North Carolina Eye Bank Named #1 in the World, 4/30/2009
Winston-Salem, NC, April 30, 2009 - The Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA) announces eye banking statistics for 2008. The report is a compilation of information provided to the EBAA by 77 U.S. and 9 international eye banks. In 2008 The North Carolina Eye Bank (NCEB) was credited with 3,440 transplants, a 71.1 % increase from 2007. Total donations reached 5,803, a 54% increase from 2007. For research and training a total of 651 tissues were provided. The North Carolina Eye Bank provided more tissue for corneal transplantation than any other eye bank in the world reporting data in 2008. The North Carolina Eye Bank, was established in 1951 in Winston-Salem NC. Our mission is to recover, process and distribute ocular tissue for the restoration of sight through corneal transplantation and related medical therapy and research. 2008 was a year of significant growth for NCEB, due to the passing of "The Heart Prevails" legislation which provides the opportunity to give legally binding, first-person consent to all people that want to be eye and organ donors. The Eye Bank Association of America , established in 1961, is the oldest transplant association in the nation, and represents 100% of the not-for-profit eye banking community in the US. The EBAA is dedicated to the restoration of sight through the promotion and advancement of eye banking. It has led the transplantation field with the establishment of medical standards for the distribution of eyes and comprehensive training and certification programs for eye banking personnel. Each and every employee at The North Carolina Eye Bank is passionate in their continuous effort in providing a better quality of life for people in the state of North Carolina, across the United States and around the world. The NCEB recognizes that it is only through the generous and compassionate gifts of donation by family members that any of these accomplishments are made possible. |
