Corneal donation and corneal transplantation in Aotearoa

Despite attempts since the early 1800s, success in corneal transplantation remained elusive until the
beginning of the 20^th century. Indeed, corneal transplantation is the oldest form of tissue transplantation with the first successful full-thickness corneal transplant performed by Eduard Zirm in 1905¹. Zirm’s perspicacity paved the way for the success of contemporary corneal transplantation, which is primarily the result of a culmination of pivotal achievements, including the introduction of corticosteroids in the 1950s, the refinement of suture materials in the 1960s and the development and wider employment of surgical microscopes in the early 1970s¹.