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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
¡§A new chapter for corneal donation in HK: the ceremony cum forum on the new technology for corneal transplant surgery¡¨ was held today (November 14) at the Hong Kong Eye Hospital. The event is jointly organized by Lions Eye Bank of Hong Kong (Eye Bank) and the Hospital Authority (HA) to enhance public understanding on corneal donation and introduce a new surgical technique for corneal transplant surgery ¡V DSAEK surgery.
Addressing at the ceremony, Dr Victor Woo, the Vice-President of the Eye Bank said, ¡§Helping the blind to see is the mission of the Eye Bank for years. To achieve better outcome and faster recovery from corneal transplant surgery, the Eye Bank has recently purchased an equipment to enable the splitting of donor cornea. The service advancement of the Eye Bank paved the way for the development of corneal transplantation in Hong Kong.¡¨
Dr Cheung Wai-lun, the Director (Cluster Services) of HA expressed his support for the new technology for local corneal transplantation. ¡§For the purpose to shorten the waiting list of corneal transplant, the HA will support the enhancement in new surgical technique and working together with the Eye Bank on the promotion of corneal donation. For years a partnership has been established between the HA and Eye Bank with a successful collaboration.¡¨
Mr Kenny Chan, the District Governor of the International Association of Lions Clubs D303 (HK and Macau) also made a corneal donation appeal at the ceremony. ¡§The Lions Clubs have supported eye donation and the service the Eye Bank for years. I sincerely hope that more people pledge to donate cornea and this is a most precious gift for the patients with corneal disease.¡¨
The Eye Bank purchased the new equipment in October of 2008 enable the splitting of donor cornea more accurately and safely, so that the surgeons of public and private sector can perform DSAEK surgery for the patients with a prepared donor tissue obtained from the eye bank. Using this new equipment, the surgery time can effectively cut down by 50%.
Unlike traditionally corneal transplant surgery - Penetrating Keratoplasty, DSAEK is a new transplant technique which preserves the normal tissue of the cornea and only transplants the abnormal, diseased layers of a patient¡¦s cornea. Also, the DSAEK procedure requires no suture, and this usually results in more rapid visual rehabilitation and reduces the risk of complications that may occur. Since only the abnormal cornea need to be replaced, one donor cornea can now be used by two different patients. As at 31 October 2009, there are about 30 patients of public and private sectors receiving DSAEK surgery and regaining eyesight.
Corneal transplant surgery is the only hope for sight for some of the corneal patients. In Hong Kong there are about 500 corneal patients of public and private sectors on the waiting list for corneal transplant surgery and the average waiting time for a patient is one and a half to two years.
The Lions Eye Bank of Hong Kong is co-founded by the Lions Clubs District 303 (HK & Macau) and the Hong Kong Ophthalmological Society in 1962, as registered charitable organization. With the mission of ¡§Helping the Blind to see¡¨, the major services of the Eye Bank include eye donation and public education.
Ends/Saturday, November 14, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:26
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