FROM DONOR TO RECIPIENT
UNDERSTANDING THE DONATION PROCESS
The decision to give the miracle of sight through donation is frequently the result of a tragedy and family members are often overwhelmed with their loss. Please take the time to learn the facts and inform your loved ones of your desire to be an eye donor.
CONSENT
According to the Utah Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, a member of the hospital staff must give the option of organ, eye, and (or) tissue donation to the next of kin on every death or impending death.
This is often a difficult time for the family to make their decision but it is made considerably easier if the deceased had either registered with the Utah Donor Registry or if they had already spoken about donation with their family.
If consent is given, a certified tissue coordinator will determine the patient's medical suitability for donation. General information requested of the family will include:
RECOVERY
Eye Bank technicians must work quickly and carefully. They have only 8-12 hours from the time of death to recover, process, and place the eye tissue into a preservative media. Most eye recoveries take place in a hospital, but they can be performed almost anywhere. After recovery, the eyes are transported to the Eye Bank for processing. Once the eyes have been processed and the corneas have been placed in a preservative media the tissue must be transplanted within 2 weeks.
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS
The decision to donate does not impact the families decision to have an open casket funeral if that is their wish. The use of prosthetic implants preserves the shape of the donor's eyes. Following recovery the family can proceed with normal funeral arrangements for their loved one.
TRANSPLANT
After the donor eyes have been recovered, the tissue is analyzed under a microscope for suitability and is further screened to ensure its safety for the recipient. Once the tissue has been declared suitable for transplant, calls are made to compatible recipients on the waiting list.
FOLLOW UP
About two weeks later, the donor's family receives a letter from the Eye Bank telling where organs and tissues went and who received them. Names of donors and recipients are kept confidential. Grief support-group services are offered to organ and tissue donor families. If either the recipient of the donor's family wish to communicate with one another the Eye bank can help facilitate this process.
donor family correspondence
recipient correspondence
