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INDIANA LIONS EYE
& TISSUE TRANSPLANT BANK NEPAL Eye Bank |
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INDIANA LIONS EYE
& TISSUE TRANSPLANT BANK NEPAL Eye Bank |
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Nepal Eye Bank
A Sister Eye Bank of Indiana Lions Eye & Tissue Transplant Bank
In June of 1995, a very special partnership was formed between TBI’s Indiana Lions Eye & Tissue Transplant Bank and an eye bank on the other side of the world – the Nepal International Eye Bank. Understanding that the second major cause of blindness in Nepal is corneal blindness and that an estimated 1,200 men, women and children could be helped each year through the establishment of an eye bank, the Indiana Lions Eye & Tissue Transplant Bank reached out in a generous caring way to bring hope and vision to the citizens of Nepal. A $100,000 grant was approved to help TBI’s International Federation of Eye Banks establish a world-class eye bank for the people of Nepal.
The Nepal Eye Bank was established to achieve the following:
The Nepal Eye Bank coordinates with all donors, recipients and organizations throughout the country. The recovered corneas are given to patients on the waiting list on a first come-first served basis. Corneal transplants are performed at the Surgicentre of the Tilganga Eye Centre. The Eye Bank also distributes eye tissues based on need to the Teaching Hospital Eye Department and other Eye Hospitals in the country. Additionally, the Nepal Eye Bank supports training in Corneal Transplant Surgery to ophthalmologists. Physically, the Nepal Eye Bank is incorporated within the Tilganga Eye Centre Training Unit Building where space has been dedicated for this purpose. The building was built through the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Himalaya B. Pande who have donated the amount of $500,000 for its construction. The Pande family also provided the resources for a revolving fund to cover the running (post-establishment) costs of the Eye Bank. The Nepal International Eye Bank is a proud member of TBI’s International Federation of Eye Banks (IFEB).
