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Donation of Cornea

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Transplant of Cornea

The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye. When it is dysfunctional because of an accident or disease, the visual acuity will be affected and blindness can even occur. Those with severe conditions as determined by the physician require a cornea transplantation procedure. A “Cornea transplant” is a surgical procedure that removes the diseased cornea and to replaces it with a clear and normally functioning cornea. As the medicine advances, cornea transplant is no longer just full thickness corneal grafting. A professional ophthalmologist will determine the recipient’s needs and then perform the full-thickness or partial-thickness corneal grafting.

Common reasons for requiring corneal transplantation:

Keratoconus

The change of the cornea to a cone shape occurs because of progressive thinning of the cornea and the cornea gradually protrudes externally by means of the intra-ocular pressure. Such abnormal curvature changes the refractive power of the cornea and medium to severe loss of visual acuity (astigmatism) and blurriness (myopia). Keratoconus can also lead to edema and scarring that impairs the vision.

Dystrophy of endothelial cells

The density of endothelial cells decreases each year after birth. Dystrophy of endothelial cells will result in loss of more and more endothelial cells, decreased water excreting function of the cells and swollen cornea and twisted vision. Eventually, the epithelium will also swell and rupture to result in pain and severe damage to the vision.

Become a Cornea Donor

The eyes are the windows to the soul. When the cornea is injured or diseased, the world you see is no longer colorful. It makes life and mobility uneasy. If you are willing to pass down the unselfish love to those in need or share related information with others, you can:

Indicate your willingness to donate and note it on your National Health Insurance IC card.

Indicate your willingness in writing

Get the Consent for Organ Donation at respective hospitals, public health centers, household registration offices, DMVs or service windows of the National Health Insurance Administration throughout the nation, complete it, and then put the completed consent in the business reply letter in the mail box directly. The information you provided will be reviewed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare Hospice Care and Organ Donation Intention Data Processing Group and your organ donation intention will be noted on your NHI IC card.

Provide information on line

Log into the Ministry of Health and Welfare - Hospice Care and Organ Donation Intention Information System or the Taiwan Organ Registry and Sharing Center and provide the information on line. Print out and complete the Consent for Organ Donation and sign it before sending it to the Ministry of Health and Welfare Hospice Care and Organ Donation Intention Data Processing Group. The data processing group will note your organ donation intention on your NHI IC card.

Go to the information system of the Ministry of Health and Welfare Go to the Taiwan Organ Registry and Sharing Center

Request promotional materials on donation of cornea to share the information with more people

The National Eye Bank of Taiwan has promotional materials and posters available on the donation of cornea available. Any unit or individual that needs them can request in writing.

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