Donation Process

Donor Tissue Becomes Available
When a death occurs, hospitals and other institutions place a call to one of three organ procurement organizations in HLEB's tri-state area (Missouri, Kansas and Illinois). They, in turn, pass on information to the HLEB call center. After gathering initial information, the organizations work together to educate the family and facilitate consent. If the family chooses to donate, they will sign a consent form, and the retrieval process begins.

Retrieval
HLEB eye bank technicians perform one of two retrieval techniques- either an in situ or whole globe retrieval. During an in situ retrieval only the cornea is removed, and then placed in storage media. However, during a whole globe retrieval, the entire eye is removed, and then brought back to an HLEB laboratory facility for further processing to remove the cornea.

Evaluation
The donor tissue is brought back to the Eye Bank facility for further evaluation. A high cell count within the cornea is desirable and indicative of healthier tissue.

A blood sample taken from the donor during the tissue retrieval is sent out for testing to detect the presence of infectious diseases like HIV and Hepatitis B and C. All blood samples are tested prior to distribution to eliminate the threat of infectious disease.

Distribution
After a cornea has been cleared for transplant, the Eye Bank's Tissue Distribution Coordinator meets surgeon's needs by offering tissue for transplant. Although corneas can be stored for up to two weeks, U.S. physicians usually prefer to transplant donor tissue within five days.