Hundreds of New Zealanders are waiting for the chance to see clearly again, prompting a renewed call for whānau across Aotearoa to have one potentially life-changing conversation — what should happen to their eye tissue after they die?
Organ Donation New Zealand Clinical Director Dr Jo Ritchie is encouraging New Zealanders to talk openly about eye tissue donation as the country struggles to secure enough locally donated corneas to meet demand.
At the end of 2025, more than 550 people were waiting for a corneal transplant, while many others required donated sclera — the white part of the eye — following disease, injury or trauma.
The shortage means New Zealand continues to rely partly on donated tissue from overseas, particularly Australia. Research from the New Zealand National Eye Bank has identified an overall decline in donors from public hospitals alongside increasing reliance on Australian donors.
ONE DONOR CAN CHANGE MULTIPLE LIVES
The potential impact of a single donation is significant.
The two donated corneas from one person can restore sight for two recipients, while scleral tissue can be used in reconstructive procedures benefiting as many as another eight people.
Corneal transplantation can help people affected by blindness, severe eye trauma, tumours and degenerative conditions including keratoconus.
That condition is particularly important for Māori and Pacific communities.
Organ Donation New Zealand says Aotearoa has one of the world’s highest rates of keratoconus, with Māori and Pacific peoples disproportionately affected. Around a quarter of those diagnosed may eventually need a transplant, and some of the people waiting for treatment are school-aged children.
YOU DON’T NEED PERFECT EYES TO DONATE
One of the barriers is the misconception that only people with perfect eyesight can become eye tissue donors.
In reality, almost anyone aged between 10 and 85 can be considered for eye tissue donation, regardless of where or how they die.
Wearing glasses or having poor eyesight does not automatically rule someone out.
People who have undergone LASIK surgery or have conditions including cataracts, glaucoma or retinopathy may still be able to donate because the cornea and sclera can remain suitable for transplantation.
Many people with diabetes, heart disease and even some cancers may also potentially donate eye tissue, although medical specialists ultimately determine suitability.
That makes eye tissue donation very different from organ donation.
Fewer than one percent of deaths occur in the circumstances necessary for organ donation, generally involving a patient receiving ventilation in intensive care. Tissue donation, however, can be possible following death in a much wider range of circumstances.
A 30-MINUTE PROCESS THAT CAN RESTORE SIGHT
Eye tissue donation can be facilitated through hospitals, hospices and funeral services around the country.
The procedure can take place up to 48 hours after death and generally takes around 30 minutes.
The donation does not normally delay funeral arrangements or prevent whānau from bringing their loved one home. An open-casket viewing remains possible, with the process designed so there is no change to the person’s outward appearance.
For whānau considering tikanga, cultural or spiritual requirements, Organ Donation New Zealand’s clinical process specifically provides for cultural and spiritual support, including Māori health services where appropriate.
THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP IS KŌRERO WITH WHĀNAU
New Zealand does not have a legally binding national register that guarantees someone’s organs or tissues will be donated after death.
A donor indication on a driver licence records an intention, but it is not legally binding. Ultimately, consent is sought from the person’s whānau following their death.
That is why Dr Ritchie’s message is focused as much on conversation as registration.
A New Zealand study cited by Organ Donation New Zealand found 90 percent of participants would agree to donation on behalf of a loved one if asked, yet only around 20 percent had actually discussed donation intentions with their loved ones.
That gap can become crucial at a time when grieving whānau are being asked to make difficult decisions.
Knowing beforehand what a loved one wanted can make that decision considerably clearer.
AOTEAROA NEEDS MORE LOCAL DONORS
The New Zealand National Eye Bank says around 350 people require corneal transplants each year, and since 1991 it has supplied nearly 8,000 corneas to New Zealand patients.
Meanwhile, Organ Donation New Zealand recorded 57 tissue-only donors during 2025, involving donations including corneas, sclera and heart valves.
Behind those statistics are people waiting for something many of us take for granted — the ability to see their children, read, study, work, drive and independently navigate the world around them.
And unlike many of the challenges facing the health system, helping address this shortage can begin with something remarkably simple.
Have the kōrero with your whānau.
Because after one life ends, the gift of donated eye tissue could allow someone else to see theirs again.
#GiftOfSight #EyeDonation #EyeTissueDonation #CorneaDonation #CornealTransplant #OrganDonationNZ #ODNZ #NZNationalEyeBank #JoRitchie #DonateLife #OrganDonation #TissueDonation #Keratoconus #MaoriHealth #PacificHealth #HauoraMaori #Whanau #HaveTheKorero #Health #EyeHealth #Vision #Blindness #Transplant #Aotearoa #NZHealth #NZNews #MaoriNews #WaateaNews #RadioWaatea
