Historical Background

In Thailand, many blind or seeing impaired people are affected by corneal disease and require corneal transplants to improve their vision. The key question is, from where are ophthalmologists supposed to acquire cornea tissue? Formerly, the International Eye Bank in Washington D.C., U.S.A., under the directorship of Professor Dr. John Larry King, Jr., M.D., sent cornea tissue to us by plane. Additional tissue was occasionally obtained by Thai ophthalmologists from patients without families who passed away in hospitals. However, by these means, the corneal tissue became available only infrequently and was far from adequate for patients on the waiting list.

As in other countries, it was necessary for Thailand to have its own eye bank to give assistance to seeing-impaired people. His Royal Highness Prince Sukhumabhinandra, at that time Thai Red Cross Society Secretary-General, Professor Dr. Kobchai Bhramintharoj, M.D., and Dr. Phisak Lumsawasdi, M.D. all agreed that it was suitable for the Thai Red Cross Society, as a public charity, to be a center for eye donation and to preserve eye tissue for future transplants. In 1965, the Thai Red Cross Society set up the first Committee for Eye Procurement and Donation. On May 18 that same year, the Committee established the Thai Red Cross Eye Bank, and the Bank has been in existence ever since.

On August 17, 1969, the Thai Red Cross Eye Bank received its first pair of corneas from a donor who had passed away. Cornea transplant surgeries were then successfully performed on two patients to enable them to see. In memory of the event, it was the Committee's resolution to celebrate Thai Red Cross Eye Bank Day on the 17th of August every year. Later on, Thai Red Cross President Her Majesty Queen Sirikit graciously bestowed a motto to be used in public relations efforts on behalf of the Eye Bank. It reads:

"Our eyes are too precious to waste;
When we are gone and our eyes no longer have a place,
Why not let them help others see
And acquire merit via this charitable plea?"

Mandates
The mandates of the Thai Red Cross Eye Bank are:
1. To serve as an eye donation center where charitable people can make known their wish to donate their cornea tissue and where patients with diseased eyes can obtain a cornea to enable them to see.
2. To collect cornea tissue from donors who have passed away and send it to ophthalmologists in various hospitals.     
3. To serve as a center for patients with diseased eyes and ophthalmologists.     
4. To conduct research aimed at upgrading the Eye Bank's performance to international standards.     
5. To support regional eye banks in the country.     
6. To offer knowledge, products, and innovations about visual defects including astigmatism and corneal disease, and their treatments.
Our vision is to be a standard eye bank, where enough cornea tissue is available for patients in need, and where all relevant services are offered.     

Responsibilities
1. To offer knowledge about eye donation to the public.     
2. To collect eye tissue from donors.     
3. To arrange the most effective eye storage possible.     
4. To develop various means of eye storage for the fullest use.     
5. To conduct research aimed at upgrading operations.     
6. To serve as a center for patients with diseased eyes and ophthalmologists.     
7. To support regional eye banks in their public relations efforts and eye storage.     

Objectives of the Thai Red Cross Eye Bank     
1. To collect eye tissue from charitable people.     
2. To give donated eye tissue free of charge to ophthalmologists for cornea transplant surgery.     
3. To help patients with corneal disease to receive treatment from ophthalmologists.     

The Thai Red Cross Eye Bank and Our Network
We have a nationwide network in order to enable people from all over the country to donate their eye tissue and offer corneal transplant surgery to seeing impaired people in remote areas. In 1995, regional eye banks were established throughout the country. At present, there are 10 regional eye banks as listed below:
* First Regional Eye Bank at Phra Nangklao Hospital, Nonthaburi
* Second Regional Eye Bank at Saraburi Hospital, Saraburi
* Third Regional Eye Bank at Queen Sawangvatana Memorial Hospital in Sri Racha, Chonburi
* Fourth Regional Eye Bank at Ratchaburi Hospital, Ratchaburi
* Fifth Regional Eye Bank at Maharaj Nakhorn Ratchasima Hospital, Nakhorn Ratchasima
* Sixth Regional Eye Bank at Udon Thani Hospital, Udon Thani
* Ninth Regional Eye Bank at Buddha Chinarat Hospital, Pitsanulok
* Tenth Regional Eye Bank at Maharaj Nakhorn Chiangmai Hospital, Chiangmai
* Eleventh Regional Eye Bank at Maharaj Nakhorn Sri Thammarat Hospital, Nakhorn Sri Thammarat
* Twelfth Eye Bank at Prince of Songkhla Hospital, Songkhla