The procedure for tissue donation starts as soon as someone passes away. The doctor will check the Donor Register, and if it is clear that the deceased person qualifies for donation, then the donation procedure will start. There are special teams which remove the donor eye tissue. The whole eyeball is removed, and blood is taken from the donor to test for communicable diseases in the event of eye tissue donation. Donors are currently also tested for COVID-19 using a nose/throat swab. After the procedure, the donor is reconstructed so that it is hardly noticeable, if at all, that a donation operation has taken place.
Following the retrieval procedure, the eyes are packaged and transported to Amnitrans EyeBank Rotterdam (AER) or the eye bank in Beverwijk) as quickly, safely and sterilely as possible. The blood that was taken and the nose/throat swab are sent to the Sanquin blood bank, where they are tested. In the meantime, the medical details of the donor are requested to help determine if the tissue belonging to this donor can be safely transplanted.
Following the arrival of the eyes in the eye bank, several tests are carried out. The corneas are thoroughly examined using a split-lamp and are then disinfected. Following the removal of the cornea from the rest of the eye, the cornea is stored in a medium, a liquid in which the tissue can be stored for 3-4 weeks. If the results of the blood tests and other tests are positive and the tissue is also approved, the cornea can be tailored to size for the patient waiting for a transplant. This surgical preparation takes place in the eye bank several days before the scheduled surgery. The tissue will then remain in the eye bank until the day surgery takes place. The tissue is then transferred to the operating room for transplantation.
You will have attended your initial or repeat consult in our clinic by now. During a consult, we will carry out all necessary tests and measurements for determining your diagnosis or confirming it, and both an optometrist and an ophthalmologist will see you. A treatment strategy will be selected and discussed with you (immediately if at all possible).
We will consult with you to create a treatment plan, which may consist of a cornea transplant, and will inform you of further details and costs relating to your treatment. You can use this information to ask your health insurer about coverage. Our experienced doctors will carry out your treatment, and you will receive support from our assistants and front-desk staff.
You will visit the clinic regularly for checkups following your treatment. You will be asked to visit the clinic 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year after your surgery for a checkup. We recommend periodically getting your eyes examined after this period (either once a year or once every 2 years, depending on your situation).
