Eye banks gain momentum from advanced research, collaborative projects

Key takeaways:

Large advancements in eye banking have been made over the past two decades.

Cell-based therapies may have potential as a future approach to corneal transplantation.

In the fight against vision loss and blindness, eye banks play a crucial role.

As intermediaries between donors and recipients, eye banks manage multiple tasks, support families throughout the donation process, and test, store and provide safe, high-quality tissue to surgeons. They are active in organizing awareness campaigns and educating the public about the importance of eye donation. Some are centers for groundbreaking research or collaborate with research centers.

Image: Courtesy of Jennifer Li, MD

The biggest innovations in eye banking over the past 2 decades have been in the area of endothelial kerat