Every Eye Donor Can Impact the Lives Of 18 Transplant Recipients and Help Countless Others Through Research
What is a Cornea?
The cornea is the clear, transparent front layer of the eye that admits light and begins the refractive process, playing an essential role in the clarity of a person's vision.
The cornea is also an integral part of the eye's structure, maintaining the eye's spherical shape and keeping foreign particles from entering the eye.
How Does the Cornea Work?
Light rays enter the eye through the cornea, the clear front "window" of the eye. The cornea's refractive power bends the
light in such a way that it passes freely through the pupil to the eye's crystalline lens.
The lens changes its shape to focus the light sharply upon the retina, a light-sensitive layer of tissue inside
the eye. The retina transmits these light impulses to the optic nerve and onto the visual centers of the brain.
What is a Cornea Transplant?
A corneal transplant is a surgical procedure in which a patient's diseased or damaged cornea is replaced with a healthy, clear cornea donated by a carefully screened deceased donor.
Who Needs a Cornea Transplant?
A corneal transplant may be required becuase of the following conditions:
Corneal failure after another eye surgery, such as cataract surgery
Keratoconus, a disease-causing abnormal curving and swelling of the cornea
Hereditary corneal failures, such as Fuchs’ Dystrophy and Lattice Dystrophy
Scarring following infection or injury
Rejection after a first corneal transplant
A corneal transplant cannot treat all forms of blindness. However, a corneal transplant remains the gold standard of treatment for individuals with corneal blindness that cannot be corrected with less invasive measures.
Can Other Parts of the Eye be Transplanted?
Yes. Besides corneal tissue, Florida Lions Eye Bank also provides scleral tissue
for surgery. The sclera is the rigid, white, opaque portion of the eye. To prepare this tissue
for surgery, eye bank technicians recover whole eyes from donors and process the tissue
in the laboratory. The resulting scleral grafts are used during glaucoma surgeries or
oculoplastic procedures.
Each whole eye can yield 8 individual pieces of scleral tissue,
and one cornea. Thus, a single eye donor can impact the lives of 18 transplant
recipients and countless others through research and education.
