Our guest speaker in March was Tamme Golding-Holbrook, the Acting Eye Bank Manager at the Eye Bank of South Australia, Flinders Medical Centre. She was accompanied by Ross Verchoor, Head of Development, Flinders Foundation. She presented a short history of Lions Clubs involvement with the Eye Bank of South Australia. In 1982 Lions donated a Biological Safety Cabinet for storage of corneas when the Eye Bank was first set up at Flinders Medical Centre. SA Lions have donated more than $2 million to the Eye Bank since then. It was the first Eye Bank in Australia. In 2015 Lions donated a Specular Microscope that is used in quality assessments of endothelial cells of corneas used for transplant. At the beginning of 2018 Glenside Lions donated a ML7 Microkeratome that is used for cutting (80 microns) micro slices of corneal tissue (DSAEK precut tissue) for transplant. This is a very detailed and scientific process and is important in obtaining precise tissues for corneal transplants. Glenside Lions donation of $25,000 enabled the purchase of this ML7 Microkeratome that has helped the Eye Bank of South Australia to process bigger quantities of corneal tissues. to benefit more patients.
