Bureaus Exclusive

Sri Lankan corneas to bring vision back to 3 Chinese

By Huang Zhiling (China Daily Sichuan Bureau)
Updated: 2011-04-11 15:47

Qiu Yijie (left), president of Chengdu Kangqiao Ophthalmology Hospital, receives the donated Sri Lankan corneas from Yao Xiaoming, vice-chairman of China Organ Donation Management Committee,on Sunday. [Photo/China Daily Sichuan Bureau]

Zhang Yinghua, who had been blinded for nearly 20 years, had a cornea transplant operation in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on Sunday morning.

Together with two younger natives of Sichuan, the 53-year-old from Xupu county, Hunan province, was the beneficiary of corneas donated by two Sri Lankans who died last Thursday.

According to surgeons in the Chengdu Kangqiao Ophthalmology Hospital, the transplant operations for the trio yesterday were a success and their vision would improve.

Four million people in China have been blinded due to diseases pertaining to corneas. Only about 5,000 cornea transplant operations are performed each year due to the lack of donations, experts say.