[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 32 (Thursday, February 27, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E322]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        NATIONAL EYE DONOR MONTH

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                            HON. JAY INSLEE

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 27, 2003

  Mr. INSLEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to the attention of my 
colleagues and the citizens of this great nation that March is National 
Eye Donor Month.
  I rise also because cornea transplantation is an issue with which I 
have had some personal experience. One of my sons is one of the 46,000 
patients who receive cornea transplants each year, Through the 
altruistic act of donation, my son's quality of life was substantially 
improved. These transplant surgeries can relieve patients of glared or 
blurred vision, painful swelling, and can effectively avoid corneal 
blindness, something that afflicts over forty thousand Americans every 
year.
  As you may know Mr. Speaker, the first corneal transplant was 
performed in 1905, and the first eye bank opened in New York in 1944. 
Since then, eye banks have flourished nationwide and over half a 
million patients have received the gift of sight. These nonprofit 
organizations have also been instrumental in the advancement of medical 
science. Their facilitation and safeguarding of these precious gifts 
have allowed researchers to promulgate transplant procedures that have 
resulted in extraordinarily high success rates.
  The achievements of eye banks are self-evident. Currently, eye banks 
meet our nation's need for corneal and sclera tissue. In 2002, 50,857 
corneal grafts, given by over 46,000 donors, were supplied by U.S. eye 
banks. Today, every American who needs a corneal transplant can expect 
to receive one due to the generous donation of another. It is also 
important to note that the number of eye and tissue donors is enormous 
when compared to donors of solid organs. Approximately 10 individuals 
donate eyes and tissue for every person that donates organs.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, it has been brought to my attention that over 
one million Americans age 40 and over are currently blind, and that an 
additional 2.4 million are visually impaired. It is speculated that 
over the next 30 years, with the retirement of the Baby Boom 
Generation, this problem will double. I would therefore ask and 
encourage my colleagues, as well as all Americans, to sign a donor card 
and to speak with their loved ones about their donation wishes. Under 
the auspices of the Eye Bank Association of America, the restoration of 
sight is a miracle that has become reality in our lifetime. I urge this 
Congress to celebrate their accomplishments, and to become more 
involved in matters relating to transplantation.

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