本邦及び徳島県における角膜移植医療の現状と問題

Current status and problems of corneal transplantations in Japan and Tokushima Prefectureare described. The major issue is donor cornea deficiency. It would not an exaggeration to saythat Japanese corneal transplantation depends on foreign donors. There are two reasons whycorneal donation is rare in Japan. One is related to marked decline of enrollments, after the organtransplant law went into effective in October 1997, who wish to donate cornea in future. Anotheris related to an inefficiency of former enrollments’ contribution to actual corneal donations. Thelack of communications between eye bank associations and other transplant-related associationsmight be the background factor.To develop corneal transplantations in Tokushima Prefecture, it is necessary for Tokushimaeye bank association to establish the system offering more domestic corneal grafts to more cornealtransplant recipients than ever. To that end, the eye bank is required to spread correct knowledgeabout corneal donation to all healthcare professionals who involved in emergency and end-oflifecare. A government that support all associations involved in corneal transplantation is alsonecessary.