November 17, 2008 
The Eye Bank is now opened in Zagreb. In order to increase the number of donors, only the cornea is explanted, not the whole eye. Thanks to transplantations 40 corneas were transplanted.
The KBC Zagreb made a ceremony for the beginning of Eye Bank, the first public bank in Croatia, where they will be collected and processed tissue of the cornea of the eye and other eye tissues needed for transplantation, for what awaits more than 300 patients.
In the past month, from Eye Bank, four corneal transplants were sent to the transplantation and doctors hope that the existence of the bank will give impetus to the development of transplantation programme in ophthalmology.
Furnishing the place and education of workers was financed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare with 350 thousands of kuna.
“The opening of the Eye Bank is a small step in health care, but for about 300 people who are waiting to see the light, it is the exit on the end of the tunnel,” said Health Minister Darko Milinović on the opening ceremony also announcing the creation of a single national list of patients who are waiting for transplantation of cornea.
Ministry of Health and Welfare has called on hospitals that they submit data on the number of patients who need the surgeryby the end of April, in order to gain insight into the real needs.
Corneal transplantation is currently performed only in KB Sisters of Mercy, where last year, thank to multiorganic transplantations, 40 corneas were transplanted.
Head of the Eye Bank prim. Mirjana Nasić noted that except of the eye cornea tissue, the bank is also processing other tissues such as amniotic membrane, which is used to treat severe inflammatory and degenerative diseases of the corneal tissue and also the tissues of sclera, which are used for reconstructive procedures in plastic surgery.
In order to increase the number of donors a new method that explants only the cornea, not the whole eye, is introduced. In countries that are facing long waiting lists it considerably increased number of donor tissue beacuse the tissue is taken by minimal intervention barely visible on the eye of the donor, and also gives a new vision and quality of life for blind people.
Taken from: www.net.hr