History of Eye Bank
In the early years of corneal transplantation in the world, the few eyes evacuated from living patients with lesions or untreatable injuries of the posterior part of the eye or patients who died in public hospitals were the only sources of corneal supply. The removed tissue was time sensitive and had to be transplanted immediately. Therefore, every corneal transplant was considered an emergency operation, and patients requiring transplants had to remain on standby for unplanned surgery. Unfortunately, in some parts of the world, there are still areas where the supply of cornea is very limited and they rely on the same local sources of tissue supply.
Due to these problems and limitations, Richard Townley Paton established the first eye bank in 1944 under the title 'Eye - Bank for Sight Restoration' in New York. In general, this was the first tissue bank of any kind.
Richard Townley Paton (1901-1984)
Following that, other eye banks were established in the following years until a committee consisting of 27 ophthalmologists (representing 12 eye banks) and 4 medical groups headed by the American Academy of Eye and Ear called the 'Eye Bank Committee' It was formed in 1955. In 1961, at a meeting called by this committee, representatives of eye banks across the United States voted unanimously to form an association for eye banks. In this way, the first transplant association in the world was established as 'Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA)'.Other developed countries in North America, Europe, and the Southwest Pacific Rim have established organizations similar to the American Eye Bank Association (EBAA), where surgeons and eye banks collaborate to develop standards to increase quality and safety and provide better services. Service led. Currently, eye banks are still the foundation of corneal transplants around the globe.In our country, Iran, Cheshm Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran was established officially in 1367 with the focus of Mr. Dr. Seyed Hamid Sajjadi, Dr. Mohammad Ali Javadi, Dr. Hadi Manafi, Dr. Seyed Mohammadreza Kalantar Motamed and Dr. Seyed Alireza Marandi with the aim of conducting the necessary research and training. In order to expand the transplantation of cornea, sclera and corneal stem cells, the preparation and preservation of eye tissues from the corpses of donors for the purpose of transplanting, as well as informing people about the high human and therapeutic values of transplantation and encouraging them to donate their corneas after death. Was formed. Before the formation of the Eye Bank, a handful of patients who were blind or visually impaired due to corneal diseases could go to centers abroad, and most of them remained without treatment. Understanding this need motivated the establishment of Cheshm Bank in the country. Since its formation until now, Cheshm Bank has continuously followed the path of improvement and optimization of quality standards in interaction with other reputable eye banks of the world and active participation in international congresses. For the technicians of Eye Bank, since the very beginning of the activity of Eye Bank, training courses have been prepared in the leading centers of the world to familiarize themselves with the relevant standards and protocols. With this attitude, during these years, Cheshm bank has turned from a young sapling into a strong tree and today, with its modern knowledge and technology, it is known as a reliable, opinionated and idea-generating pole in this field, whose knowledge and experiences provides it to applicants from other countries in the form of courses and workshops. Every year, more than 8000 tissues for transplantation are harvested, processed, evaluated and stored and sent to needy patients all over the country.
Dr. Seyed Hamid Sajjadi
Dr. Mohammad Ali Javadi
Dr. Hadi Manafi
Dr. Seyyed Mohammadreza Klantar Motamed
Dr. Seyed Alireza Marandi