Ten-Year Update of a Global Survey of Corneal Transplant and Eye Banking: Addressing Supply-Demand Disparities and Evolving Practices

Highlights

• Despite a 16.1% global increase in corneal transplantation from 2012 to 2022, supply-demand imbalance persists with significant inequities by country income level.
• High-income countries maintain transplant rates over tenfold higher than low-income countries, accounting for nearly 90% of global activity with less than half the population.
• Shifts in surgical techniques favor lamellar keratoplasty, particularly endothelial keratoplasty (EK), with increasing adoption documented in multiple regions including South Korea.
• Challenges remain for eye banking infrastructure, donor tissue quality, and equitable procurement, underscoring the need for coordinated investment and alternative therapies.