Click on the + to view the answers to each of the questions.
+ What is the cornea?
The cornea is the clear tissue covering the front of the eye. It is the main focusing element of the eye. Vision will be dramatically reduced if the cornea becomes cloudy from disease, injury or infection.
+ What is corneal blindness?
Corneal blindness is a disorder that results from the cornea becoming clouded, making a person unable to see. This condition can result from a variety of diseases, injury or infection.
+ What is a corneal transplant?
This is a surgical procedure which replaces a disc-shaped segment of an impaired cornea with a similarly shaped piece of a healthy donor cornea.
+ Is the whole eye transplanted?
No. Only the cornea can be transplanted. The entire eye may be used for research and education.
+ How prevalent is corneal transplantation?
Corneal transplant is one of the most frequently performed human transplant procedures. Since 1961, more than 700,000 corneal transplants have been performed, restoring sight to men, women, and children ranging in age from nine days to 103 years.
+ How successful is corneal transplantation?
Over 90% of all corneal transplant operations successfully restore the corneal recipient's vision.
+ Why should eyes be donated?
There is no substitute for human tissue. The transplantation process depends upon the priceless gift of corneal donation from one human to the next. Donated human eyes and corneal tissue are used for research, education, and transplantation.
+ How great is the need for corneas?
Although more than 50,000 corneal transplants were provided for transplant last year, the need for corneal tissue is never satisfied. While promising advances are being made in artificial corneas, they tend to be reserved for patients with diseases that preclude donor cornea transplantation. Success rates are currently much higher with donor corneas.
+ What is a bone or tissue allograft?
The bones or tissues that transplanted from the body of one person to another person are called allografts. Tissue allografts can include: bones, heart valves, blood vessels, skin and tendons.
+ Where do allograft bones and tissues come from?
Most allograft bones and tissues are obtained from deceased donors. Family members give consent to donate the tissues of their loved ones.
+ How common is the use of bone and tissue allografts?
Approximately 1.5 million bone and tissue allografts are distributed each year by tissue banks in the United States.
+ What are allografts used for?
Bone and tissue allografts are used for a variety of reasons. For example, they are used to replace damaged heart valves and skin. They are also frequently used in orthopedic surgery to replace tendons or bones damaged by trauma, tumors or other conditions. Bone and tissue allografts are used in a variety of procedures that can save lives, repair limbs, relieve pain or enhance a patient’s quality of life.
+ Why would an allograft be used instead of a person’s own tissue or a synthetic material?
Sometimes, there is not enough of the person’s own tissue to use in an operation. Synthetic materials have different properties from human tissue and may not be suitable for some patients or purposes.
+ Are there religious objections to eye, organ, or tissue donations?
No. Donation is an opportunity to help save a life or restore someone's sight. Eye, organ, and tissue donation are consistent with the beliefs and attitudes of major religions.
+ Is there any delay in funeral arrangements?
No. Eye and tissue procurement is performed within hours of death. Families may proceed with funeral arrangements without delay or interruption.
+ Will eye donation affect the appearance of the donor?
No. Great care is taken to preserve the donor's appearance. Funeral arrangements, including a viewing if desired, may proceed as scheduled.
+ What happens if corneas are not suitable for transplant?
Donors and eyes are carefully evaluated. Corneas determined to unsuitable for transplant may be used for medical research and teaching..
+ How do research and education benefit from eye donation?
Research on glaucoma, retinal disease, eye complications of diabetes and other sight disorders helps to advance the discovery of the cause and effects of these conditions. This then leads to new treatments and cures.
+ Who can be a donor?
Anyone can. Cataracts, poor eyesight, or age do not prevent you from being a donor. It is important for individuals wanting to be donors to inform family members of their wishes.
+ Will the quality of medical treatment be affected if one is a known donor?
No. Strict laws are in existence which protect the potential donor. Legal guidelines must be followed before death can be certified. The physician certifying a patient's death is not involved with the eye procurement or with the transplant.
+ Will the recipient be told who donated the corneas?
The gift of sight is made anonymously. Specific information about the donor family is not available to the recipient. They eye bank will convey a recipient's thanks to the donor family.
+ What is the Indiana Donor Registry?
The Indiana Donor Registry is a secure online database that houses all decisions made by individuals to become organ and tissue donors upon their death. The secure database holds all online registrations and receives daily updates or new records from the BMV regarding donor designation.
+ Who maintains the Indiana Donor Registry?
Donate Life Indiana is legislatively charged with maintaining the donor registry. Donate Life Indiana is an alliance of organ and tissue donation recovery and support agencies in Indiana. Members include: Indiana Organ Procurement Organization, Community Tissue Services, Indiana Lions Eye and Tissue Transplant Bank and Donor Services of Indiana.
+ How is the Indiana Donor Registry Funded?
When Hoosiers renew their vehicle registrations or register new vehicles they can donate financially to support Donate Life Indiana. Customers should tell the customer service representative at the BMV they wish to contribute to support this fund. You may also contribute when you renew online or register a vehicle at an auto dealership.
+ How can I be sure my donation decision will be honored?
Register your decision to donate on your driver license/state identification card or through the Indiana Donor Registry website - www.donatelifeindiana.org. Discuss your decision to donate with your family. If you are 18 years or older your family's consent will not be required, but knowing that your decision is carried out can be a comfort to your loved ones.
+ If it is my decision to be a donor, why do I need my parent's signature?
Until you reach the legal age of 18, a parent or guardian must give their signed permission for health care decisions. It is still a very important personal decision that you are making. Indiana residents renew their driver license every four years. A teenager's decision at age 16 will impact their lives until the time they renew their license four years later. It is a vital decision teens make that will have a lasting impact on their lives, because once they turn 18 the decision they made at age 16 is supported by the Indiana Donor Choice Law.
+ Can my parents still say no to donation after I have registered my Donation Decision?
Yes. Indiana law requires written consent from a legal guardian for an individual under the age of 18 to become a donor. That is why it is so important to discuss your decision with your family. Many families change their decision to support donation when they know that their children want to be organ and tissue donors.
+ Will my family have to pay for donation?
There is no charge to the donor family.
+ If I have a disease such as cancer, heart disease or diabetes, can I donate?
Regardless of any disease or medical condition you may have, be sure to register your donation decision and share it with your family. Each case is evaluated at the time of death to determine medical suitability for donation.
+ When must the eyes/tissues be removed?
Cornea and tissue recovery must be removed as soon as possible after the determination of death, usually within the first 12-20 hours.
+ Can I change my mind about being a donor?
Yes. You can remove yourself from the registry at any time. It's important to also inform your family.
