First successful cornea transplant is performed in 1905 , nearly 50 years before the first organ transplant . |
The first eye bank is established in 1944 , providing a system for recovering and distributing eye tissue for transplantation . In 1947 , the first affiliate eye bank of what would become the Eversight network is established in Illinois . |
The Eye Bank Association of America ( EBAA ) is founded in 1961 to create a community of eye banks that work together to share knowledge and best practices . In 1968 the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act lays the foundation for modern donor registry systems and First Person Authorization law . |
EBAA establishes the first-ever medical standards and ethics policies to ensure the safety and quality of tissue for transplants . The organization begins its accreditation program in 1981 to ensure eye banks meet the highest standard of practice . |