Donor Screening
Purpose: To insure the highest quality and safety of donor eye tissue.
The eye bank technician should have a basic knowledge of donor screening.
According to the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA) “tissue from donors with the
following are potentially health threatening for the recipient and should not be offered for
transplantation.”
EBAA Medical Standards; October 1996 D1.120 Contraindications.
1. Death of unknown cause
2. Death with neurological diseases of non-established diagnosis
3. Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease
4. Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis
5. Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
6. Congenital Rubella
7. Reye syndrome
8. Active viral encephalitis to encephalitis of unknown origin or progressive encephopathy
9. Active septicemia (bacterial, viral, fungal)
10. Active bacterial or fungal endocarditis
11. Rabies
12. Intrinsic eye disease
 Retinoblastoma
 Malignant tumors of the anterior ocular segment or know adenocarcinoma in the
eye of primary or metastatic origin.
 Active ocular or intraocular inflammation:
Conjunctivitis
Scleritis
Iritis
Uveitis
Vitreitis
Choroiditis
Retinitis
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Congenital or acquired disorders of the eye that would preclude a successful
outcome for the intended use, e.g. a central donor corneal scar
Pterygia or other superficial disorders of the conjunctiva or corneal surface
involving the central optical area of the corneal button.
1.
2.
3.
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5.
6.
7.
8.
Prior intraocular or anterior segment surgery
Leukemia’s
Active disseminated lymphomas
Active hepatitis B surface antigen positive donors
Recipients of human pituitary growth hormone (1963-1985)
HTLV-I or HTLV-II infection
Hepatitis C Seropositive donors
HIV or High Risk for HIV: Persons meeting any of the following criteria should be
excluded from donation
Behavioral/History Exclusionary Criteria
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Men who have had sex with another man in the preceding 5 years.
Persons who report non-medical intravenous, intramuscular, or subcutaneous injection of
drugs in the preceding 5 years.
Persons with hemophilia or related clotting disorders who have received human derived
clotting factor concentrates.
Men and women who have engaged in sex for money or drugs in the preceding 5 years.
Men and women who have engaged in sex in the preceding 12 months with any person
described above or with a person known or suspected to have HIV infection.
Persons who have been exposed in the preceding 12 month to known or suspected HIVinfected blood through percutaneous inoculation or through contact with an open wound,
non-intact skin, or mucous membrane.
Current inmates of correctional systems.
Specific Exclusionary Criteria for Pediatric Donors:
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Children meeting any of the exclusionary criteria listed above for adults should not be
accepted as donors.
Children born to mothers with HIV infection or mothers who meet the behavior or
laboratory exclusionary criteria for adult donors regardless of their HIV status should not
be accepted as donors unless HIV infection can be definitely excluded in the child as
follows:
Children > 18 months of age who are born to mothers with or at risk for HIV
infection, who have not been breast fed within the last 12 months, and whose HIV
antibody test, physical examination, and review of medical records do not indicate
evidence of HIV infection can be accepted as donors.
Laboratory or Other Medical Exclusionary Criteria
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Persons who cannot be tested for HIV infection because or refusal, inadequate blood
samples (i.e., hemodilution that could result in false negative test), or any other reasons.
Persons whose history, physical examination, medical records, or autopsy reports reveal
other evidence of HIV infection or high risk behavior, blue or purple spots on the skin or
mucous membranes typical of Kaposi’s sarcoma, unexplained persistent diarrhea, male to
male sexual contact, sexually transmitted diseases, iv needle tracks or other signs of
parenteral drug abuse.
Source for this Information
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Hospital Chart
Coroner/Medical Examiner
Next of Kin; Family Interview
Primary Care Physician
All information obtained should be documented on the Donor Information Form provided in
each eye donor kit.