12 corneal graft surgeries performed in 1 day at Delhi Govt hospital

New Delhi: Twelve corneal graft operations have been performed in a day at a Delhi government-run facility here, officials said on Friday.

The surgeries took place at Guru Nanak Eye Centre (GNEC) on October 14, coinciding with World Sight Day, according to Dr Ritu Arora, Dean, Maulana Azad Medical College.

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GNEC is attached to Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), located in the heart of Delhi.

"On Thursday, 12 corneal grafts were done in a day at the hospital. The previous highest was nine grafts done in 2011," said Arora, also former director of the centre.

Out of the total grafts, nine were full thickness or total corneal grafts and the rest three were partial ones, she said.

Some of the patients needed only one cornea graft as the other eye was healthy, officials said.

The age of donors ranged from 11-60, she added.

The corneas were arranged through 'donation counsellors', government employees, who try to convince family members of a deceased to donate eyes, Arora said.

"All arrangements were made at the hospital beforehand, with doctors and other staff, to meet the requirements," she said. 

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