ANN ARBOR, MI - The Michigan Eye Bank at the University of Michigan is one of the 10 most active corneal donation centers in the country, according to a data analysis by Transplant News, an independent bi-monthly newsletter.

Alan Sugar, M.D., Michigan Eye Bank director and professor of Ophthalmology at UMHS

This yearly evaluation of the number of corneas provided for transplant found for 2002, the Michigan Eye Bank was seventh among the nation's other top eye bank facilities, up from eighth in 2001.

The Michigan Eye Bank is a part of the Midwest Eye-Bank and Transplantation Center (MEBTC). This facility harvests and distributes corneas for transplantation throughout Michigan, Northwest Ohio, Chicago and Bloomington, Ill. "Our facility is in the premier level of United States eye banking and is a model for the highest quality eye banks throughout the world," says Alan Sugar, M.D., Michigan Eye Bank director and professor of Ophthalmology at UMHS.

In determining the overall rankings, Transplant News compared the reported numbers from 2002 for eye bank institutions across the country. The University of Michigan provided 1,273 corneas for transplant. While this was slightly down from the 1,376 corneas provided in 2001, there was a consistent decline in several of the centers also with top 10 ranking.

The Michigan Eye Bank was organized in Ann Arbor, Mich., in 1957 as a joint project of the Ann Arbor Host Lions Club and the University of Michigan Medical Center. In 1963, the Eye Bank became a founding member of the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA).

In recent years, the Michigan Eye Bank has become one of the leaders in corneal procurement. It provides corneal tissue for transplantation in Michigan and throughout the United States. In addition, the Michigan Eye Bank provides tissues that are not usable for transplantation for a variety of research efforts related to understanding ocular physiology, genetics, various eye diseases, and the development of new surgical and medical therapies.

"Our mission here at the Michigan Eye Bank is the restoration of sight," says Sugar. "In order to fulfill this mission, the Eye Bank provides corneal tissue for transplantation, supports eye and vision research, and promotes public awareness of the need for eye donors."

Organ and tissue procurement is a very important and serious business. Sugar says, "The operation of the Michigan Eye Bank is done in a careful and business-like manner in accordance with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Eye Bank Association of America guidelines. The professional standards we hold ensure both surgeon and patient confidence in tissue quality and care."

For more information on corneal transplants at UMHS, visit http://www.kellogg.umich.edu. To learn more about the national organizations supporting corneal transplants, visit the Midwest Eye-Bank and Transplantation Center at www.mebtc.org and The Eye Bank Association of America at http://www.restoresight.org.

Written by: Rebekah Thompson

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