The role of the eye bank at Moorfields is fundamental to the procurement, screening and storage of donated eye tissue. The eye bank team provides a 24-hour information and retrieval service 365 days of year, covering London and the Home counties. The service is provided by a dedicated team who aim to fulfil the wishes of the donor and their relatives. The donated corneas are used for surgery once checks are done on blood tests, medical history from GP and relatives and the tissue itself.
Timing is critical, as the tissue can only be stored for a limited time.
The vast majority of people can be considered for corneal donation. There is no upper age limit and the use of spectacles or contact lenses in most cases do not preclude donation. With the consent of relatives, corneas found to be unsuitable for transplantation can offer an equally valuable contribution in the field of research. The scarcity of donors and the constraints of screening mean that there is always a need for donated corneas.