Abstract Corneal blindness,second only to cataracts as a cause of blindness in China,is inflicting an increasing number of patients because of the extreme shortage of corneal donor tissue.Unlike the developed WeStern countries,the primary indications for corneal transplants in China are comprised of severe infectious keratitis, ocular acid burn, thermal burn, and bullous keratopathy caused by various complications from intraocular surgeries.Preventing corneal blindness in China is complicated by multiple challenges such as late-stage corneal diseases, poor compliance, affordability and a critical shortage of tissue for transplants.In recent years,because of these especially difficult conditions,China's corneal specialists have developed and innovated a series of new techniques that include deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty, endothelial keratoplasty, keratoprosthesis and corneal xenotransplantation.These have significantly improved donor utilization and reduced rejection rates for high-risk keratoplasties.However,the unsolved shortage of donor corneas is still the main bottleneck in preventing corneal blindness,which has resulted in fewer opportunities to cultivate novice corneal surgeons. In order to quickly reduce the amount of corneal blindness, it is urgent to promote legislation for corneal donation, support research in corneal eugineering xenotransplantation, and strengthen the international cooperation in eye banks.The innovation and training of new surgical techniques is still a long and arduous task in China.
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