The cornea is the transparent front layer of the eye. It is positioned just in front of the iris, which is the structure that gives each person's eye its individual color. Light rays pass through the clear cornea as they enter the eye. Should the cornea for any reason become cloudy, the person's vision will be permanently reduced.

There are many reasons for the cornea to become cloudy :

Young people are often born with abnormalities of the cornea. In a condition known as keratoconus, the cornea develops an abnormal curvature that makes normal vision impossible. Childhood infections such as measles can also cloud the cornea, often causing permanent blindness throughout the person's life.

In later years infection or trauma to the eye, are the main causes for the cornea to become opacified and this can once again reduce the vision making it difficult for the person to work and earn a living.

In the older sections of our population, degenerative diseases, often caused by excessive exposure to the harsh sunlight of South Africa, can cause the cornea to become dull with a resultant loss in vision. Old people then find it increasingly difficult to function.

The dull opacified cornea can however be transplanted with a new cornea, thus restoring the vision of the patient, whether he be a young child, an adult or an old person. The operation is performed by highly trained ophthalmic surgeons using the latest micro surgical techniques. Hospitalization is however often no longer than a day or two. The success of such grafts are more than all other forms of organ transplantation; a more than 90% chance of the new cornea retaining its clarity.

There is however in South Africa a tremendous shortage of corneal donors. It has been estimated that there are more than 20 000 blind South Africans whose sight could be restores with a corneal graft. It is thus essential that the general public become more aware of corneal grafting and agree to donate their corneas or the corneas of their diseased relatives for grafting. Corneas from donors of all ages are used. Usually only the cornea is removed from the deceased and donating a cornea is thus not a disfiguring procedure.

It is thus essential that more people agree to donate their corneas and, should a person have a "Living Will" or a Medic-Alert Identification tag, this intention should be included. When obtaining a new driver's license, the person's intention to donate their corneas can be entered onto the driver's license.

There are at present three Eye Banks in South Africa and they can be contacted should more information be needed.

The Eye Bank Foundation in Cape Town
Collingwood Terrace
231 Lower Main Road
OBSERVATORY
7925

TEL NO (021) 447-5151
FAX NO (021) 448-6086

The Pretoria Eye Bank

P O Box 56184
ARCADIA, 
PRETORIA 
0007

TEL NO (021) 343-5873
FAX NO (021) 344-4541

The Gauteng Eye Bank

P O Box 150
AUCLANDPARK
2006

TEL NO (011) 489-1209
FAX NO (011) 489-1309