Advances in eye banking and corneal tissue processing

Eye bank processing of donor corneal tissue has helped to revolutionize and popularize newer corneal transplantation surgeries. In particular, Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) and Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) have benefited from eye banks preparing donor corneal tissue in advance of the surgery. As a result of these eye banking advances, surgeons have been able to rapidly adopt these new techniques.

This article reviews the techniques that are now being utilized to prepare donor tissue for endothelial keratoplasty (EK) with a focus on Ultrathin-DSAEK, prestamped, prestained, preloaded DMEK tissue, and advancements to improve the safety of donor corneal tissue.

Collaborative efforts between surgeons and eye banks have been at the core of advances that have been made in EK over the past decade. Corneal surgery starts in the eye bank, and it is important for corneal surgeons to understand the process and appreciate the efforts that have been made to provide them with suitable and safe donor corneal tissue.