to enhance social credibility. Eye banking is controlled by politics and eye banks are run by architects, lawyers, chartered accountants and ophthalmic surgeons with vested interests (mainly in the city of Mumbai) …. anyone except professional eye bankers. In other words, eye donation has been commercialised in a very subtle way.
