1. History of Lions Eye Banking
Jeffrey G. Penta, MBA, CEBT
San Diego Eye Bank
Hawai’i Lions Eye Bank & Makana Foundation
ALOHA!

2. Sight is beautiful

3. Sight is magical

4. A lack of sight…….

6. History of Lions Eye Banks
First Lions Eye Banks
Growth of Eye Banking
Lions Eye Banks Today
Importance of Sight-Saving Services

7. Origins of Eye Banking
The first human transplant was a cornea transplant
December 1905: Dr Eduard Zirm in Austria
It still continues to be one of the most successful organ/tissue transplantations

9. First Cornea Transplant
Donor: Karl Brauer
11 years old, bicycle accident
Could not save his eyes
Dr Zirm enucleated the damaged eyes
Corneal tissue removed for transplantation into recipient eyes

10. First Cornea Transplant
Recipient: Alois Gloger
43 years old, a laborer
Blinded in an accident while working with lime
Back working within three months of transplant
One transplant failed, but he retained sight in other eye for the rest of his life

11. In 1925, Helen Keller addressed the Lions international convention in Cedar Point, Ohio, USA. She challenged Lions to become “Knights of the Blind in the crusade against darkness”

12. World’s First Eye Bank 1944 R. Townley Paton, MD
Eye Bank for Sight Restoration, New York City
Staten Island Central Lions Club
1945: Buffalo, New York
Lions Eye Bank & Research Society

13. Eye Bank Association of America
Established in 1961
37 members

14. EBAA Chair of the Board (1961-2016)

15. Without Lions Eye Banks would not exist
Eye Banking = Lions
Without Lions Eye Banks would not exist

17. 2014 Eye Banking Data United States
128,675 corneas recovered in U.S. last year
72,000 corneas for transplant
26,000 corneas for research/education
1,250,000 million corneas provided for transplant in the past 25 years

18. 209 corneas transplanted each day

19. 209 corneas transplanted each day

20. BUT……………the need Large need for eye banks and corneal tissue EBAA EEBA
China: over 2.5 million
India: over 1.1 million
rest of world???
EBAA
EEBA
EBAANZ
93,000 per year
(39 years)

21. San Diego Vietnamese Lions Club (2008)
Collaborative effort of:
San Diego Vietnamese Lions Club
San Diego Executive Lions Club
Poway Lions Club
Poway Lions Medical/Educational Foundation
Sponsoring:
cataract surgeries
cornea transplants
eye care training

22. 2011
Additional collaboration with Shiley Eye Center and San Diego Eye Bank

23. Ho Chi Minh City Eye Bank & Ho Chi Minh City Lions Club March 2011

24. Ho Chi Minh City Eye Bank & Ho Chi Minh City Lions Club March 2011
286 cataract surgeries, 6 cornea transplants

25. Idaho Lions Eye Bank
Panelist: Lion Jay Lugo

26. Florida Lions Eye Bank
Panelist: Lion Elizabeth Fout-Caraza

27. Lions Eye Bank of Delaware Valley
Panelist: Lion Jim Quirk

28. Closing Remarks Jeff Penta, Moderator What did we learn?
Where do we go from here?

29. Mahalo!