VietNamNet Bridge – Pham Thi Nhan, 93, from the northern province of Ninh Binh, has become the second person in Vietnam to donate her corneas to the Eye Bank of the Central Eye Hospital.

On August 2, the Hanoi-based Central Eye Hospital announced that it had received one more pair of corneas donated by the second Vietnamese person, Ms. Pham Thi Nhan, 93, from Con Thoi commune, Kim Son district, Ninh Binh province.

Previously, Nguyen Thi Hoa, an old woman who was also a citizen of Con Thoi commune, donated her corneas to the Eye Bank of the Central Eye Hospital in April 2007.

According to health agencies, Vietnam has around 300,000 people with cornea-related diseases, including 100,000 who are blind in both eyes. If they are given new corneas, they will be able to see again. However, the source of corneas is very limited, around 100 corneas each year, mainly coming from ORBIS, an international organisation.

The Central Eye Hospital has installed a hot line for consultation on cornea transplant and donation at 84-04-9454799.

(Source: Tien phong)