Eye banking and corneal transplantation: a century of progress

Eduard Zirm performed the first lasting human corneal graft in 1905. The cornea's lack of blood vessels makes rejection far less likely than in other transplanted tissue, which is why it succeeded so early.

The rise of eye banking

Organised eye banks from the 1940s onward made donated tissue available reliably, with storage media that keep corneas viable for weeks.

From full to partial thickness

Modern lamellar techniques replace only the diseased layer — the inner endothelium or the outer stroma — giving faster recovery, stronger eyes and less rejection than full-thickness grafts.

What it treats

Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy, advanced keratoconus, scarring and corneal failure after previous surgery.

The donation point

Corneal donation is possible for most people regardless of age or eyesight. In the UK it is registered through the NHS Organ Donor Register.

What this means if you are considering surgery in the UK

New technology only helps when it is matched to the right eye. Ms Tahmina Pearsall FRCOphth is a UK consultant ophthalmic surgeon on the GMC specialist register with more than 40,000 eye procedures performed, and she assesses every patient personally before recommending anything. If corneal and cataract assessment is relevant to you, a consultation will tell you whether it changes your options — or whether a simpler, better-established treatment gives you a safer result.

Book a consultation with Ms Pearsall

Consultations are available at clinics across the UK, including London Harley Street, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Reading and Southampton. You can book a consultation, arrange a free 15-minute call, see treatment prices, read verified patient reviews or find your nearest clinic.