FAQ

General Information

For Healthcare Professionals

  • Doesn't cancer rule out any potential donation?

  • No. Although any type of cancer is a rule-out for organ and tissue donation, the Alabama Eye Bank (AEB) can use corneas from most cancer patients for transplant. Only lymphoma, leukemia and multiple myeloma patients may not donate corneas for transplantation, although the whole eyes are routinely used for research and education from donors in Jefferson County.

  • Doesn't poor vision, caused by diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma, rule out potential eye donation?

  • Not normally. Only patients who have had surgery on the anterior portion of their eyes (for example, lasik, radial keratotomy or other refractive procedures) cannot donate their corneas for transplant. The cornea, the part of the eye that is most often transplanted, is not affected by most diseases that cause poor vision. Even a donor who was legally blind can restore 20/20 vision to a recipient in need.

  • If the family consents, what do we do next?

  • The first thing is to call the AEB back and let them know the next-of-kin has agreed to donate so arrangements may be made to recover the tissue. We suggest the following be done prior to the AEB technician's arrival:

    1. Elevate the donor's upper body and head about thirty degrees.
    2. Close the eyelids to restrict drying of the eyes.
    3. Place crushed ice in baggies or gloves over the closed lids.
  • Do I approach the family, or do you come here to speak to them?

  • Each year, the state of Alabama records more than 40,000 deaths, averaging over 100 per day. Because of this, it is virtually impossible for the AEB staff to personally counsel the family of every person who dies in Alabama. Over the last three decades, many healthcare and other professionals who support eye donation have distinguished themselves by successfully counseling families for eye donation.

    To help provide the Gift of Sight, the AEB continues to rely upon their proven success. Of course, our staff is available to you and to the next-of-kin to answer questions about eye donation.

  • Don't I have to be a "Designated Requestor" to ask for eye donation?

  • No. The Conditions of Participation (COP) specifically state that a person must complete Designated Requestor training to counsel the family of potential organ donors. The Alabama Organ Center (AOC) is contracted to recover tissues for another organization, and they choose to use the same Designated Requestors to counsel for tissue.

    Very few patients who expire in Alabama meet the conditions necessary for organ donation. The regulation also states that the organizations responsible for the recovery of tissue and eyes may establish their own policies for determining who counsels the families of those patients. To this end, the Eye Bank prefers to include all nurses in asking for donation, a proven and highly successful method (we have ranked among the top 10 eye banks in the world for the past two decades in terms of tissues recovered).

  • Why do I have to answer the same medical questions with the AOC and AEB?

  • The criteria for organ, tissue and eye donation vary dramatically.

    In order to recover the highest quality eye tissue in the most cost effective manner, we determined that it is in the best interest of patients awaiting eye tissue transplants for us to continue screening the calls separately. If your potential donor's heart is no longer beating, it is best to call the AEB first since timeliness of recovery for ocular transplantation and research is significantly more critical than in the case of recovery of cadaveric tissue for transplantation and research.

    After determining suitability for ocular recovery, the AEB coordinator will transfer you immediately to the AOC so they may screen for tissue. Conversely, if your potential donor is a heart-beating donor, the AOC should be called first to determine the possibility of organ transplantation. If the potential donor fails their donation criteria, they will immediately transfer the call to the Eye Bank for eye donation consideration. Although this call procedure may seem a bit tedious, please remember that our goal is to help as many individuals as possible from each and every donor.

  • What is your upper age limit, and why do I have to call you if I know the patient is too old to donate eyes?

  • The COP requires hospitals to report every death that occurs to the designated organ procurement agency (the AOC in Alabama). According to the AEB's present donor criteria (which is subject to change depending upon current demand), Alabama patients under age 80 may donate their corneas for transplantation, assuming they meet the other medical requirements. Since we provide many tissues for valuable research, all patients in Jefferson County should be reported to the AEB, regardless of age.

  • Do I approach the family about eye donation on a Medical Examiner case?

  • Yes. The family of every deceased patient deserves the opportunity to donate, and, generally, Medical Examiner patients are especially good candidates for eye donation. However, accidental and unexpected deaths present unique challenges when counseling the next-of-kin, and the AEB is available to provide counselors with special guidance if needed. Since donation has been proven to help relieve the suffering caused by the unexpected loss of a loved one, it is especially important to discuss donation with these families. In order not to interfere with a required autopsy, the AEB will coordinate with the Medical Examiner.

  • Does HIPAA allow me to release patient information to you?

  • Yes. The HIPAA regulation states, "A covered entity may use or disclose protected health information to organ procurement organizations or other entities engaged in the procurement, banking, or transplantation of cadaveric organs, eyes, or tissue for the purpose of facilitating organ, eye or tissue donation and transplantation."

  • When should I release the body to the funeral home?

  • Not until the AEB has completed the tissue recovery. Because AEB technicians perform a thorough review of the patient's medical chart before recovering the eyes or corneas, we prefer the donor not be released to the funeral home until the recovery is completed. We understand that occasionally circumstances necessitate releasing the body to the funeral home prior to recovery. Should this occur, please call the AEB immediately so we can coordinate with the funeral home to delay the start of the embalming process until after the tissue recovery. This will help ensure the family's desires concerning donation are honored.

  • Do I have to talk to the family while they are here at the hospital, or can they be approached later at home?

  • It is important to give the family enough time to understand the reality that their loved one has died and give them an opportunity to grieve before they are approached about donation. Because corneal recovery for transplantation must take place as soon as possible after death, it is best for families to be approached before they leave the hospital for several reasons:

    1. Often families cannot be located quickly after leaving the hospital, if they can be located at all, and donation is delayed until consent is obtained or denied to them altogether.
    2. Funeral directors usually begin preparing the deceased for burial immediately upon their return to the funeral home, thereby preventing the possibility of donation. By allowing the funeral director to remove the body before donation is discussed with the next-of-kin, the family may be denied their right to decide about donation.
    3. Although consent may be obtained via telephone, it is easier and preferable to handle the transaction while the family is physically present.

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