Transplant Recipients

Confidentiality

The Minnesota Lions Eye Bank has a strict confidentiality policy regarding both eye donors and eye tissue recipients.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA) require that eye banks obtain recipient information from the transplanting surgeon on each eye tissue used for human transplantation for tracking purposes.

Materials containing specific donor or recipient information are stored securely and destroyed when no longer needed. Employees are prohibited from discussing specific donor or recipient information with persons not immediately affiliated with the eye bank or the transplant. The eye bank follows Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) standards as well as University of Minnesota policies on privacy and data security.

Cornea Transplantation

The cornea is the main focusing element of the eye. Should the cornea become cloudy from disease, infection, or injury, vision would be reduced or destroyed. A corneal transplant, the surgical procedure that replaces a damaged cornea with a healthy donor cornea, can restore sight.

Cornea transplantation is one of the most frequently performed human transplants and has been done on patients ranging in age from newborn to 103 years old. The procedure has a greater-than-90 percent success rate. Last year, more than 46,000 corneal transplants took place in North America.

Tissue Safety

As an organization specializing in eye donation, the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank upholds the highest eye tissue quality standards.

  • We ensure that transplantable tissue from a donor meets or exceeds all Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations and Eye Bank Association of American (EBAA) medical standards;
  • We have earned a three-year (highest) accreditation by the EBAA;
  • We are routinely inspected by the FDA and register annually with the FDA; and
  • We maintain a quality assurance program that audits all aspects of operations and equipment systems on a routine basis.

Correspondence

The Minnesota Lions Eye Bank acts as an intermediary between corneal recipients and donor families. In this capacity, we strive to serve both donor families and recipients to the best of our abilities.

Every cornea is a gift, and some corneal recipients write to their donor families to thank them for making their transplants possible. Some write to let donor families know how transplants have affected their lives.

Deciding whether or not to correspond is a personal choice. You may feel more comfortable sending a simple “Thank You” card. You may not feel ready to write at any given time, but would like to reach out in the future. Whatever your decision, there is no obligation to write and there is no time constraint for expressing your appreciation.

For those deciding to correspond, we offer these guidelines:

  • Use simple language and communicate in a sensitive manner.
  • Feel free to write about your personal corneal transplant experience and how the transplant affected your life.
  • Write about your job, family, hobbies, and interests.
  • Do not include your last name, address, phone number, or the name of your surgeon.
  • Place the card or letter in an unsealed envelope.
  • Include a cover sheet with your name, address, and the date of your transplant.
  • Mail the materials to:
    Minnesota Lions Eye Bank
    Suite 260
    1000 Westgate Drive
    Saint Paul, MN 55114

Please keep in mind that the correspondence process takes time. Some people do not respond right away, and some may not respond at all.

For a brochure on corresponding with your donor?s corneal recipients, click here:

Community Services Liaison
The recipients of corneal tissue from the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank are assisted by our community services liaison, Jodi Altenhofen. If you want more information on our recipient support services, wish to provide feedback or a story to the eye bank, or are interested in volunteering for the eye bank, please contact Jodi at:

Jodi Altenhofen
Community Services Liaison
Direct Line: 612-624-0446
Toll-Free: 1-866-887-4448
Email: magnu007@umn.edu