Nawal Kishore Choudhary, the first corneal transplant patient at IGIMS. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences conducted its first corneal transplant surgery on the eve of Diwali, four days after the facility was inaugurated.

Begusarai resident Nawal Kishore Choudhary had lost vision in his left eye because of a cataract and corneal opacity. On Wednesday, he was on the path of getting vision in the eye back, courtesy the corneal transplantation facility at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences and a donor from Jamui.

Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi inaugurated the eye bank and cornea transplantation facility at the health hub on Saturday.

Patna Medical College and Hospital has an eye bank but it has not functioned for the past several years. Sources said at least one eye transplant surgery has been performed there.

Four days later, 55-year-old Choudhary, a resident of Tazpur village in Begusarai district, around 130km east of Patna, became the first person to benefit from it.

Dr V.P. Sinha, head of department, ophthalmology, said: “Choudhary could not see in his left eye because of his cataract and corneal opacity (scarring of the cornea).”

Anyone whose vision is markedly reduced but not completely lost can get his/her corneal transplant surgery done. The cornea that has completely lost vision is not suitable for the surgery though. It is believed that the cornea that can’t perceive light is totally damaged.

Sinha added: “The donor was a 46-year-old woman from Jamui. She passed away around noon because of brain haemorrhage at the hospital. We were successful in extracting her cornea by 1pm. Usually extraction of both corneas takes around 15-20 minutes. But this took us around an hour to complete because we had to complete several formalities, including getting all the necessary papers regarding the donor and the family’s permission.”

For a corneal transplant surgery at IGIMS, one needs to pay Rs 2,250.

Sinha said: “Choudhary will be discharged on Thursday. His vision in the left eye would be restored within seven to 10 days. For the next few days, he will be on medication and would have to take one medicine throughout his life.”

Sources at IGIMS said Sinha, along with Dr Neelesh Mohan and three nurses, conducted the whole procedure. Madan Singh, who was earlier associated with Dr RP Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, was also a part of the team.