Eye donation service celebrates 25th anniversary

In late July, the Lions Eye Donation Service marked its 25th anniversary with a celebration attended by donor families and recipients, as well as the Governor of Victoria, Ms Linda Dessau.In her address to attendees, Ms Dessau referred to the service as the “largest provider of corneal transplants in the Australian and New Zealand region”, noting that since its establishment in 1991, the Lions Eye Donation Service has facilitated approximately 7,500 corneal transplants from about 4,600 donors.Reflecting on the Lions Eye Donation Service’s origins, director Dr Grae Pollock said, “At that time, there were 180 people waiting for a corneal transplant in Victoria. Today, we are proud to say that most patients referred to us for a corneal transplant will receive a new cornea within weeks.”The Lions Eye Donation Service is a joint venture between the Lions Clubs of Victoria and southern NSW, the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA), the University of Melbourne and the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital.According to the CERA, in 2015 alone, the Lions Eye Donation Service provided 419 corneas across Australia and New Zealand and 159 scleras across Victoria and Tasmania.