From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Sep 1: Several prominent religious leaders joined the second 'Blind Walk’ in the city, after the phenomenal success of the first-ever Blind Walk from Metro-Station on Mahatma Gandhi Road to Bal Bhavan in Cubbon Park on August 24, on Sunday in Jayanagar under the auspices of the Project Vision.

The second Blind Walk was part of the efforts to create awareness about blindness and eye donation during the National eye donation fortnight.

Syed Sadath Ulla, Secretary of Idgah Masjid, Jayanagar, Fr Arul Raj Sampath, Parish Priest, Christha Prabhalaya Church, Jayanagar, Dr Nagendra Prasad representing the Jain Community and Rangarajan representing Art of Living flagged off the walk.

The walk culminated at the Christha Prabhalaya Church with a pledge to donate eyes taken by the Archbishop of Bangalore Most Rev Bernard Moras and Jadatguru Chandrashekharanatha Swamiji, Vokkalingara Mahasamsthana along with the other leaders and hundreds of volunteers who participated in large numbers.

Visually Challenged children from the Ramanamanarshi Academy for the Blind performed at an enthralling cultural program.

Organized by "The Project Vision" with the primary objective of spreading awareness on blindness and to educate the public on avenues of pledging one';s eyes, the "Blind Walk" received overwhelming support from leaders of various communities and the public at large apart from over 100 organisations that were represented at the walk.

Speaking at the commencement of the walk, Fr George Kannanthanam, Director of The Project Vision,expressed happiness that leaders from all faiths supported the humanitarian cause to give the visually impaired an opportunity to see.

'I am personally delighted and thankful to the leaders of various faiths who have represented their respective communities in this show of solidarity for a human cause. I am certain that all of us will work towards a common goal to let everyone see,” he said.

"Of the 15 million blind persons in India, eye donation can bring light to over three million while the other 80% can live better through various facilities that could be created for them. We have committed ourselves to make Bangalore the Eye Donation Capital of the World.” he added.

One of the objectives of Project vision is to make eye donation process easy and effective.

Common call number 104 has been created in Karnataka to make it possible for anyone from anywhere in the state to contact the eye bank close to them within the six golden hours in which the eyes can be harvested.

Fr George in his speech proposed that the number is made common through-out India.
Project Vision has Organized by "The Project Vision" with the primary objective of spreading awareness on blindness and to educate the public on avenues of pledging one';s eyes, the "Blind Walk" received overwhelming support from leaders of various communities and the public at large apart from over 100 organisations that were represented at the walk.

Project Vision has been able to move ahead in this movement since October 2013, and around 10,000 persons have been motivated to pledge their eyes.

All the major religions of the world support the principles of organ donation and transplantation.

However, within each religion there is a different school of thought, which means that views may differ. All the major religions accept that organ donation is an individual choice.

The Project Vision has been engaged with faith leaders across religions and communities to raise awareness of organ donation and transplantation.

Out of 15 million blind in India, Corneal blindness is estimated to the tune of 2.5 million. The main scope is in the line of eye donations.

At present approximately 35,000 corneas are collected in the country every year, whereas 150,000 are required annually to combat corneal blindness.

As a result, the patient line-up and wait to get a corneal transplant keeps getting longer with each passing day. Furthermore, the cost of cornea transplant in addition to unavailability for corneas makes it practically impossible for underprivileged people to access these medical remedies.

Till recently all national health policies targeted cataract, which accounts for 80 % of the needless blindness.

On the other hand, corneal blindness mainly affecting the young population depriveing productive health years and country's economy as well.

There is a need for organizations and individuals to come forward and work towards promotion of eye donations, and procurement of eyes, so as to address this need.