News Releases
Nationwide Study Shows Older Corneas Suitable for Transplantation
SAINT PAUL, Minn. (May 1, 2008) — Minnesota Lions Eye Bank participated in a national donor study that shows corneal transplants using tissue from older donors have similar success rates to those using tissue from younger donors. This study was funded by the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health and published in the April 2008 issue of Ophthalmology.
The five-year transplant success rate for recipients in the study was the same — 86 percent — whether a cornea from a donor aged 12 to 65 years was used or one from a donor aged 66 to 75. The findings reinforce the longstanding practice of the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank to provide transplant cornea tissue from donors up to age 75. The eye bank also accepts eye donations from donors older than 75 for use in medical education and research.
Eye and cornea donors have met the cornea transplant needs in the United States for the past ten years. However, recent changes in Food and Drug Administration regulations will likely cause a decrease in the supply of donated corneas. At the same time, the number of cornea transplants performed in the U. S. last year rose 16 percent. Accepting donor eye tissue from older donors will help secure the needed cornea tissue supply.
"This pivotal study indicates that corneas from older individuals are just as successful when used for transplants as those from younger donors," said Donald Doughman, M.D., Minnesota Lions Eye Bank medical director. "Expansion of the donor eligibility age will have a positive effect on the quality of life for individuals who need cornea transplants by increasing the potential number of donors."
More than 1,100 individuals who needed cornea transplants participated in the study that included 105 cornea surgeons and 43 eye banks.
For more information, contact Jennifer Marshall at 1-866-887-4448 (toll-free) or 612-626-6081 (direct).
Top Eye Banks Listed
SAINT PAUL, Minn. (May 1, 2008) — Minnesota Lions Eye Bank is among the top eye banks for 2007, as listed by the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA).
According to an EBAA report of 2007 statistics for United States member eye banks, the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank ranked 10th in providing corneas for transplant (1,206 provided) and fifth in providing corneas or whole eye globes for research (818 provided).
The EBAA, established in 1961, is the oldest transplant association in the United States. Additional information about eye donation and the EBAA can be found at www.restoresight.org.
For more information, contact Jennifer Marshall at 1-866-887-4448 (toll-free) or 612-626-6081 (direct).
Sign Up to Save Sight
SAINT PAUL, Minn. (March 12, 2008) — More than 100,000 Americans are in need of eye, organ, and tissue donations right now. Each day, 100 people are added to the national transplant waiting list, and worldwide there are too few corneas to restore the sight of all those who are in need of transplants. One person can make a difference.
Lives are saved or dramatically improved when you say "yes" to donation by legally registering yourself as a donor. Persons are legally registered if they add "donor" to a driver's license or state identification card or if they sign up through the Minnesota online donation registry www.DonateLifeMN.org.
Lions clubs throughout the state have joined the effort to increase the number of registered donors. Friends to the blind and sight-impaired for more than 80 years, Lions are encouraging people to support eye donation by running a 10,000 Signatures for Sight campaign. The campaign goal is to add a minimum of 10,000 legally registered donors to the Minnesota registry.
A recent University of Minnesota study found that 97 percent of Minnesotans supported organ and tissue donation, yet data from the Department of Public Safety reveals that only 43 percent of Minnesotans have donor marked on their licenses. The Lions hope to close the gap between those who support donation and those who commit their support to writing.
Help save and improve lives. Please visit www.DonateLifeMN.org to register or contact your local Lions club to participate in the 10,000 Signatures for Sight campaign.
For more information, contact Jennifer Marshall at 1-866-887-4448 (toll-free) or 612-626-6081 (direct).
Minnesota Lions Eye Bank Moves to Saint Paul
SAINT PAUL, Minn. (July 1, 2007) — After many years in the Phillips-Wangensteen Building on the east bank of the University of Minnesota’s Minneapolis campus, the eye bank has a new home at the University Enterprise Laboratories in Saint Paul. The address is:
Minnesota Lions Eye Bank
1000 Westgate Drive
Suite 260
Saint Paul, MN 55114
Phone numbers are unchanged.
The Minnesota Lions Eye Bank is still part of the Department of Ophthalmology and continues to offer the same great service.
For more information about the new site, visit www.uelmn.org.
For more information, contact Jennifer Marshall at 1-866-887-4448 (toll-free) or 612-626-6081 (direct).
Minnesota Lions Eye Bank Supports New EK Surgery
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (March 15, 2007) — An innovative surgical advancement called endothelial keratoplasty (EK) is changing the world of corneal surgery, and the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank is in the forefront of that change.
While a standard cornea transplant involves the entire thickness (all five layers) of the cornea, EK transplants use only the inner layers of the cornea. EK provides a new and more conservative surgical approach for patients whose corneal disease involves only the endothelial cells—about 40% of corneal transplant patients.
One advantage of EK surgery is that it eliminates the need for multiple sutures (a standard transplant can involve 16 or more) on the cornea. Having fewer stitches:
- reduces the risk of rupturing the eye globe;
- lowers the risk of infection; and
- lowers the likelihood of astigmatism.
To support surgeons and their patients, the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank is now offering corneal tissue pre-cut for EK surgeries. We have purchased new equipment, put selected staff through rigorous training, and added new employees to the team in order to prepare for this new service.
For more information, contact Jennifer Marshall at 1-866-887-4448 (toll-free) or 612-626-6081 (direct).
Eye Bank Association of American Accreditation Renewed
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (November 27, 2006) — The Minnesota Lions Eye Bank once again earned the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA)’s three-year accreditation following a routine inspection in September.
Eye bank professionals conduct site inspections of eye banks to evaluate adherence to EBAA Medical Standards and procedures before granting or renewing accreditation. The Minnesota Lions Eye Bank’s routine and unvarying focus on quality, safety, and service ensures that the eye bank stands ready for inspection at any time.
The EBAA is a nationally-recognized accrediting body for eye banks, and it sets the medical standards for eye banking. Medical Standards ensure that member banks maintain the highest proficiency in eye tissue procurement, preservation, storage, and distribution.
A charter member of the 45-year-old EBAA, the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank has continuously held three-year accreditation.
For more information, contact Jennifer Marshall at 1-866-887-4448 (toll-free) or 612-626-6081 (direct).