Knowledge, Awareness, and Willingness for Eye Donation: Insights from Patients in a Tertiary Care Center in Western Vidarbha
Nikhil Nivritti Darade, Bhavishya Tulsidas Gurudasani, Kashish Goyal, Rajesh S. Joshi, Murtuza HussaineAbstract
Aim:
To assess knowledge, awareness, and willingness for eye donation among patients attending the ophthalmology (outpatient department) at a tertiary care center.
Materials and Methods:
A hospital-based cross-sectional study took place from August 2024 to July 2025. A total of 2580 patients over 18 years old were included using universal sampling. Data were collected through a structured, pre-tested questionnaire administered verbally, which assessed demographic details, awareness and knowledge about eye donation, sources of information, willingness to pledge eye donation, and reasons for the same. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and shown as percentages.
Results:
Of the 2,580 participants, 56% were aware of eye donation. Social media (47%) and mass media (36%) were the most common sources of information. Only 8% of participants knew the nearest eye donation center. Several misconceptions were found related to eligibility criteria, consent, disfigurement, and the timing of eye retrieval. Overall, 57% of participants said they were willing to pledge eye donation. The main motivating factor was the desire to help the blind (63%), while family objections (33%), misuse of donated tissue (24%), and religious beliefs (14%) were the reasons for unwillingness.
Conclusion:
Even though the willingness to donate eyes was moderate, there were significant gaps in knowledge about the procedures and practical aspects of eye donation. Misconceptions remain among patients. Targeted awareness programs to improve patient education, involving family members in counseling, and effectively using mass and social media may help close the gap between willingness and actual eye donation. This, in turn, could contribute to reducing preventable corneal blindness.