FALL 2015 A Major Project of the Lions of Florida OPHTHALMIC RESEARCH Eye Bank Funds Promising Research

The Florida Lions Eye Bank recently awarded a $27,000 grant to support research that may im- prove the outcome of cornea transplant surger- ies and change the future of eye banking. The funding supports the work of Alfonso L. Fluorescently labeled corneal endothelial cells Sabater, M.D., a fellow collaborating with Victor Perez, M.D. at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. or disease, the resulting loss of vision is perma- Dr. Sabater’s research focuses on regenera- nent. tive medicine of the corneal endothelium. His group has identified a unique combination of But while eye banks around the country work to molecules that are able to regenerate corneal recover donor tissue to help restore sight, one endothelial cells. out of five recovered are unsuitable for transplant because of a low endothelial cell How will this impact cornea transplants? Every density. Unfortunately, an otherwise perfect cor- year, more than 40,000 of these surgeries are nea from a healthy donor can be discarded by performed in the United States. About 40 per- an eye bank because of an insufficient number cent of transplants are needed to treat prob- of cells in the endothelium. Investigation efforts lems with the patient’s endothelium, the thin, by Dr. Sabater seeks a method to regenerate innermost layer of the cornea. corneal endothelial cells. A breakthrough in this The endothelium plays an important role in the field would benefit tens of thousands of people transparency of the cornea: when the endothe- in the United States alone, from patients in need lium fails, the cornea becomes cloudy, leading of corneal transplants to eye donors and their to a loss of families to the eye banks that link donors and vision. Hu- patients. man corneal This grant, provided by FLEB, will help to fund endothelial exploration of three different clinical applications cells do not of this technology: replicate, so when these • The use of these regenerative molecules to cells are lost promote endothelial cell growth in donor or damaged from trauma Alfonso L. Sabater, M.D. Victor Perez, M.D. - Continued on the next page RESEARCH Investigating replacement of the corneal endothelium - Continued from the front page delaying or avoiding a corneal transplant. corneas during storage at eye banks. If endo- • The final method being analyzed is the thelial cells in donor corneas can regenerate, growth and transplant of endothelial cells fewer corneas will be discarded due to low grown in culture. Healthy cells grown in a lab- cell density. In turn, this will mean that there oratory from a donor cornea can be injected will be more tissue available to serve a great- into the eye of a patient with late-stage en- er number of patients, and the quality of dothelial disease. This method would allow each will be improved. for a single donor cornea to help several recipients. Furthermore, this procedure is • The second clinical application being re- simpler and less invasive than current meth- searched is the use of these regenerative ods of . molecules in a medication such as an eye drop. Patients with early-stage endothelial The Florida Lions Eye Bank is honored to sup- disease or low-level trauma can use this eye port the research of Dr. Sabater and his team in drop to stimulate the regeneration of cells, their work Restoring the Beauty of Sight.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS FLEB Participates in Major Conferences During the summer of 2015, FLEB Executive ing in the U.S. and Latin America. Elizabeth Director Elizabeth Fout-Caraza was featured spoke about the key elements attributing to as a speaker at two international conferences the success of eye banking in the U.S. and on highlighting the importance of eye banking. the future of eye banking worldwide from her In June, the 98th Lions Clubs International perspective as executive director of FLEB. The Convention was held in Honolulu, Hawaii. Eliz- Florida Lions Eye Bank is proud to have been abeth Fout-Caraza served as a panelist at the invited to share its experiences and knowledge Lions Eye Bank Seminar on the first day of the at these two prestigious conferences. convention, where the discussion focused on eye banks and the valuable services they provide around the world. Elizabeth spoke about the history of the Florida Lions Eye bank and successful programs that have been supported by the Lions of Florida. In August, Elizabeth represented the Flor- ida Lions Eye Bank at the Pan-American Congress of ’s Eye Bank- ing Symposium in Bogota, Colombia. This seminar explored aspects of eye bank-

2 NEWSIGHT • FALL 2015 LEADERSHIP Eye Bank Mourns Passing of President Blair Anderson It is with deep sadness that the Florida Lions Clubs, and the Florida Eye Bank announces the passing of its 2015-16 Atlantic University Alumni President Lion Blair R. Anderson. Association. The board President Anderson passed away on October has chosen Lion Bob 21, 2015 at age 62. A resident of Boca Raton, Hilliard, immediate past Mr. Anderson was an active community leader president, to carry on Mr. and was installed as President of the eye bank Anderson’s work for the in June 2015 after serving on the Board of Di- duration of his term. rectors for many years. Blair Anderson’s leader- In addition to his dedicated volunteerism to ship will be missed, and the eye bank, Mr. Anderson served as president our thoughts and prayers are with his family of the Boca Raton and Pompano Beach Lions and loved ones.

STAFF NEWS Fifth Certified FLEB New Director of Public Technican is Recognized Relations Joins FLEB

Technician Sabrina Rodriguez Mara Budnetz has joined recently earned the Certified the Florida Lions Eye Bank Eye Bank Technician (CEBT) team as the Director of Public standing, becoming the fifth Relations. She comes to FLEB FLEB staff member endorsed with six years of experience in by the Eye Bank Association both eye and tissue banking of America. CEBT status is as a recovery technician, qual- attained with a passing score ity assurance specialist and on a written exam, as well as a demonstration family services coordinator. She has a bache- of proficiency in the recovery of corneoscleral lor’s degree in English from the University of rims. Sabrina earned a bachelor’s degree in South Florida, and looks forward to sharing Biology from Florida International University information about the meaningful work of the and has been with FLEB for for more than two eye bank. years as a recovery technician. Congratulations, Sabrina! Receive Publications Via Email Those who prefer to receive this newsletter and VISIT US TODAY: other information and messages via email, can subscribe to our email mailing list. www.fleb.org

NEWSIGHT • FALL 2015 3 EVENTS No Tricks, All Treats at Fall Open House Lions from throughout South Florida gathered for a pre-Halloween Fall Open House at the Florida Lions Eye Bank. The not-so-spooky eve- ning included presentations in the auditorium by Medical Director Sander Dubovy, M.D. and Executive Director Elizabeth Fout-Caraza. FLEB staff in costumes led tours of the eye bank facil- ities and the Bascom Palmer library. The groups met back at the Retter Patio for fellowship, Immediate music and a delicious dinner. Past President Lion Colleen Pinkerton (L) with Executive Director Elizabeth Fout- Caraza.

FLEB Staff show off their Halloween costumes

4 NEWSIGHT • FALL 2015 PATIENT SERVICES FLEB to Offer New Corneal Graft in 2016

Beginning in 2016, the Florida Lions Eye Bank will be offering a new type of corneal graft for use in transplant surgery that results in better vision, shorter healing time and lower rejection rates, according to surgeons and patients using the procedure. Called DMEK or Descemet’s membrane en- dothelial keratoplasty, it is the latest in a series of innovative corneal transplants that use only some of the cornea layers. In this case, the two Descemet’s membrane and a portion of the innermost layers — the Descemet’s membrane stroma. This procedure was later refined by an and the endothelium. automated method of preparing donor tissue called DSAEK. To create a graft suitable for DMEK, donor cor- neas are specially prepared by trained eye bank In contrast to DSAEK, DMEK does not include technicians, who painstakingly remove the the stroma, a layer of the cornea some doc- 15-mm-thick Descemet’s membrane and en- tors say can reduce vision. Processing tissue dothelium under a microscope. The thickness for DMEK surgery may also benefit eye banks. of the resulting graft is about 1/5 the diameter Presently, regulations require that one cornea of a human hair. can be used to help only a single patient. How- ever, changes may permit tissue that is unused DMEK is the latest in a series of advances in during DMEK to be used for other procedures, corneal transplants. The traditional cornea such as a limbal stem cell transplant. transplant was pioneered more than 100 years ago and replaces all five layers of the patient’s DMEK does not replace traditional corneal cornea with all five layers of the donor. transplants. Some patients will still require a full-thickness procedure to restore their vision. About 10 years ago, a surgical innovation Patients eligible for DMEK will benefit from the known as DSEK was introduced. This involved specially-prepared tissue FLEB will provide for the transplantation of the donor endothelium, this revolutionary procedure. FLEB Forms Medical Advisory Committee Eye banking and corneal transplantation have developments and opportunities. seen rapid advancement during the past de- The first meeting of the Medical Advisory Com- cade, largely due to collaboration between eye mittee was in October of 2015. The surgeons, banks and corneal surgeons. In this spirit, the each serving a 2-year term, met with Executive Florida Lions Eye Bank’s Board of Directors has Director Elizabeth Fout-Caraza and Medical created a Medical Advisory Committee. Director Sander Dubovy, M.D. The group pro- The committee consists of 12 corneal surgeons vided valuable suggestions to FLEB leadership, from South Florida who serve as a resource to such as the creation of an information packet the eye bank. The purpose of this committee is about the eye bank to be distributed to corne- to recommend and support quality improve- al transplant recipients. ments, and to advise FLEB’s leadership of new NEWSIGHT • FALL 2015 5 Donations Received November 1, 2014 - OCTOBER 31, 2015 General Mr. Doug Gansler Optipena Corp. Dr. Kenneth F. Golden Mrs. Evelyn R. Owens Ms. Maria C. Abellon Mr. Matias Gomez Lion and Mrs. Lou Penzi, Jr. Mrs. Mildred Agronow Ms. Elisa O. Gonzalez Mrs. Caroline S. Pfeiffer Mr. Roberto Aguilera Dr. Patricio Grayeb Mrs. Gloria Plastow Mrs. Dolores B. Allen Ms. Annie Gresham Renaissance Charitable Founda- Amazon Smile Foundation Ms. Elina Hackworth tion, Inc. Mr. Peter Amrein Mr. and Mrs. Michael Harmelin Mrs. Mildred Resnick Mrs. Susan Andrews Estate of Florence Herwitz Ms. Irene O. Reyes John E. and Nellie J. Bastien Mrs. Margaret Hinely Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank Memorial Foundation Mrs. Mildred Horowitz Mr. Willie Rogers Mrs. Dorothy Bernstein Mr. Celestino Irizarry Mr. Jules M. Rosenthal Mr. David L. Blalock Mrs. Marilyn Jacobs Mr. Scott Sankey Mrs. Sandra Borok Ms. M. Ellen Jensen Mrs. Bonnie Schiffman Ms. Dorothy R. Bradley Ms. Coralia S. Jimenez Mrs. Evelyn Schmid The Shepard Broad Foundation Ms. Helen Kastenbaum Ms. Hilda Seitlin Ms. Florence Brozen Mrs. and Mr. Harriet F. Katz Mr. Lawrence W. Shafer Mr. Arnold T. Butkus Raananah Katz, M.D. Mrs. Jamela Shaffee Mr. Olin D. Button Shalesh Kaushal, M.D. Mrs. Bea Sherman Mrs. Linda Caron Mr. D. H. Komito Dr. Alan M. Silbert Mr. John Choto Ms. Nancy Kranz Mrs. Gail Simmons Mr. Royal Chernock Mr. Luke Leitz Mr. Sam Snyder Mr. Robert D. Christian Mrs. Edith Lopez Mrs. Elaine Solas Mrs. Shirley Christian Mrs. Linda Lubitz-Boone Southern Dames of America Mrs. Caridad Cordero of Ft. Myers Mr. William F. Lyons Ms. Judy Cornille Ms. Leona Spector Ms. Melene McMannen Mr. George Coughlin Ms. Betty Lou Steen-Clarke Ms. Barbara McNinney Mr. Federico Couso Mr. Robert Sutton Mr. Timothy T. McQuade Mr. William E. Davis Mr. William Thode Mrs. Gladys Miguel Ms. Yolanda De Venanzi Ms. Mercedes N. Vazquez Mr. Chester Miller Mrs. Phyllis Delizza Mrs. Alba P. Vecino Mr. Irwin A. Moore Sander Dubovy, M.D. Mr. Antonio Vitiello Mrs. Roslyn Morris Mr. John Erskine Ms. Hazel Wallace Mrs. Lillian R. Murray Ms. Carol Fenno Mr. Paul R. Walshin Mrs. Ofelia M. Nibot Mrs. Angela Fields Ms. Jerri Wuensch The Calvin and Flavia Oak Mrs. Velia Focaracci Foundation, Inc. Mr. Paul A. Ziarnowski Richard Forster, M.D. Ophthalmology Consultants, P.A. Mr. Leon Zwick 6 NEWSIGHT • FALL 2015 Donations

Lions Clubs Miami Doral Lions Club Miami Five Stars Lions Club Aventura North Miami Beach Lions Club Miami Interamerican Ecuador Lions Club Belle Glade Lions Club Miami Lakes Lions Club Boca Raton Lions Club Miami Lautaro Lions Club Bonita Springs Lions Club Miami Lions Club Bradenton Lions Club Miami Managua Lions Club Coral Springs Downtown Lions Club Miami Springs Lions Club Coral Way Colombian Lions Club Naples Nites Lions Club Dania Lions Club North Fort Myers Noon Delray Beach Lions Club North Port Lions Club Fort Pierce Lions Club Oviedo Winter Springs Lions Club Ft. Lauderdale Lions Club Palm Bay Happy Lions Club Hialeah Pan American Lions Club Port St. Lucie West Lions Club Hollywood Colombian American Lions Club Safety Harbor Lions Foundation Key Biscayne Lions Club Sebastian Lions Club Key Largo Lions Club Sopchoppy Lions Club Lake Wales Lions Club South Florida Asian-American Lions Club Lake Worth Lions Club South Florida Maritime Lions Club Marco Island Lions Club The Lake Sumter Lions Charities Miami Buena Vista-Biltmore Lions Club West Miami Sunshine Lions Club Miami Colombian Lions Club West Palm Beach Lions Club Miami Dade Interamerican Lions Club Wildwood Sumter County Lions Club Zephyrhills Lions Club Leave a Legacy: Bequests Making a Donation Online Has Never Been Easier - Or Safer We encourage our friends and supporters to name the Florida Lions Eye Bank as an The Florida Lions Eye Bank encourages do- organization that will receive a portion of your nors to use our new online system to easily estate upon your passing. and safely show your support of our important We will use your generous gift to help pur- mission. Go to fleb.org and click on “Donate chase equipment critical in testing and Funds” in either English or Spanish. In minutes, processing ocular tissue. Your gift will also you can make a donation with any major credit continue to grow through our fund. Contact card through the USA E-pay system, which is Executive Director Elizabeth Fout-Caraza fully compliant with all online safety standards. for more information. Go to www.fleb.org today!

NEWSIGHT • FALL 2015 7 NONPROFIT U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 3016 Miami, FL

COMMUNITY OUTREACH FLEB Provides Training to Funeral Directors The Florida Lions Eye Bank recently hosted an instruction course for South Florida funeral directors interested in helping us advance our mission of Re- storing the Beauty of Sight. The one- day course for licensed funeral direc- tors from Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Collier counties taught techniques for the recovery of ocular tissue for research and education. Six- teen participants received a certificate of completion, a set of instruments Funeral Directors and FLEB staff at recent instruction course. and a cooler. ophthalmic disease. Each year, the eye bank This free course is presented every 18-24 provides more than 500 eyes to researchers months to funeral directors and reinforces and ophthalmologists for research and training their essential role in FLEB’s ability to provide purposes and nearly all of these are recovered research and teaching tissue to scientists and by local funeral directors. As always, all tissue ophthalmologists seeking to find treatments, distributed by the Florida Lions Eye Bank for cures and new techniques to treat patients with research or education is provided at no cost.