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Zoe-Anne Barcellos:
I can provide information specifically regarding cornea and eye donation.
The FDA oversees all processes related to organ handling and distribution.
Major organs like the heart, liver, pancreas, and lungs need to be transplanted within a few hours, as they cannot survive without constant perfusion.
Other tissues, such as bone, skin, and tendons, do not require immediate transplantation, though I'm uncertain about the specific regulations on timing for their use.
The eyes contain four different tissues that can be recovered for transplant or research purposes.
We recover entire eyes for research and educational uses. While these are typically processed more quickly, we can store them for up to a year if necessary.
Conjunctiva, the clear membrane covering much of the eye (and the source of irritation in conditions like pink eye), can also be recovered. Having worked as a recovery technician for five years, I can say our office hasn't received a request for 'conj' during that time. I think it's primarily used for research, but I may be mistaken.
The sclera is the white part of the eye, thick and flexible. It reminds me of the texture of a reptile egg. Sclera is recovered for transplants, typically used to repair punctures, much like fixing a flat bike tire. It can also be used to mend eardrums. We can preserve this tissue for up to a year.
The most common tissue we recover is the cornea. In the U.S., these need to be transplanted within seven days of being recovered (usually within hours of death, though we can extend it to 20 hours if necessary). Occasionally, there are excess corneas, and they are sent abroad for transplant up to 14 days after recovery. Despite the longer wait, the outcome remains the same, though the FDA enforces this timeline. (You can sign up to be an organ, tissue, and eye donor here.)
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