The aim of the project partnership between the Ophthalmology Department of University Hospital Cologne and the Filatov Institute of Eye Diseases and Tissue Therapy of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, which dates back to 2015, is to optimise surgical treatment of patients with corneal diseases using new transplant techniques.
Problem: Corneal diseases are a frequent cause of blindness in Ukraine. The lack of structures and legal frameworks means that the hospitals lack donor tissue for corneal transplants. The unrest in eastern Ukraine has further aggravated this inadequate service provision and the lack of donors. Against this background, visually impaired and blind patients in Ukraine cannot currently be properly treated.
Main activities: The aim of the German-Ukrainian partnership is to communicate and use innovative and cost-effective transplant techniques in spite of the current shortage of donors.
Short-term results: The use of new surgical techniques is to result in optimised treatment of eye diseases for the Ukrainian population.
Long-term results: Dialogue in the field of eye surgery is to reduce the number of patients becoming blind despite the shortage of donors, and to sustainably improve the situation of ophthalmology patients and their families.