16/03/2026
Three corneal transplants were performed last week at Sheba's Goldschleger Eye Institute, which relocated entirely to a protected underground facility.
Dr. Asaf Friman, Director of the Cornea Unit, describes the move as particularly complex — requiring the careful transport of delicate, high-value equipment, including corneal cutting systems and surgical microscopes.
Nevertheless, corneal transplants cannot wait. Donated corneas remain viable for only about a week, meaning the surgeries had to proceed regardless of the ongoing security situation. As Dr. Friman noted, working under emergency conditions is nothing new for the medical staff, as emergency work is widely considered an established practice in Israel.
***
Sheba's Goldschleger Eye Institute sees approximately 500 patients per day, making it one of the busiest centers of its kind. Maintaining a routine standard of care during an emergency is therefore not merely "advisable," but an absolute necessity.
