The Lions Eye Bank of Western Australia: 35 Years of Eye Banking (1986–2021)

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to review the trends in preparation, storage, and usage of donor corneal tissue from 35 years of eye banking at the Lions Eye Bank of Western Australia (LEBWA). Methods: Donor and recipient records for the period July 1986 to July 2021 were evaluated with relation to donor demographics, cause of death, storage medium, corneal utilization, type of corneal graft, and indication for graft. Results: Six thousand two hundred nine eyes from 3328 donors were retrieved in the 35-year period reviewed. Sixty-six percent of eye donors were male, and 33% were female. The median age of donor was 61 years (2–98 years). The most frequent cause of donor death was a cardiac event, followed by intracerebral hemorrhage and malignancy. A total of 5219 corneal transplants were performed, with a corneal utilization rate of 84%. Storage of corneal tissue was primarily in Optisol-GS until 2010, when organ culture medium was introduced. Of 5219 recipients, 52% were male and 47% were female. The median recipient age was 63 years (1–98 years). Penetrating keratoplasty was the most common surgery performed over the 35-year period, followed by endothelial keratoplasty. The most common indications for grafts were ectasia/thinning, repeat corneal transplants, endothelial dystrophies, and postcataract surgery edema. Conclusions: We present trends in the acquisition and utilization of corneal tissue across 35 years at LEBWA. The most significant changes over this period include methods of corneal storage and advances in surgical techniques that has led to a greater usage of endothelial grafts.