Donation of Corneas

[Pete Hanlin]

In the May edition of "Optometry" (the AOA's Journal), some OD students from Berkley's College of Optometry noted the suprising lack of donor corneas (only 46,000 available in 1996).

Having seen the results of successful keratoplasty (the most successful of transplantation procedures), I would hope that those in the optical field (like Opticians) make it a point to sign and carry the organ donor card that informs doctors of your intent to donate your corneas.

Just a passing thought...
Pete

[Judy Canty]

Originally posted by Pete Hanlin:
In the May edition of "Optometry" (the AOA's Journal), some OD students from Berkley's College of Optometry noted the suprising lack of donor corneas (only 46,000 available in 1996).

Having seen the results of successful keratoplasty (the most successful of transplantation procedures), I would hope that those in the optical field (like Opticians) make it a point to sign and carry the organ donor card that informs doctors of your intent to donate your corneas.

Just a passing thought...
Pete

In addition to the donor card, which I carry, I have an informational display from Tissue Banks International in my store. TBI will be in the exhibit hall during the Opticians National Convention in June. I urge every Optician to stop by their booth and register to receive these materials. The work they do, along with other donor organizations like the Lions Eye Banks, is invaluable.

[Darris Chambless]

Originally posted by Pete Hanlin:
In the May edition of "Optometry" (the AOA's Journal), some OD students from Berkley's College of Optometry noted the suprising lack of donor corneas (only 46,000 available in 1996).

Having seen the results of successful keratoplasty (the most successful of transplantation procedures), I would hope that those in the optical field (like Opticians) make it a point to sign and carry the organ donor card that informs doctors of your intent to donate your corneas.

Just a passing thought...
Pete

Hello Petuwo,

Just as long as we don't have to donate the corneas while we're living :-) The reason for my response is two fold. 1) Because we have been so busy that I haven't had time to respond to much of anything and 2) In response to your posting.

Dr. Mary Griffith of the University of Ottawa Eye Institute has been growing new corneas in the lab. Because of the lack of cornea donations and the ever increasing need for corneal transplantation (probably because of all that LASIK surgery. Ooops! Sorry Pete :-) Dr. Griffith has been growing corneas from human eye cells.

The corneas being grown aren't as strong as the orginals but more research to correct this problem is being done. Eventually most organs will be grown in a lab for transplantation purposes. Since cloning is a reality, genetically speaking anything is possible ;-) I think they should clone me and then after the apocolyps they should populate the world with me and Raquel Welch (who I still think is a babe) :-) Could you imagine how gorgeous those kids would be? :-)

Anyway that's the long and short of it all, but yes I plan on donating my corneas to medicine, my body to science (for obvious reasons ;-) and my soul to God.

Take care of you and I'll talk to you later,

Darris "Ya'll are in for a shock when I get to New Orleans" Chambless