27 Filatov’s school of corneal preservation yesterday, today, tomorrow

Abstract

Objective To trace the history of the establishment of the first corneal harvesting and preservation laboratory in Ukraine and the process of its transformation into an eye bank during wartime.

Materials and Methods Archival materials from the Filatov Institute covering a 100-year period were analyzed. Statistical analysis of the data obtained was performed using the ANOVA method repeated measures.

Results In 1936, the first corneal harvesting and preservation laboratory in Ukraine was established at the Ukra-inian Institute of Experimental Ophthalmology (now the V.P. Filatov Institute of Eye Diseases and Tissue Therapy of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine), headed by Academician Volodymyr Petrovych Filatov. For 70 years, this laboratory conducted fundamental scientific research into methods of corneal preservation. For the first time, biomicroscopic, biochemical, and morphological changes in the cornea under different temperature preservation regimes were described, and the optimal condi-tions were identified. The world’s first method of cold corneal preservation developed by V.P. Filatov was further advanced through the development of preservation media and new cold storage methods, which are currently used in eye banks across Europe. At present, due to military operations on the territory of Ukraine and the large number of shrapnel-related ocular injuries among both military personnel and civilians, the demand for donor corneas has increased sharply. This required urgent modernization and reorganization of the corneal preservation laboratory at the V.P. Filatov Institute and its transformation into an eye bank in accordance with European standards in order to ensure timely provision of donor corneal tissue to all patients in need. Collaboration was established with the Lublin Eye Bank (Poland), where colleagues generously shared their experience. Subsequently, a training course was completed at the Monza Eye Bank (Italy); participation took place in the annual EEBA 2025 scientific conference ‘The Bridge’ in Rome (Italy); the necessary equipment was acquired; and the comprehensive course ‘Cornea Evaluation in Eye Banking’ was attended in Venice (Italy). After acquiring the required knowledge and practical skills, their implementation into clinical practice began. Since February 2025, the eye bank has been operating using European cold corneal preservation technology, which has reduced waiting times for donor tissue and, over the course of 2025, enabled a 16.7% increase in the number of keratoplasties performed in the trauma and corneal pathology departments of the V.P. Filatov Institute of Eye Diseases and Tissue Therapy compared with 2024.

Conclusions The establishment of an eye bank at the V.P. Filatov Institute of Eye Diseases and Tissue Therapy has significantly improved the timeliness and quality of surgical care for patients requiring keratoplasty.