Public awareness of corneal donation in an urban South African population

Background: Corneal pathology is the second leading cause of preventable blindness in sub-Saharan Africa. In most cases, a corneal transplant can improve vision. South Africa has an immense shortage of donor corneas. This study aimed to determine the public attitude towards corneal tissue donation in an urban South African population. Methods: This is an observational, cross-sectional quantitative study of the attitude of an urban South African population towards corneal tissue donation. A self-designed questionnaire was developed. The participants were asked about reasons for both willingness and unwillingness to donate their corneas. Results: A total of 100 participants (60 females and 40 males) completed the questionnaire. About 76% of participants were unaware of corneal donation. About 64% of participants were willing to donate their corneas, whereas 25% were not willing to do so. Cultural reasons were the primary reason respondents cited for being unwilling to donate their corneas. In this study, there was no statistically significant correlation between the willingness to donate corneal tissue and participants’ age, gender, level of education, and employment status. There was a statistically significant difference between the willingness to donate one’s solid organs and the willingness to donate one’s cornea (p-value 0.029). Participants were more willing to donate their solid organs than they were willing to donate their corneas. Conclusion: There is a decreased level of awareness of corneal tissue donation in this urban South African population. Contribution: Understanding the level of awareness of corneal transplantation, which can guide awareness campaigns.