FOCUSED ON RESTORING SIGHT WORLDWIDE
2011 - 2012 Year in Review
PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS Associations are unique entities, in that they belong to their customers. EBAA is “owned” by the eye banks and Paton Society members that comprise the association. It is true that those members elect a Board of Directors, which identifies key strategic initiatives that the association will strive towards. And the Board hires a CEO, who in turn employs a staff, to accomplish the goals of the association. But ultimately, the association belongs to the people who belong to the association. That’s why we produce this Year in Review report, so that the member-owners of the association, and those who support it with financial and in-kind contributions, can be apprised of the work EBAA is doing on their behalf. We have undertaken a number of initiatives over the past year. Many of them are detailed in these pages; others are still in the planning stages, so it’s premature to talk about them quite yet. But all of them are designed to enhance the value of EBAA membership, and to advance our mission as an organization. When we surveyed our members in March, we learned a lot about your impressions of the association. One finding in particular stood out to me; members ranked us very high for providing value to the profession, somewhat
lower (but still high) for providing value to their eye bank, but middle of the road for providing value to them as individual eye bank professionals. That’s not entirely surprising; our primary members are organizations (eye banks), so our principal products and services are more global in scope. But the people who give their time and talent to EBAA are individual eye bankers and physicians; if they don’t perceive a return on their investment, we risk losing their engagement. And without their support, we can’t provide the tools that keep the entire profession moving forward. So, we’re making the benefits of EBAA membership more tangible. We’re changing the style of our newsletters to not only report what is happening, but what we think is going to happen next and why it’s important to you or your eye bank. We’re increasing the number, and the quality, of our educational programming to make it more applicable to your professional needs. And we’re providing members with more ways to share their opinions and viewpoints with us. We are also engaging more actively with people and organizations outside the association. While EBAA is the premier organization, and driving force, in U.S. eye
banking, there’s a great big world out there. So we are broadening our horizons as founding members of the Global Alliance of Eye Bank Associations, which will unite the efforts of eye banking associations around the world. We’re also reaching out to groups in related fields, such as the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society for Corneal and Refractive Surgery and the Cornea Society, as well as the American Association of Tissue Banks and the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations. Because we can learn a lot from our peers and colleagues, and we have a lot we can teach them too. There’s much more that we’re doing at EBAA; I hope this document will help you learn more about us. I encourage you to contact me (Kevin@restoresight.org) if you have questions or suggestions. Because the more that EBAA can do to make its members successful, the more we advance the profession’s interests and the association’s mission. Sincerely,
Kevin P. Corcoran CAE President and CEO
Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. - President John F. Kennedy take the time to do so. I am happy to have been an integral part of Kevin’s appointment and know that he will continue to be an exceptional leader for our association and our profession.
CHAIR’S ADDRESS JFK’s quote above is the ideal way to describe the close of my tenure as EBAA Chair. Change is truly inevitable, but it is also revitalizing and exciting, making way for hopes of the future. I reflect with delight on what was one of the main events of my first year as Chair - the Association’s 50th anniversary. It was a meeting of minds, both past and present, with glitz and glamour fit for the Academy Awards. Where my first year as Chair culminated in an appreciation for the past and a celebration of the present, the past year has brought about changes and initiatives which will shape the Association’s future. First, we bade farewell to long-time EBAA President & CEO Patricia Aiken-O’Neill and welcomed Kevin Corcoran as her successor. Kevin’s extensive membership experience is sure to bring a fresh perspective to the needs and concerns of the EBAA membership, as we have already seen with his initiation of a strategic planning process for the association. His genuine desire to not just hear the members’ needs, but to listen and work toward fulfilling them is remarkable – if you have not had an opportunity to speak or correspond with him, please
Following 2011’s successful Physician Leadership Program, the 17 physicians who attended the meeting have proven that they are dedicated to becoming fixtures in eye banking. In just one year, these physicians have made impressive strides. All have secured membership on EBAA committees, and two have accepted roles as Chair and Vice-Chair. Several have presented papers at the EBAA/Cornea Society Fall Educational Symposium and/ or the 2011 and 2012 EBAA June Scientific Symposia. In addition to those papers, four physicians presented the eagerly-anticipated “Follow the Cornea” session during the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s (AAO) Annual Meeting in October 2011. Several physicians have consulted on eye bank projects that were chosen to receive EBAA research grants, and in upcoming months, the majority of the physicians will create an Eye Banking Handbook for Corneal Surgeons. We look forward to the fresh ideas and optimism these physicians will continue to bring to eye banking. The Board of Directors recently approved two initiatives that are certain to ensure that eye banking continues to grow nationally and internationally and bring forth ambitious and dedicated professionals who contribute to its success. The Patricia Aiken-O’Neill scholarship was established to fund an eye banking professional’s attendance at the EBAA Annual Meeting. Also, research and development for an International Partnership Program will begin; funding has been approved to kick start the process.
There are so many other key steps that have been taken to improve our profession during my tenure, but I dare not attempt to name them all. Our teamwork as eye bankers and corneal surgeons is part of what has made eye banking a leading force in the transplantation community. But there are other key people that have made this journey work; our committees and their chairs, whose contributions and ideas have been invaluable; the EBAA staff, whose dedication and exceptional service year after year make the Association run like a well-oiled machine; and our rank-and-file members, whose active participation and support are the lifeblood of the Association. The past two years as EBAA Chair have been rewarding and unforgettable. The bittersweet nature of ending a chapter and beginning a new one is the lesson of change that is ever-present in our lives. But, I marvel at the milestones we’ve reached and the accomplishments we’ve made in eye banking during my tenure. I also look forward in anticipation of the great advancements the EBAA and the eye banking community will make under the Chairmanship of David Korroch. Thank you for this tremendous opportunity to work with you to advance our shared mission. I look forward to continuing to serve EBAA for many years to come. Sincerely,
EBAA Chair, 2010-2012
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DONOR STORY Submitted by the San Diego Eye Bank
Left to right: Kris Hale, Miles Hale Seated: Ryan Everett Hale, son
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Miles was a generous person and would have given anything to help anyone who asked and even some who did not ask. We had spoken about what we would have wanted if something were to happen to either one of us and so I knew that he would want to donate anything of himself that was useful to someone else. So when the time came to make the decision about eye, tissue and organ donation this was the easiest decision I had to make. He would have said, “Take anything you want. What am I going to use them for now anyway?” Being a nurse I know that helping others after a devastating event helps the family to heal, but what I did not know was how much it would help me to heal. Knowing that I was able to give his eyes, tissue and anything else that was useful to help someone in need was comforting and made my loss not seem so in vain. Every day I think of how giving Miles was and the last thing he did was give to others. To use his eyes to help someone see is an honor to his memory. ~Kris Hale, RN, wife
Miles died unexpectedly at 52 years of age on December 22, 2011 of an acute myocardial infarction. Miles was: A loving husband, father, son, brother and a friend to all he knew. A 1980 graduate of the US Naval Academy and helicopter pilot. A man with an infectious smile that would light up the room. A man who was thoughtful and considerate. A man whose last gift touched the lives of many. A man who provided two strangers the precious gift of sight. Miles’ wife, Kris is a registered nurse and is currently a nursing instructor at a local college in San Diego. Kris has been a member of the San Diego Eye Bank’s Nurses Advisory Board for 18 years. She has helped facilitate the opportunity of eye and tissue donation for hundreds of families.
Even more importantly, in 2011, three independent centers reported immunologic rejection rates of 1% or less with DMEK.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN TECHNIQUES: DMEK
Transition to DMEK has been slowed by four concerns:
under 15% with DMEK. In addition, better methods have
risk of tissue loss in preparation, challenges unfolding
been developed to help the surgeon visually ensure that
and orienting the tissue within the eye, increased need
the graft is correctly oriented within the eye. Primary graft
for air re-injection, and the risk of primary graft failure.
failure rates have dropped with these improved insertion
Use of thinner grafts to provide better vision is a growing
Improvements in each step of the procedure are now
and positioning methods.
trend in endothelial keratoplasty. Descemet membrane
allaying these concerns.
endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK), consisting of endothelium
With these improvements, we expect more corneal
and Descemet’s membrane, is the thinnest endothelial graft
Multiple centers have now reported 99%+ success rates
surgeons, particularly high-volume EK surgeons, to begin
available (>20¾microns thickness). Compared with Descemet’s
with improved membrane peeling techniques and use of
to adopt DMEK in 2012 and 2013, which will increase
Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSAEK),
older donor tissue (50-75 years old). More eye banks are
demand for eye bank prepared DMEK tissue.
DMEK allows a significantly higher percentage of patients
beginning to prepare DMEK tissue - this is essential to
to realize 20/25 or better vision shortly after surgery.
relieve the surgeon of the small risk of preparation failure.
Marianne Price, PhD, Cornea Research Foundation of America, Indianapolis, IN
Even more importantly, in 2011, three independent centers
Air re-injection rates have plummeted with use of
reported immunologic rejection rates of 1% or less with
insertion devices that do not require viscoelastic to
DMEK. A rejection rate this low is unprecedented with
achieve a water-tight seal and better understanding of
endothelial replacement by any other method including
when intervention is needed and when it is not. High-
Penetrating Keratoplasty (PK) or DSAEK.
volume centers are now reporting air re-injection rates
Francis Price, MD, Price Vision Group, Indianapolis, IN
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EBAA INNOVATIONS Strategic Plan
National Eye Donor Month
In February 2012, EBAA embarked on the development of a new strategic plan for the association. Facilitated by Catch Your Limit Consulting, the strategic planning process was designed in multiple stages to allow for data gathering, data analysis, re-affirmation of the association’s vision, the establishment of Board, committee and staff goals, and development of a criteria for progress and success evaluation.
In March 2012, the EBAA marked its 29th annual National Eye Donor Month (NEDM) celebration. Since 1983, the EBAA has promoted March as NEDM to raise awareness of the need to donate eyes, and to celebrate donors and corneal recipients. President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Eye Donor Month, and since then a member of Congress has read a proclamation into the Congressional Record to note this special event.
The first step of the strategic planning process entailed conducting an electronic survey of the EBAA members, both eye bankers and physicians. The survey, which was sent to members in April 2012, addressed specific aspects of the members’ needs and expectations, as well as the association’s ability to address them. In tandem with the distribution of the member survey, Catch Your Limit interviewed Board members and other stakeholders to obtain qualitative information that would provide clarity on the data retrieved in the member survey. During the EBAA’s 51st Annual Meeting in Hollywood, FL, June 20-23, 2012, the Catch Your Limit staff held a town hall-style meeting to conduct an environmental scan of meeting attendees. Findings from this meeting were compiled with survey results and presented to the Board, who then evaluated and discussed them. The final two stages of the strategic planning process will take place in September 2012 and November 2012, respectively: establishing a vision for the association and clear-cut goals for the EBAA Board, committees and staff; and refining those goals to develop specific charges and timelines for those groups.
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This year, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Representative Joseph Pitts (R-PA) entered proclamations into the Senate and House of Representatives Records, respectively, proclaiming March 2012 as National Eye Donor Month. The EBAA took multiple strides to not only promote eye donation awareness during the month of March, but also to provide member eye banks with sufficient resources and materials to promote the event in their own ways. To accommodate NEDM promotion, the EBAA created a special webpage with the 2012 proclamations, sample templates for press releases and state proclamation requests, FAQs, donor stories and videos and more. Using the resources on this page, member eye banks acquired seven state proclamations and one city proclamation, declaring March as Eye Donor Month. To further promote NEDM through the social media sphere, the EBAA posted a daily donor or recipient story from an EBAA member on Facebook.
EBAA Public Service Announcement Featuring John Green While NEDM is traditionally the main focus of celebration for March, this year the EBAA was pleased to announce the release of a new public service announcement (PSA). In late January 2012, the EBAA produced a PSA featuring John Green, father of 2011 Tucson shooting victim Christina-Taylor Green. The PSA, available in 15-second and 30-second versions, emphasized the importance of eye donation through Mr. Green’s personal quotes, as well as through brief statistics regarding the EBAA and its member banks. During NEDM, the PSAs were made available on the National Eye Donor Month webpage for public viewing. The EBAA also debuted a YouTube Channel, where both versions of the PSA were housed. For the EBAA membership, the EBAA drafted PSA packages, including instructions for accessing and customizing the PSA, and guidelines on acquiring airtime for the PSA within their local media. New versions of the PSA, which are non-specific to NEDM, will be released later this year, both for EBAA member use and outreach to the general public.
FDA Validation Workshop On October 6, 2011, the EBAA held its first Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Validation Workshop (in collaboration with the FDA) in Crystal City, VA. Eightyfive participants attended the well-received workshop, including nine FDA representatives.
STATISTICAL REPORT INFORMATION During the workshop, participants listened to presentations on process validation and environmental monitoring and took part in lively, facilitated roundtable discussions. The workshop ended with a question and answer session with representatives from the FDA. Following the workshop, the EBAA compiled and distributed an Ask the FDA/Q&A Session Summary and Suggested References for Process Validation to members. To continue the dialogue on process validation and to allow eye bankers to share their experiences and insights, the EBAA held a “Process Validation – Best Practices / Challenges” session during its 51st Annual Meeting in Hollywood, FL.
EBAA CONNECT In 2011, the EBAA’s release of EBAA CONNECT, a real-time, web-based statistical reporting and analytics engine designed specifically for the EBAA by Transplant Connect©, marked the dawning of a new monthly collection methodology for the Statistical Report.
Over the past year, several enhancements and additions were made to EBAA CONNECT including: a dashboard showing the status of the eye bank’s monthly data submission and data validation; graphical representations of real time data the eye bank enters; ability for the user to specify the date range displayed for 10 available reports; a “hover feature” for each graphical report, displaying the raw data and percentage for the data point of interest; and a feature that enables users to select or disable certain data fields, causing the report to instantly recalculate. Phase IV, the final phase of EBAA CONNECT, is currently in development and is expected to be released in November 2012. Some of the added or revised operational tools this phase will include are: an eye banking benchmarking functionality which allows eye banks to perform comparison analysis of their data with the average of all EBAA eye banks; four additional charts to the Analytics tab (international surgical techniques; conversion rate; outcomes of tissue; and tissue not released due to serologic tests); a “reset password” option; a dashboard that will show the last modification date; and the ability to print entered data in a table format.
The 2011 Eye Banking Statistical Report represented the most comprehensive exploration of eye banking performance and trends in existence. The expanded report included enhanced graphics and monthly trending of data provided to the EBAA by 79 U.S. banks and nine international eye banks. In 2011, domestic eye banks reported 114,348 total tissue recoveries, an increase of 3.4% from 110,630 recoveries in 2010. This is the third time that over 100,000 tissues were recovered in a single year. Total donors in the United States were 57,835, up 3.4% from 2010. The total number of tissue distributed for keratoplasty (including long-term preserved tissue) was 67,590, a 14.0% increase from 59,271 in the previous year. In the U.S., the reported number of corneal transplants performed in the United States increased from 42,642 in 2010 to 46,196 in 2011 (8.3%). The number of corneas provided for endothelial keratoplasty (EK) procedures continues to increase. In 2010, in the U.S. alone, 19,159 corneas were provided for EK procedures, a 5.1% increase from 2009. In 2011, 21,555 corneas were provided for EK procedures in the U.S., (a 12.5% increase) and 1,732 corneas were provided for EK internationally. The amount of tissue offered for research increased by 11.4%, from 17,260 to 19,230. Tissue provided for training and education increased by 21.2% to 6,940 from 5,726. For statistical reporting purposes, eye banks count all their facilities that distribute from a centralized area, under one legal entity. When the EBAA reports a higher membership total in its materials, it bases its count on an accreditation list that separates each facility that is inspected, even if it belongs to an umbrella agency. 5
ADVOCACY The EBAA continues to increase advocacy efforts on behalf of members, working with regulatory agencies, legislative bodies and partner organizations in the transplant community. The following is a snapshot of EBAA efforts during the past fiscal year:
Hospital Accreditation Standards of Interest to Eye Banks
Physician Payments Sunshine Act Fact Sheet
In February 2012, the Joint Commission released its 699-page, 2012 Hospital Accreditation Standards. Several eye banks were contacted by hospitals, and asked to provide written documentation to prove compliance with Joint Commission standards for their upcoming Accreditation inspections. To ensure that eye banks were cognizant of changes in the standards that may affect them, the EBAA performed an extensive review of the standards and created a 16-page document highlighting the changes pertaining to eye banks - the Hospital Accreditation Standards of Interest to Eye Banks.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule, entitled “Medicare, Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Programs; Transparency Reports and Reporting of Physician Ownership or Investment Interests,” in December 2011. To assist members in understanding the proposed rule, the EBAA created the Physician Payments Sunshine Act Fact Sheet. Currently, CMS has delayed implementation of this rule until January 1, 2013.
EBAA Analysis of FDA’s Final Guidance for Industry: cGTP and Additional Requirements for Manufacturers of HCT/Ps The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) released the final “Guidance for Industry: Current Good Tissue Practice (cGTP) and Additional Requirements for Manufacturers of Human Cells, Tissues, and Cellular
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and Tissue-Based Products (HCT/Ps)” on December 30, 2011. To outline the specific changes from the draft guidance of the same title, the EBAA compiled an analysis of the guidance, which was distributed to its members in January 2012.
EBAA’s FDA Liaison Meeting EBAA President & CEO, Kevin Corcoran, and EBAA Director of Regulations & Standards, Jennifer DeMatteo, met with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) representatives to discuss the final Guidance for Industry: Current Good Tissue Practice (CGTP) and Additional Requirements for Manufacturers of Human Cells, Tissues, and Cellular and Tissue-Based Products (HCT/Ps), pre-disinfection cultures, and record retention. The meeting, which took place on May 3, 2012, was also an opportunity for the EBAA to inform the FDA of current initiatives including the ocular terminology developed by EBTAG, the Uniform Donor History Questionnaire, and the draft AATB/ AOPO/EBAA guidance document, Effective Quality Assurance of the Donor Risk Assessment Interview.
EBAA Comments on the PHS Guidelines for Reducing HIV, HBV and HCV Through Solid Organ Transplantation EBAA submitted comments on behalf of the membership on December 20, 2011, in response to the draft Public Health Service (PHS) Guideline for Reducing Transmission of Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) through Solid Organ Transplantation. The guidelines were specific to solid organ transplantation; however, the EBAA’s comments were motivated by the potential direct effect on policies and practices for corneal tissue, specifically in shared donors. Most of the EBAA comments were addressed toward a lack of evidence to support findings regarding the increased likelihood of recent HIV, HBV or HCV infection.
Information Alert on Potential Consequences of Use of Powdered Gloves To alert eye bankers and corneal surgeons of the potential adverse health effects associated with glove powder and the need to select powder-free latex or synthetic gloves, the EBAA drafted an information alert, entitled “Potential Consequences of Use of Powdered Gloves,” on March 20, 2012.
EBTAG’s Revised Ocular Tissue Nomenclature Document EBAA is an active member of the ICCBBA Eye Banking Technical Advisory Group (EBTAG) on Nomenclature, Coding, and Labeling of Ocular Tissue. In the Fall of 2011, the group released a revised Ocular Tissue Nomenclature document, which incorporates the comments received during the public consultation period. The EBAA Medical Advisory Board (MAB) endorsed the standard
terminology in the document for use in the identification and labeling of ocular tissue grafts.
Donor Risk Assessment Interview (DRAI) EBAA participated on the Uniform Donor History Questionnaire (UDHQ) Taskforce, along with professionals from multiple transplant organizations and government agencies, including the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) and the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) to develop the Donor Risk Assessment Interview (DRAI) form for organ, tissue, and eye donors over 12 years old. The DRAI form is designed to utilize broad “capture questions” which leads to more specific questioning only if needed. This allows the necessary parties to quickly elicit the required information, limit redundant questions, and preclude omitting questions. An eye bank-specific version of the DRAI form was released in June 2012. The EBAA, AATB, and AOPO collaborated on a guidance document, which describes the components for developing and implementing an effective quality assurance program process for the Donor Risk Assessment Interview (DRAI). The draft guidance document was released for comment to the EBAA membership on June 11, 2012, and will be finalized in August 2012.
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GRANT INFORMATION 2011 EBAA/Richard Lindstrom Research Grants
Principal Investigator:
Noelle Layer, MD, UCSF Dept. of Ophthalmology
The EBAA awarded a total of $47,567 to the following recipients of the 2012 EBAA/ Richard Lindstrom Research Grants. Research grants are awarded annually to provide support for proposals specifically concerned with issues directly related to eye banking and/or corneal transplantation. The EBAA research grant program is made possible through the Lindstrom Fund for Corneal Research.
Title:
“Efficacy of Coriconazole as an Additive in Optisol-GS”
Principal Investigator:
Thomas Dohlman, MD, Schepens Eye Research Institute
Title:
“Functional Blockade of Selectins in Corneal Transplantation”
Aim of the Study: To determine vascular endothelial expression of E- and P- selectin in grafted corneas; to determine expression of selectin ligands by Th1 cells in allograft recipients; and to block the dominant selectin-ligand system in corneal transplantation and determine effect on allograft survival.
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Amount Awarded:
$7,000
Principal Investigator:
Jing Hua, MD, Schepens Eye Research Institute
Title:
“Mechanisms of Exacerbated Corneal Allograft Rejection in Dry Eye Disease”
Aim of the Study:
To determine pathways of allosensitization in Dry Eye Disease hosts and the dynamics of distribution of trafficking antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in DED hosts.
Amount Awarded:
$5,000
Aim of the Study: To evaluate the efficacy of adding voriconazole to Optisol-GS corneal storage media in reducing viable fungal colony counts of different fungal isolates that have been inoculated into the media; to assess the optimal concentration of voriconazole needed to achieve eradication of viable fungal colonies; and to evaluate the potential impact of voriconazole in the storage media on the health of the donor corneal endothelium during storage. Amount Awarded:
$5,000
Principal Investigator:
De-Quan Li, MD, PhD, Baylor College of Medicine
Title:
“Protective Role of Antioxidants in Preserving Donor Corneas”
Aim of the Study:
To explore the protective role of L-carnitine and betaine against apoptosis of human corneal epithelial cells exposed to hyperosmotic stress; to investigate differential caspase pathways by which L-carnitine and betaine elicit an anti-apoptotic effect; and to evaluate the protective role of L-carnitine and betaine in extending storage life of donor corneal tissues from apoptosis and cell loss.
Amount Awarded:
$9,000
Principal Investigator:
Mario Matthaei, MD, Wilmer Eye Institute
Networking Grants
Title:
“Cellular Stress Response Pathways in the Pathogenesis of Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy”
Networking grants are awarded annually to promote an educational interchange of ideas between eye banks. The Executive Committee awarded grants to Minnesota Lions Eye Bank and the Eye Bank of Canada.
Aim of the Study: To investigate the role of cellular stress response mechanisms leading to endothelial senescence or cell death in the pathogenesis of Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy (FECD). Amount Awarded:
$10,000
Principal Investigator:
Qing Pan, MD, PhD, The Wilmer Eye Institute
Title:
“Nano/Microparticle-based Drug Delivery System on Preventing Corneal Graft Rejection in Rat Model”
Aim of the Study:
To use a Nano/Microparticle with subjunctival injection of a steroid to reduce the unwanted side effect of topical steroid or Cyclosporine and obtain a consistent and predictable efficiency in preventing graft rejection.
Amount Awarded:
$6,577
Prinicipal Investigator:
Michael Titus, CEBT, Michigan Eye-Bank
The Minnesota Lions Eye Bank will visit Utah Lions Eye Bank (ULEB) to learn more about the financial process that ULEB has created to track and report on their research program. Both banks will work together to maximize this research financial tool within a University setting, reviewing the benefits and challenges of having a separate financial system for research, and discussing the next steps. Amount Awarded: $1,500 The Eye Bank of Canada (Ontario Division) will visit Lions VisionGift to observe eye bank technicians pre-cutting tissue for DSEK procedures and to also learn tips when performing slit lamp and specular evaluations after cutting the tissue. Amount Awarded: $1,500
Title: “Effect of Time on Endothelial Health in DSAEK Preparation” Aim of the Study:
To measure endothelial cell density and endothelial viability after different time durations of donor tissue preparation to see if longer donor preparation time correlates with greater endothelial damage.
Amount Awarded:
$4,990
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AWARDS R. Townley Paton Award Recipient Alan Sugar, MD, Medical Director for Michigan EyeBank, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, was the recipient of the 2011 R. Townley Paton Award. Dr. Sugar was presented with the award during the EBAA/Cornea Society Fall Educational Symposium in Orlando, Florida, on October 21, 2011. The R. Townley Paton Award is the EBAA’s highest honor for corneal physicians, and is presented annually to an ophthalmologist in recognition of his/her outstanding contribution to the EBAA’s development and for exemplifying the precepts of R. Townley Paton, M.D., the father of modern eye banking and the founder of the first eye bank established in the United States. Dr. Sugar has served on various EBAA boards and committees, including the Medical Advisory Board, the Accreditation Board and the Scientific Programs and Paton Committees. He is a former chair of the Research Committee and was most recently chair of the Policy, Position & Research Sub-committee. He is Professor and Associate Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan Medical School, where he directs the corneal fellowship program. Dr. Sugar graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1969; then, in 1974, he completed his residency in Ophthalmology at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. He completed his fellowship in Cornea and External Diseases at the University of Florida in 1975.
Leonard Heise Award Recipient Jason Woody, CEBT, President/ CEO for the Lions Eye Institute for Transplant & Research, Inc., received the 2012 Leonard Heise Award during the EBAA Annual Meeting in Hollywood, FL, on June 22, 2012. The Leonard Heise Award is presented to a nonphysician individual within the eye-banking community recognized for his or her outstanding devotion to the EBAA’s development and for exemplifying the principles of Leonard Heise, a major contributor to the fight against blindness and one of the EBAA’s original founders. Mr. Woody has 22 years of eye banking experience and has been a certified eye bank technician (CEBT) since 1994. He began his tenure at the Lions Eye Institute for Transplant and Research, Inc. (LEITR) in 1990 as an eye bank technician, and has served in various capacities at LEITR, including Technical Director and as President and CEO since 1996. He has served on multiple EBAA boards and committees, including the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors, the Medical Advisory Board, the International Relations, Technician Education and Practical Performance Committees and the Eye Bank Advisory Committee for the Cornea Donor Study. On an international level, Mr. Woody is an ORBIS International Eye Bank Consultant, volunteering on over a dozen trips serving as faculty for the development and promotion of local eye bank systems in China and India. He has received two other prestigious awards: the Helen Keller Award in 2004 and in 2005, the Melvin Jones Fellow - the highest honor afforded to Lions.
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Gift of Sight Award Recipient
Arthur Walson of Lexington, Kentucky, was awarded the 2012 Gift of Sight Award at the 51st Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA) Annual Meeting on June 21st in Hollywood, FL. Robert Gayheart, Executive Director of the Lions Eye Bank of Lexington, accepted the award on Mr. Walson’s behalf. The Gift of Sight Award is presented to an individual or group who works closely with the eye banking community and has gone above and beyond the call of duty in support of eye and corneal donation. This award honors a person who has had an impact on eye banking and made an extraordinary contribution to sight restoration. As Circuit Court Clerk of Clark County, Kentucky, Mr. Walson brought forth an initiative that spawned Kentucky’s Trust for Life Program, which allows drivers to register to become eye, tissue or organ donors and to donate $1 in support of organ donation awareness when they renew their license. Since its inception in 1993, the Trust for Life, through Mr. Walson’s idea and the charitable donations of Kentuckians, Kentucky has raised over $6 million to support advertising for and the formation of a public relations campaign to encourage organ and tissue donation. To date, Clark County leads the Kentucky donation efforts, with 65 percent of Clark County’s drivers as donors, and over 50 percent making monetary donations towards awareness efforts. Expanding on the success of Trust for Life, the Clark Regional Medical Center led the state with a 53 percent eye and tissue donation consent rate in 2010. Mr. Walson lost his battle with cancer on July 30, 2012. The EBAA sent the Walson family a letter of condolence on behalf of its membership, praising Mr. Walson’s accomplishments and his efforts to increase eye and organ donation awareness.
SPONSORSHIP AND EXHIBITOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
SOURCES OF REVENUE
The Eye Bank Association of America wishes to thank the following organizations who have contributed to our mission of restoring sight worldwide throughout the year. Our efforts would not be possible without their support. 2012 Sponsors
2012 Exhibitor Program
Bausch & Lomb Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) Florida Lions Eye Bank HAI Laboratories, Inc. Konan Medical USA, Inc. Krolman Lions VisionGift Midnite Express Global Logistics (MNX) Moria, Inc. SightLife Transplant Connect, Inc.
Abeamed, Inc. Axis Global Logistics Bausch & Lomb Donate Life America Donor Services Center and Midwire Global Sight Network Haag-Streit USA HAI Laboratories, Inc. International Journal of Eye Banking (Minnesota Lions Eye Bank) Konan Medical USA, Inc. Krolman LABS, Inc. Med-Logics, Inc. Micro Medical Devices, Inc. Midnite Express Global Logistics (MNX) Moria, Inc. National Disease Research Interchange (NDRI) Network Global Logistics The North Carolina Eye Bank, Inc. Numedis, Inc. Ocular Systems, Inc. Providence Packaging QualTex Laboratories Quick International Courier Southland Medical Corporation Stephens Instruments Transplant Connect, Inc. ViroMed Laboratories VRL Laboratories
63% Member Dues $1,235,058
7% 5%
18% 7% Meeting Registrations $348,553 Accreditation Fees $128,250
Technician Recertification $90,100 Other Contributions $144,314
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS (2011-2012) Executive Committee
Chair Marian Macsai, MD
Chair-Elect David Korroch
Ex-Officio, Per Article 4.6:
Medical Advisory Board Chair David Glasser, MD
Immediate Past Chair Bruce Varnum
Secretary Donna Drury
Treasurer Woodford Van Meter, MD
Executive Committee At-Large Members
President & CEO Kevin Corcoran, CAE
Monty Montoya
Jason Woody
Representatives by Size
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Representative: Small Eye Bank
Representatives: Medium Eye Bank
Jay Lugo
Victoria Adler
Representatives: Large Eye Bank
Noel Mick
Doyce Williams
Jason Woody
Board of Directors Appointed Per Article 4.2 G: Honorary Board Members
At-Large Members
Michael Nordlund, MD, PhD
Cynthia Reed, PhD
Kevin Ross, MS, MPH
John Guckes
Appointed Per Article 4.2 E: AAO Representative
Appointed Per Article 4.2 D: Designated by the Board
David Karcher
Richard Lindstrom, MD
Mark Mannis, MD
Monty Montoya
Doyle Stulting, MD, PhD
Alan Kozarsky, MD
EBAA Staff Kevin Corcoran, CAE President & CEO Molly Georgakis Vice President of Member Services Bernie Dellario Director of Finance
Jennifer DeMatteo Director of Regulations and Standards Patricia Hardy Manager of Communications Stacey Gardner Manager of Education Programs
After 21 years of dedicated service, Patricia Aiken-O’Neill, Esq. retired as President & CEO, effective December 31, 2011. The EBAA Board of Directors has created the Patricia Aiken-O’Neill scholarship in recognition of her many contributions. This merit-based scholarship will provide funds for an eye banking professional to attend the Annual Meeting. The EBAA thanks Patricia for her leadership and enduring commitment to the EBAA’s mission.
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