[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 26 (Thursday, March 1, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S1742]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        MARCH IS EYE DONOR MONTH

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I rise today to bring to the attention of 
my colleagues and the public that March is National Eye Donor Month.
  National recognition of Eye Donor Month dates back to the very early 
days of transplantation, when corneas were the only human transplants. 
Now, transplantations are common medical procedures by which people may 
give, so that others can live better, fuller, healthier lives.
  National Eye Donor Month honors the thousands of Americans who, over 
the past 55 years, have each left behind a priceless legacy, their 
eyes. Since the first transplant agency was founded in New York City in 
1944, sight has been restored to over half a million individuals by 
means of cornea transplantation.
  Eye Donor Month is also about increasing public awareness of the 
continuing need for donors. Many people are still unaware of how easy 
it is to become an eye donor. All a donor needs to do is sign a card 
and announce to his or her family the intent to leave behind this 
special gift.
  I am confident that if more Americans realized the true extent of the 
need for transplants, many more would willingly donate their corneas, 
once they can no longer use them. More than 46,000 Americans will need 
cornea transplants this year. Thousands of researchers will need donor 
eye tissue to explore prevention and treatment of blinding diseases.
  Our Nation's eye banks, non-profit agencies operating under the 
umbrella of the Eye Bank Association of America, have done a heroic job 
of restoring sight to blind people. Today, cornea transplantation is 
the most common transplant procedure performed, with an extremely high 
success rate of nearly 90 percent.
  This incredible success rate is due in part to a meticulous screening 
process that separates out corneas unsuitable for transplantation. 
These may be used for research purposes in surgical training and 
medical education. So, while each donated eye is put to good use, such 
a selective screening process must be supported by a large number of 
donations.
  Right now, there are simply not enough donors. We must change that. I 
want to encourage my colleagues to celebrate National Eye Donor Month 
by working closely with our Nation's eye banks to educate the American 
public about how they can help others to see. Let us all aim to 
increase the number of eyes available for transplantation, so that we 
may illuminate the darkness for so many of our fellow citizens.

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