32418 Eye Management in Organ Donation

Course overview

Discusses eye management in organ donation, including anatomy of the eye and cornea, conditions in which corneal transplant may be indicated, and the cornea donation timeline and inclusion/exclusion criteria. The cornea is the eye’s outermost layer responsible for 65-75% of the eye’s total focusing power, and is critical in order for individuals to be able to focus their vision. There are multiple conditions that may affect the function of the cornea, some of which may necessitate a corneal transplant to restore vision. Corneas are the most commonly transplanted tissue worldwide, and according to the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA), their member banks provided 79,304 corneas for transplant in the United States in 2015. More than 1.5 million individuals worldwide have undergone corneal transplantation since 1961. While many individuals may be candidates to receive a corneal transplant using a donor cornea, others may require implantation of an artificial cornea. Because corneas are the most commonly donated tissue, in order to ensure that an opportunity for donation is not missed, it is essential for nurses to have a solid understanding of the donation recovery and transplant timeline and criteria. This program discusses corneal transplant, including eye anatomy, conditions that may warrant transplant, donation criteria and exclusions, and corneal donation timeline.