Approval rates for corneal donation and the origin of donor tissue for transplantation at a university-based tertiary referral center with corneal subspecialization hosting a LIONS Eye Bank.

Despite an increasing number of donors, the demand for corneas is still rising. Improved cooperation with internal departments and with external clinics has led to an increasing number of explanted corneas. The main reason for discarding corneas was low ECC, followed by a positive conjunctival swab for fungal or bacterial contamination and serology. Increased donation rates and continued improvements in collection and selection processes are necessary to cover the high demand for corneas.