Waiting time in Hong Kong for cornea transplants more than halved over past five years
Number of patients waiting for transplants also cut in half although voluntary donation rate still remains around 10 per cent
The average queuing time for a cornea transplant has been cut from 36 months to 15 over the past five years, thanks to the efforts of the team at the Hong Kong Eye Bank, whose services won a 2017 Outstanding Award from the Hospital Authority.
The number of patients has also been almost halved over that time, although 280 people are still waiting for a transplant as the voluntary donation rate has remained low for almost a decade, according to specialists.
Hong Kong Eye Hospital sets sights on boosting number of cornea transplants by 25 per cent
The 16-member team at the eye bank is urging people to tell their family if they want to give away their corneas after death.
“Family members decide to give consent when they recall their late ones who once expressed their intention to donate, even though the families are experiencing their most difficult moment, ” said Amanda Luk Chor-kwan, a donation coordinator with seven years of experience talking to families almost immediately after a death.
The eye bank also has four coordinators, five technicians and six supporting staff to carry out operations. The team contacted more than 300 families selected from around 10,000 deaths last year, among whom 35 to 40 per cent agreed to donate 278 corneas.
As Hong Kong runs an opt-in system, explicit consent from a would-be donor and his or her family is required for the eye bank to obtain corneas.