PESHAWAR: Pakistan Institute of Community Ophthalmology at Hayatabad Medical Complex has decided to start the latest corneal procedures to be able to use all sorts of tissues sent by a US-based charity and help to restore vision of more people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“With the emergence of recent new trends and procedures in corneal transplant surgeries, there is an urgent need to gain the latest techniques. Unfortunately, cornea sub-specialty hasn’t been developed in our province so far and on a large scale throughout the country as well,” Prof Sanaullah Jan, the director of Pakistan Institute of Community Ophthalmology (PICO), told Dawn.

He said on his request, the board of governors and the HMC administration approved a post of consultant ophthalmologist specifically for cornea. The doctor with the required expertise in cornea would be given further training if needed within the country or abroad in collaboration with international donors, he added.

“The doctor will then work as master trainer for ophthalmologists of the entire province to pave the way for expansion of corneal transplants throughout Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, using the latest technologies,” said Prof Sanaullah Jan.

He said that their corneal transplant programme was solely meant to help people and provide relief to the most deserving patients.

Prof Sanaullah Jan said that they had established Murad Eye Bank for free corneal transplant in collaboration with Association of Physicians of Pakistan in North America (APPNA), and Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society.

Established in 2007, in the memory of late Prof Murad Ali Khan, the pioneer of ophthalmology in the province, it had transplanted more than 700 corneas to restore vision of people blinded by trauma, injuries, blasts and welding etc.

“Our dedicated corneal team is performing these surgeries beyond their duty hours in the evenings, nights and even during national and Eid holidays without any financial benefit. This is because corneal transplant must be performed as soon as the corneas are received,” he said.

Dr Yasir Murad, another ophthalmologist, said that they wanted to begin corneal retrieval programme as despite the best efforts and generous donation there had always been shortage of corneas given the long waiting list of patients.

“We are keen to sort out the issue by focusing on local retrieval of cornea and eye tissue. Homework in this regard has been completed and soon we will be initiating local retrieval programme in line with the protocols of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Medical Transplantation Regulatory Authority (MTRA),” he said.

Dr Fawad Zafar, who heads the US-based Zafar & Mir Foundation, told Dawn that they had been sending corneas to Pakistan but of late there was shortage of types of tissues transplanted by ophthalmologists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to which supplies had been reduced.

He said that hospitals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa needed to start new techniques so that they could use all types of corneas/tissues, the foundation received in the US.

“The prices of corneas are more than $3,500 in the US but we get them at $350 under arrangements with eye banks as we send them for poor people in Pakistan,” he said. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, only PKP tissues are used and there are no skills to use other types such as DMEK, ALK and DSEAK, etc.

“As soon as we get PKP tissues, we will start sending the same to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which is our top priority. Since 2017, we have restored vision of 10,000 people in 42 hospitals and in 20 cities of Pakistan,” said Dr Fawad.

He said that a total of $3.5 million was spent on buying corneas. The corneas were transplanted to people in Peshawar and recently ophthalmologist Dr Zahir Shah has also started getting tissues for people in Swat.

Dr Fawad said that major portion of the cost was borne by their foundation with financial support of Khyber Medical College Alumni Association of North America (KMCAANA), especially cardiologists Dr Arshad Rehan, a former president of APPNA, Mohammad Naeem Khan, gastroenterologist Dr Rashid Hanif and others, who belonged to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

“About 35 APPNA members are active donors,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2026