Eye bank

Moorfields Lions Eye bank is fundamental to the procurement, screening and storage of donated eye tissue used for corneal transplantation and certain glaucoma surgery.

At present, the Eye bank orders human eye tissue from accredited external suppliers whom consent, retrieve, process and transport material to the Moorfields Lions Eye Bank in accordance to national and international standards.

The Eye Bank assures all eye tissue products are procured to satisfy the expectations of both our service users and patients whilst in full compliance to applicable regulations and standards as prescribed by the Human Tissue Authority.

One pair of donated eyes can provide treatment for up to 10 different people; each cornea can be transplanted, while each sclera (the white tissue around the eye) can be divided in four and used as a patch graft for some      glaucoma surgery patients. With the right consent, we can also use other non-transplantable parts of donated eye tissues for research to develop new treatments for the future.

You can register to become a donor on the NHS organ donor register.  Forms are also available from GP surgeries, chemists and hospitals.  The Human Tissue Act 2004 clarified the consent status of someone who has died,  and your wishes - and those of your family - are paramount. So, please speak to your close family and loved ones to ensure they are aware of your wishes to donate.

Eye bank-become a donor