Should Australia Export Corneas? Eye banks, exports and Australian Opinion: Exploring national utility of human corneal tissue donation

Abstract

ABSTRACT: There are 12.7 million people, globally, waiting for a corneal transplant. Most reside in low-middle-income nations or locations without sufficient local access to corneal tissue (CT) from an eye bank (EB). As such they are unable to access donated end-of-life CT, necessary to perform a sight restoring or enhancing corneal transplant. They are reliant on CT importation from EBs in other nations that are in a position to export. Despite export and import services commencing in 1961, and the practice now responsible for around 23% of all annual corneal transplantations, there has never been a review of the practice. There is no information to indicate if donors are aware or consented..