Since Ronald Reagan’s first proclamation in 1983, March has been recognized as National Eye Donor Month. Each year, more than 48,000 Americans have their eyesight restored as a result of corneal transplants. Eye banks from across the country are able to provide the tissue necessary for these life-changing procedures through the generosity of more than 62,000 eye donors per year.
Nearly everyone has the power and ability to give the gift of sight, simply by making the arrangements to donate their eyes in the event of their death. Unlike other organs and tissues, U.S. eye banks have a sufficient amount of corneas to avoid shortages or long wait lists. According to the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA), in 2013 U.S. eye banks provided 24,000 corneas to patients overseas. An additional 24,000 corneas were used for research and training that could lead to advancements in preventative and restorative treatments for vision loss and eye damage.
Of all transplant surgeries done today, including heart, kidney and lung, corneal transplants are the most common with the highest rate of success. The cornea is the clear, dome-shaped surface that covers the colored iris and the round pupil. Light is focused as it passes through the cornea enabling us to see.
Corneal transplants are typically needed if vision cannot be corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses, or when medication fails to relieve painful swelling. A number of conditions may also cause the need for a corneal transplant. Those include corneal failure after other eye surgery (like cataract surgery), keratoconus (a steep curving of the cornea), hereditary corneal failure (such as Fruchs Distrophy), scarring after infections (especially after herpes) and rejection following an initial corneal transplant.
If your ophthalmologist decides you need a corneal transplant, your name will be placed on a list at the local eye bank. Before a cornea is approved for transplant, the eye bank tests the cornea for clarity. Corneal transplant surgery is typically done on an outpatient basis. Patients are given eye drops and in some cases, a sedative to help them relax. Local or general anesthesia is used, depending on age, medical condition and eye disease.
Register to become an eye donor today. The great thing about corneal tissue is that everyone is a universal donor. It doesn’t matter how old you are, how good your eyesight is, what color your eyes are or what type of blood you have. Most people are suitable donors, except those suffering from infections or highly communicable diseases, like HIV or hepatitis. Visit www.donatelifeillinois.org to find out how you can become an eye, organ and tissue donor. For more information on corneal transplants, watch Dr. Evan Pike, certified cornea specialist and refractive surgeon, during his recent appearance on WHOI’s Good Company.
