Lions Eye Bank
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lions Eye Bank is the designation given to the various non-profit eye banks operated by member chapters within the Lions Clubs International service organisation. The banks store and prepare donated corneas for transplantation. Corneas may be stored for up to fourteen days[1] before being distributed to an ophthalmic surgeon for transplantation.
There are over 60 Lions Eye Banks around the world, supported as ongoing projects by Lions service clubs.[2]
New South Wales and Victoria
- The Lions NSW Eye Bank in Sydney provides over 350 grafts to the people of NSW each year.[3]
- The Lions Eye Donation Service Melbourne is a collaboration between The Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) of the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, the University of Melbourne, and the Lions Clubs of Victoria and Southern New South Wales.[4]
Western Australia
- The Western Australian Lions Eye Bank was established in 1986 and is housed at the Lions Eye Institute in Perth, Western Australia.[5] It is the only facility of its kind in Western Australia, and coordinates the collection, processing and distribution of eye tissue for transplantation. The Bank also maintains a waitlist of patients who require corneal graft operations. About 100 corneas are provided by the Bank for transplant each year. Corneal transplants have a high rate of success, but Western Australia has a shortage of donated human eye tissue.[citation needed]
Brazil
Goiás
- The Fundação Banco De Olhos De Goiás is a project of the Lions Club of Greater Goiânia.[6]
Canada
Manitoba and Ontario
- The Lions Foundation of Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario established the Lions Eye Bank of Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario, located in Winnipeg, in 1984.[7]
Saskatchewan
- The Lions Eye Bank of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon has existed for more than 25 years and operates in partnership with the Saskatchewan Transplant Program.[8]
Germany
Baden-Württemberg
- The Lions Eye Bank BW is part of the University Medical Center Freiburg.[9]
North Rhine-Westphalia
- The Lions Eye Bank NRW was established in 1995 and is part of the Universitäts-Augenklinik Düsseldorf.[citation needed]
