Eye Retrieval Kit

We had a team training day today at the Tissue Bank in Liverpool. The tour was really interesting and pictured is the eye retrieval kit. Corneal transplants are so in demand and can change someone’s life immeasurably. There is no waiting list at present, but they are fighting to get one as sight is so precious. When we opt in to tissue donation lots of people say that you can take whatever you want but not my eyes. I understand this, but when we are dead our eyes are of no more use to us than any other part of our body. We heard from a woman who’s son tragically died. She didn’t want his eyes to be taken at first but then she thought about how startling and beautiful her son’s eyes were and for them to carry on seeing the beauty of the world was a massive gift. It was a part of her son that lived on and a donation that changed the lives of two people.

Tissue donation is different to organ donation. To be an organ donor you have to die in a specific place….where they get to you within a short time of you passing. There are lots of criteria as to whether your organs are suitable as there is no point putting an organ in your body that will fail, isn’t of a high standard or is damaged or infected. We have an opt out system for organ donation, but at present you need to opt in to tissue donation….although there is the deemed suitable legislation. (I’m not going to go further on this in case I interpret it incorrectly). But tissue donation does not get the press that organ donation does and hopefully things will change soon.

Skin, bones, tendons and eyes all come under tissue donation. There is a huge storage of donated tissue that is kept in case of a major event such as a terrorist  attack. Amniotic membranes (one cell thick!) can be used almost like a bandage over injuries…especially to eyes. Bones are harvested and ground down for use in patching severe fractures and breaks. Some is made into a gel/putty state that can help with discs in your back (the gel state is gentle and prevents rough bone rubbing against the spinal cord). I heard so much information that I can’t remember all of it, but if everyone had heard what I did then I think there would be a surge in people seeking out information and signing in to tissue donation.

We also heard from people who work in research. When we opt in to donate there is also the option for research. Sometimes tissues that are harvested aren’t suitable and so they can be used in research. People don’t always want this…but we need to remember the surgeons who practise on corneas. Such delicate intricate surgery…if you were to undergo it you would want your surgeon to have been trained to the highest standard if you were letting them fiddle with your sight! I could go on and on. It is a difficult subject but we want everyone to have conversations about it. Let’s try to make it easier to discuss.

When my dad died I received a phone call asking about tissue donation. It was decided he would have wanted this and so we agreed. I knew they had used his eyes but nothing more. The team at Liverpool let people know where donations have gone to (obviously not names!). Julie’s mother in law died earlier this year,  Linzi’s mother died a few years ago and my dad about ten years ago. We gave the information to Jo, who was part of the team at Liverpool and she found out for us. It turns out that one of dad’s corneas was given to a 77y old lady, the other eye was unsuitable. I am, my sister and brother are and I’m sure dad would be so proud to know this. And I’m sure that lady was extremely grateful.

Please don’t think I’m preaching, I was so moved by what I saw and heard and I think it is a subject people shy away from. Please don’t be the person who covers their ears and sings loudly, have a conversation with your family. It may still not be what you want but at least you will have thought about it and maybe a family member will think more about it too. It isn’t just old people who die. Sadly young people pass away too and this is an issue that they probably haven’t been aware of. Let’s educate, let’s think and hopefully let’s change someone’s life and donate.