According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, 47,000 cornea transplants are performed each year* that will help restore sight. Will you help make it 47,001?
You see, there’s more than one way you can give the gift of sight. So in honor of National Organ Donor Day on February 14, 2020, the eye professionals at Nevada Eye Physicians in Las Vegas, Mesquite, Henderson, Pahrump, and Boulder City, NV are here to answer your questions as to how you can make your own contribution to help those in need of better vision for years to come.
Helping others see, one eye donation at a time
Below are five frequently asked questions about eye donation in advance of National Organ Donor Day:
What is National Organ Donor Day?
National Organ Donor Day is February 14 and is a celebration of all organs and their donors all across the country. So while we usually associate Valentine’s Day with hearts, this year, National Organ Donor Day recognizes every critical organ provided that will help change lives, including many parts of the eye.
How does eye donation help?
A common misconception about eye donation after death is that you will only be helping just one person or that your donation will be merely for transplants alone. The fact is: your contribution can do so much more. Each eye can actually benefit multiple people. Specifically, cornea donation is the part of the eye that directly provides the gift of sight in successful eye transplants. Yet indirectly, the other parts of the eye tissue, like the retina and lens for example, are just as critical to study in order to help us advance new techniques, treatments, and diagnoses.
By educating and training our industry through instructional practices and ongoing research with generous eye donations like yours, we look to make continual progress and improvements for generations to come. At Nevada Eye Physicians, we believe this means that becoming an eye donor can be considered a method of self-perpetuation for treating a wide array of eye conditions we’ll be able to heal well into the future.
Who does cornea donation help?
Because advanced macular degeneration is a condition of the retina, those affected by this ailment unfortunately cannot be helped by cornea donation. This is true for most retina-related eyesight problems. However, transplants and other tissue transfers have been known to help those with thinning tissue in the cornea in which glasses or contact lenses can no longer correct. Beyond the cornea, there are other parts of the eye that are extracted from your donation, many of which help with restoring sight in some types of oculoplastic and glaucoma surgeries.
How can I donate my eyes after death?
There are a couple of ways you can become an organ donor in Nevada and donate your eyes after death. First, talk to your doctor at Nevada Eye Physicians to find out if you are an ideal candidate for cornea donation. There are also several ways to register. You can sign up to be an organ donor at your local Nevada DMV when you are applying for a license, permit, or identification card. You may also contact the helpful people at local organ banks, like Nevada Donor Network, where you can also register online or make a tax-deductible, monetary donation to help the cause in other ways.
What can I do on National Organ Donor Day?
At Nevada Eye Physicians, with locations in Las Vegas, Mesquite, Henderson, Pahrump, and Boulder City, NV, we believe anytime is the best time to commit to eye donation after death. But on National Organ Donor Day on February 14, 2020, you can join the fight against vision loss by becoming more aware of the importance of donating this often overlooked organ and its tissue to help give the gift of sight to those who need it most. If you are interested in more information about eye donation or how to sign up to be a donor, contact one of our offices across Nevada to learn more.
