MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

SEPTEMBER 2022 | VOL 9


Florida Lions Eye Attended FacoExtrema

in Buenos Aires, Argentina


On August 19 & 20, 2022, Florida Lions Eye Bank attended FacoExtrema in Buenos Aires, Argentina. FacoExtrema, an annual ophthalmology conference focused on sharing the latest surgical techniques and treatments, attracts ophthalmologists across South America. Drs. Gustavo Cremona and Carlos Gordillo, responsible for FacoExtrema’s cornea-related programming, invited Florida Lions Eye Bank to host wet labs, and we happily accepted.  

  

These wet labs, or live training sessions for physicians, allowed surgeons to practice corneal graft preparation and ocular surgery techniques. Florida Lions Eye Bank provided all instrumentation and supplies for the wet labs at no cost to FacoExtrema attendees. 80 human corneas, recovered by Florida Lions Eye bank and other US eye banks, were shipped to Buenos Aires in advance of the conference for physician training. Each donated cornea represented the donor’s selfless choice to advance research and medical education. Dr. Guillermo Amescua, Medical Director of the Ocular Surface Program at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and a featured speaker at FacoExtrema, assisted Florida Lions Eye Bank staff in coordinating and facilitating the wet labs.  

  

Florida Lions Eye Bank was honored to be a FacoExtrema sponsor and supporter and to provide hands-on training experiences for Latin American doctors. Follow us on Instagram @florida_lions_eye_bank to see more pictures from the conference!  


Florida Lions Eye Bank staff members William Buras, Elizabeth Fout, and Katrina Llanes

© 2022 American Academy of Ophthalmology


Beauty of Sight Foundation Funds

Novel Research Project


The Beauty of Sight Foundation Board recently approved funding for a research project that will study Salzmann nodular degeneration (SND). SND is a slowly progressive condition characterized by white or blue nodules on the cornea. The exact cause of SND is still unknown, and treatment can include ocular lubricants, steroid eye drops, or the removal of the nodules using laser treatment. Unfortunately, current treatments are not completely effective and often result in recurrence. The proposed research, led by Dr. Anat Galor, will study the histopathologic profile of SND to better understand the disease and improve treatment. Beauty of Sight Foundation is proud to fund this important research. To help fund this and other ophthalmic research, please donate to our Foundation.


Florida Lions Eye Bank Hosts Fellow Training


On Saturday, September 3, 2022,  Florida Lions Eye Bank hosted a wet lab with the new Bascom Palmer Eye Institute cornea fellows. The fellows practiced Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK) surgery using corneas donated for research and teaching during the wet lab. Thank you to all eye donors and their families who made this training possible!


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