Corneal Donation: Current Guidelines and Future Direction

Moshirfar, Majid; Odayar, Varshini; McCabe, Shannon E; Ronquillo, Yasmyne C

doi:10.2147/opth.s284617

Cited by 23 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…It is suggested that an improved eye donation coordination network could enhance the eye donation rate, including a comprehensive review of all hospital deaths and the use of a well-defined protocol [ 3 ]. In Poland, the eligibility criteria for cornea donors are in accordance with the European Eye Bank Association guidelines and are consistent with the Eye Bank Association of America guidelines [ 19 ]. These guidelines also include completing a Donor Risk Assessment Interview, concerning, among other things, homosexuality, which is considered to be a contraindication to retrieve corneas in many countries, including Poland.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Knowledge and Attitudes toward Cornea Donation among Different Social Groups in Poland

Szkodny

Wróblewska‐Czajka

Wylęgała

2021

JCM

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Background: Limited access to corneal tissue for transplantation remains a challenge in many parts of the world. To date, little attention has been paid to the problem of the cornea donor shortage in Poland, where the number of waiting patients exceeds the number of transplants performed three-fold. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and willingness towards participating in corneal donation among different social groups in Poland. Methods: This prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted among health professionals, medical students, clerics, teachers, journalists, employees and patients of the District Railway Hospital in Katowice. Online and paper questionnaires were used to collect socio-demographic data and information regarding awareness of, knowledge about and attitudes toward corneal donation. For health professionals and medical students, the questionnaires contained additional questions concerning knowledge and solutions for expanding the donor pool. Descriptive analysis and associations were evaluated using the chi2 test. Results: In the survey, 1026 participants took part, including 370 (36.06%, group 1) health professionals and 656 (63.94%, group 2) participants from a non-medical field. A total of 330 (89.18%) from group 1 and 528 (80.49%) respondents from group 2 expressed willingness to donate their corneas. The main reason for refusal of donation in both groups was a lack of knowledge concerning eye donation (7.8%). A social campaign (64.6%) was the most frequently chosen solution for increasing the number of potential donors by health professionals and medical students. In the group of doctors, not knowing how to report a potential donor was chosen as the greatest source of difficulty in donor reporting (40%). Conclusions: In the present study, the willingness to donate one’s eyes was substantial in both groups. Social campaigns and improving knowledge concerning the donor reporting process among health professionals might be beneficial in expanding the donor pool.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Knowledge and Attitudes toward Cornea Donation among Different Social Groups in Poland

Szkodny

Wróblewska‐Czajka

Wylęgała

2021

JCM

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“…Due to COVID-19, eye banks have globally developed different guidelines and criteria for evaluating the viability of donor corneas ( 6 ). The European Eye Bank Association (EEBA) has developed its own guidelines: first PCR test is required; if the PCR test is positive 14 days prior to death, the donor is ineligible; in addition, a nasopharyngeal swab postmortem is performed.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Corneal Transplantation: A Report From the Italian Association of Eye Banks

et al. 2022

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PurposeTo analyze the impact of COVID-19 on Italian corneal transplantation from March-2020 to February 2021 compared to the same timeframe of the 2 previous years, in order to identify potential consequences of a global pandemic on corneal procurement and transplantation services during this time.MethodsThis national, multicentric, retrospective cohort study evaluated data collected from 12 (100%) Italian eye banks from March 2020 to February 2021 (Group A). The number of tissues collected, distributed and discarded were compared with the same time-frame of the 2 previous years: 2019 and 2018 (group B and C, respectively). The different type of transplants performed were reported. Data were analyzed using a non-parametric Friedman test.ResultsCorneal procurement and the percentage of distributed tissues reduced in 2020 by more than 30 and 15%, respectively, compared to the 2 previous years. During the pandemic corneal transplant surgery showed only a modest drop: the number of the penetrating keratoplasties (PKs) and the anterior lamellar keratoplasties (ALKs) decreased by about 30 and 20% in comparison with groups B and C, respectively; between the Endothelial Keratoplasties (EKs), the Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) increased slightly from March 2020 to February 2021.ConclusionsItaly was one of the first countries most affected by the outbreak of COVID-19, and the Italian government adopted severe measures to limit viral transmission. The pandemic generated several implications in corneal transplant activity during the first lockdown. Then an efficacious reaction with constant, vigorous work led to a resumption of transplant surgery to a near-normal standard. The increase of EKs, despite the pandemic, is a sign that the advance in corneal transplantation has gone ahead and it continues to evolve.

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“…Corneal transplant is a novel success procedure implicated in a reversal of corneal blindness [ 9 ]. The chief factor in ensuring corneal viability is ensuring viable endothelium since these cells have limited proliferation in situ as they are arrested in the G1 phase of the cell cycle [ 10 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The indications of corneal transplantation vary geographically and according to the socio-economic status and demographic characteristics of the country [ 11 ]. Corneal transplant surgeries have shifted from complete thickness transplants to replacing only specific corneal layers in the recent past [ 10 ]. Corneal transplant has an overall success rate of 65-95% [ 12 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of Corneal Transplantation: An Insight on the Overall Global Post-COVID-19 Impact

Thakkar¹,

Jeria²,

Thakkar³

2022

Cureus

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The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic made us reframe a lot of the strategies followed in medical practice and ophthalmological services and procedures were also not spared, including corneal transplantation or keratoplasty, the most routine procedure performed worldwide. The prevalence of viral presence in the ocular tissue necessitates a focus on the handling of donor ocular tissue and the functioning of eye banks, ensuring it doesn't risk the patient and the doctor's safety. Restrictions in the movement of people during the pandemic limited the number of donations, causing a shortage of tissues, with a large number of people already waitlisted for tissue needs. The lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic directs us to look for long-term corneal storage techniques taking into consideration the tissue viability time and the possibility of post-pandemic shortages. Although there is not a significant number of reports, the cases of corneal graft rejection post-vaccination against COVID-19 are highlighted and thus should form a part of the lookout while evaluating the possible cause of rejection of grafts. This article summarises the overall impact of the pandemic on corneal transplantation and the possible future of storage techniques, which need to evolve and be adapted.

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Corneal Donation: Current Guidelines and Future Direction

Cited by 23 publications

References 58 publications

Knowledge and Attitudes toward Cornea Donation among Different Social Groups in Poland

Knowledge and Attitudes toward Cornea Donation among Different Social Groups in Poland

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Corneal Transplantation: A Report From the Italian Association of Eye Banks

A Review of Corneal Transplantation: An Insight on the Overall Global Post-COVID-19 Impact

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