LOOK INTO THE FUTURE

 

For someone with a damaged cornea, a corneal transplant is often their last hope of restoring vision. Donate your eyes when you no longer need them, so that others may see.

About Us

The New Zealand National Eye Bank is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the prevention of blindness through the provision of donated corneal and other tissues.

Since 1991 the Eye Bank has supplied over 7800 corneas to New Zealanders, from a facility based in The University of Auckland's Grafton campus.

Currently around 350 people require a corneal transplant each year - from the young to the elderly - due to disorders where the cornea becomes cloudy, scarred, infected, or distorted in shape.

Unlike with modern artificial lenses, there is no artificial cornea, so a viable cornea from a recently deceased person is the only option. Without a transplant, many of these people would become blind or severely vision impaired.

Tissues collected, stored, and distributed throughout New Zealand include:

  • Donated eyes that provide corneas for sight restoration, where the cloudy or diseased recipient cornea is replaced by a clear, healthy donor cornea.
  • Sclera (the tough white part of the eye) that can be used for reconstructive surgery following trauma or tumour removal.
  • Amniotic membrane derived from the newborn placenta, that can be used as a ‘living bandage’ for ocular surface disorders following infection, injury, or disease processes.

Collected and distributed by the NZ Eye Bank

1991-2022

4672

Donors

7826

Corneas transplanted

2718

Scleras transplanted

Stories

I am so grateful for two corneas, the work of the eye bank and one very clever surgeon. The miracle of having one's sight back is priceless.

I am very privileged I have enjoyed an amazing career in teaching which led onto being a RTLB (Resource Teaching Learning and Behaviour). This RTLB work supports teachers families and students…

More stories

Information

Donors and families

Give someone the precious gift of sight or help with important medical research.

Transplant recipients

A guide to corneal transplant surgery, from preparation to recovery.

Corneal disease

Diseases of the cornea prevent or distort the light passing through.

Affiliates

The New Zealand Eye Bank is closely affiliated with several different organisations:

Support Us

If you would like to make a financial contribution toward the NZ National Eye Bank's activities please email the Eye Bank Business Manager.

Contact

Phone:

0800 373 7537

Post:

Department of Ophthalmology
Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences
The University of Auckland
Private Bag 92019
Auckland 1142
New Zealand

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