Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cornea?
The cornea is the clear tissue covering the front of the eye. It is the
main focusing element of the eye. Vision would be dramatically reduced
if the cornea becomes cloudy from disease, injury or infection.
What is corneal blindness?
Corneal blindness is a disorder that results from the cornea becoming
clouded. This condition can result from a variety of diseases, injuries
or infections.
What is a corneal transplant?
This is a surgical procedure which replaces a disc-shaped segment of an
impaired cornea with a similarly shaped piece of a healthy donor cornea.
Is the whole eye transplanted?
No. Only the cornea and sclera (the white of the eye) can be
transplanted. The entire eye however, may be used for valuable research
and education.
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How prevalent is corneal transplantation?
Corneal transplant is one of the most frequently performed human
transplant procedures. Since 1961, more than 549,889 corneal transplants
have been performed, restoring sight to men, women, and children ranging
in age from nine days to 103 years.
How successful is corneal transplantation?
Over 90% of all corneal transplant operations successfully restore the
recipient's vision.
Why should eyes be donated?
There is no substitute for human tissue. The transplantation process
depends upon the priceless gift of corneal donation from one human to
the next. Donated human eyes and corneal tissue are used for research,
education, and transplantation.
Who can be a donor?
Almost anyone. Cataracts, poor eyesight, or age do not prevent you from
being a donor. It is important for individuals wanting to be donors to
inform family members of their wishes.
Will the quality of medical treatment be affected if one is a known
donor?
No. Strict laws are in existence which protect the potential donor.
Legal guidelines must be followed before death can be certified. The
physician certifying a patient's death is not involved with the eye
procurement or with the transplant.
Will the recipient be told who donated the corneas?
The gift of sight is made anonymously. Specific information about the
donor family is not available to the recipient. The eye bank will convey
a recipient's thanks to the donor family.
If a person has already signed up on the registry,
how can they be sure that their wishes regarding donation will be
respected?
The best way to ensure your desire to become a donor is honored is to
discuss the issue with your family.
How great is the need for corneas?
Although more than 46,000 corneal transplants were performed last year,
the need for corneal tissue is never satisfied. While promising advances
are being made in artificial corneas, they tend to be reserved for
patients with diseases that preclude donor cornea transplantation.
Success rates are currently much higher with donor corneas.
Are there religious objections to cornea/eye donation?
No. Donation is an opportunity to help restore someone's sight.
Cornea/eye donations are consistent with the belief's and attitudes of
major religions.
Is there a fee charged for donation?
No. It is illegal to buy or sell corneas/eyes. Any costs associated with
the procurement are absorbed by the eye bank.
Will donating cause a delay with the funeral arrangements?
No. Cornea/eye donation is performed within hours of death. Families may
proceed with funeral arrangements, including a viewing if desired.
What happens if the corneas are not suitable for transplant?
Donors and corneas are carefully evaluated. Corneas determined to be
unsuitable for transplant may be used for medical research and education
if the family gives permission.
How do research and education benefit from eye donation?
Research on glaucoma, retinal disease, eye complications of diabetes and
other sight disorders helps to advance the discovery of the cause and
effects of these conditions. This then leads to new treatments and
cures.
What is an eye bank?
An eye bank obtains, medically evaluates and distributes corneas/eyes
donated by caring individuals for use in corneal transplantation,
research, and education. Eye banks are non-profit organizations.
How does the eye bank ensure safe corneal tissue for transplantation?
The donated corneas and the donor's medical history are evaluated by the
eye bank in accordance with the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA)
and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) strict medical standards.
Both the EBAA and the FDA provides standards for eye banks to use in
training personnel to evaluate donor corneas
