The Lions Eye Donation Service
How to register as an eye donor
It only takes a few simple steps to register your wishes to become an eye donor after you pass away.
Register your wishes online
The decision to become an organ and tissue donor is personal.
If you would like to donate your eye tissue for transplant surgery or research after your death, you can register your decision with the Australian Organ Donor Registry.
Visit the Australian Organ Donor Registry
It only takes a few minutes to record your intentions to become an organ and tissue donor online.
The decision to become an organ and tissue donor is personal.
If you would like to donate your eye tissue for transplant surgery or research after your death, you can register your decision with the Australian Organ Donor Registry.
Visit the Australian Organ Donor Registry
It only takes a few minutes to record your intentions to become an organ and tissue donor online.
Talk to your loved ones
To become a donor, the most important step to take is discussing your wishes with your closest family or friends (your ‘next of kin’).
It’s important to do this even if you are already on the Australian Organ Donor Registry.
After your death, your next of kin will be asked to confirm your decision and provide consent for your eye tissue to be donated. Talking to them in advance will help prepare them for this process.
If you have made funeral arrangements in advance, you may wish to tell your funeral director your intention to donate.
To become a donor, the most important step to take is discussing your wishes with your closest family or friends (your ‘next of kin’).
It’s important to do this even if you are already on the Australian Organ Donor Registry.
After your death, your next of kin will be asked to confirm your decision and provide consent for your eye tissue to be donated. Talking to them in advance will help prepare them for this process.
If you have made funeral arrangements in advance, you may wish to tell your funeral director your intention to donate.
Confirmation after death
Before recovering an eye donation, the Lions Eye Donation Service will confirm your wish to donate from your next of kin.
This takes place once the Lions Eye Donation Service is notified of your death – normally by the medical team. For this reason, it is important that your family let medical or nursing staff know your wish to donate. Donation surgery needs to be performed within hours of the donor passing away.
In more than half of all cases, a donor hasn’t registered their wishes. In these cases, the Lions Eye Donation Service will ask the next of kin to consent to the donation of their loved one’s corneas.
Once consent to donate has been confirmed or established, the team will assess if your tissue is suitable to donate. This includes getting information about your medical history from your next of kin and the medical team (or your GP).
Before recovering an eye donation, the Lions Eye Donation Service will confirm your wish to donate from your next of kin.
This takes place once the Lions Eye Donation Service is notified of your death – normally by the medical team. For this reason, it is important that your family let medical or nursing staff know your wish to donate. Donation surgery needs to be performed within hours of the donor passing away.
In more than half of all cases, a donor hasn’t registered their wishes. In these cases, the Lions Eye Donation Service will ask the next of kin to consent to the donation of their loved one’s corneas.
Once consent to donate has been confirmed or established, the team will assess if your tissue is suitable to donate. This includes getting information about your medical history from your next of kin and the medical team (or your GP).