Erik Hellier , Director of International Clinical Programs , speaks at the Eversight eye bank technical training symposium in Beijing , China .
Going the Distance
Community Eye Banking Around the World
Sight restoration begins with the community – cultivating meaningful relationships that foster positive change for all things impacting donation and transplantation .
Eversight is thinking global and working local to expand our reach and our mission to more people in need around the world .
China
Eversight traveled to Beijing to host an eye bank technical training , the first of its kind , for a group of 130 Chinese ophthalmologists . Our team presented on topics covering the full scope of eye banking – from donor registry programs , community education , and hospital relations to eye banking facility design and clinical best practices for recovery , evaluation and preparation of tissue .
“ The focus of our program was developing donation based on informed consent , to reinforce confidence in how donation takes place in the region ,” says Collin Ross , Eversight International Executive Director .
“ There is enormous interest from these dedicated professionals who wish to create ethical and sustainable solutions for corneal transplantation .”
The training is part of an ongoing engagement with China to bring community eye banking to the region . In May , a group of physicians from Xi ' an visited the Eversight headquarters to explore ways that Eversight can support them as they begin to develop their own eye bank .
South Korea
Eversight Korea , in partnership with Seoul St . Mary ’ s Hospital , hosted a training wet lab and live cornea transplant surgery in February for South Korean physicians . The event shared best practices for the latest tissue preparation and cornea transplantation techniques to expand surgeon skills and treatment options in the country . Eversight Medical Directors David Chu , M . D ., and Pankaj Gupta , M . D ., made the journey to lend their expertise and perform the live surgeries , with tissue prepared by local Eversight Korea staff .
“ We are working closely with physicians and health professionals to develop South Korea ’ s eye banking infrastructure ,” says Erik Hellier , Director of International Clinical Programs . “ We aim to grow our impact here , working together with our partners to eliminate the transplant waiting list and give sight to the thousands of people in need .”
The Middle East
In addition to the developments in Pakistan , Eversight is actively building relationships throughout the Middle East . In May , Eversight presented at the International Congress of the Middle East Africa Council of Ophthalmology ( MEACO ) in Bahrain about eye banking best practices and opportunities to partner on development projects . Eversight Medical Director Dr . Shahzad Mian coordinated the eye banking development symposium , which focused on the need for better eye banking infrastructures and access to quality tissue for transplant patients .
Spring 2016 | VISION | Page 11