[Strategies to resolve the problem of lack of keratoplasty materials in China]

Abstract

Keratoplasty is the major option for the treatment of blindness due to corneal diseases. Lack of donors' cornea for keratoplasty remains the major obstacle for the treatment of blindness due to corneal diseases in China. In order to obtain sufficient cornea available for transplantation, it is necessary to have a comprehensive approach improving the awareness of the public by strengthening the publicity, encouraging people to participate in the donation of cornea, appealing for the establishment of transplantation laws, establishing a legal and transparent organ donation system as well as to establish standardized eye banks. In addition, more attention should be paid on the selection of suitable surgery approaches and indications of keratoplasty, the improvement of peri-operation management, to utilize any possible way to improve the cornea diseases-induced blindness patients' sight, to improve the successful rate of transplantation as well as to reduce the waste of corneal grafts. At the meantime, it is necessary to study and to develop new corneal materials, especially by tissue engineering methods, to relieve the problem of deficiency of cornea grafts in China.