Research Procedures
The Eye-Bank routinely supplies medical investigators
with eye tissue for scientific studies. Eye tissue not suitable
for transplant may be distributed to research teams for work in
glaucoma, cataracts, retinal diseases such as macular degeneration
and various other eye related studies. Such studies are intended
to lead to an understanding of the causes and possible treatments
for the diseases.
The Eye-Bank is required to meet multiple regulatory
and accreditation requirements in obtaining screening and distributing
eyes for corneal transplants and its ocular tissue research program.
The laboratory staff, who are on location 24 hours a day, seven
days a week, evaluate, process and distribute donor tissue after
a complete donor history has been obtained on all donor tissue,
including that used for research.
Clinical researchers interested in receiving research
tissue from The Eye-Bank can contact
the laboratory staff for a Research Tissue Request Form. A laboratory
technician will follow up with the researcher to confirm the tissue
request.
Ocular Tissue Research Program
The Eye-Bank for Sight Restoration has developed
a new Ocular Tissue Research Program to provide ample eye tissue
to medical scientists in the Greater New York area who are conducting
research on improving or restoring vision. There is great need for
donor tissue other than for the immediacy of cornea transplants,
particularly to ocular researchers seeking the cure or prevention
of other eye diseases such as macular degeneration, cataract, glaucoma,
retinitis pigmentosa and diabetic retinopathy.
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