Abstract

PURPOSE: To highlight the performance of a 17-year-old eye bank at a tertiary eye hospital and draw lessons to use it as a model.
METHODS: Retrospective 17-year data analysis of donor cornea collection, utilization, effect of COVID 19 and steps taken to mitigate it and data from community-based studies conducted in the eye bank.
RESULTS: Since its inception in 2006, the eye bank collected a total of 12,263 donor corneas and utilized 4094 corneas (33.4%). Majority of the donor corneas were utilized for therapeutic purposes (64.5%), while 35.5% were used for optical keratoplasties. The initiation HCRP in 2010 saw a 2-fold increase in the collection. A massive decrease in collection was contrasted by peak utilization rates in 2020. Studies targeting donor motivation factors and ‘community grief counsellors’ helped increase collection and utilization rates.
CONCLUSION: Periodic evaluation of eye bank statistics and community engagement in donor collection practices can enhance performance.