EBFP helps people see the world clearly

Our National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, left for Spain in 1882 to study ophthalmology with a desire to treat his mother’s failing eyesight due to cataract. When he returned to his hometown Calamba a few years after, he set up a small clinic and started treating his mother and townmates. It was in Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte (where he was exiled) that he finally operated on his mother’s eyes to remove her cataract.

From the Spanish colonial period up until now, eye problem is one of the prevailing health concerns in the country. Fortunately, the Eye Bank Foundation of the Philippines (EBFP) was created and then registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 17, 1994 to solve the shortage of transplantable corneal tissue in the Philippines. Its main mission was “to make transplantable corneal tissue available and accessible to Filipinos in need of sight restoring transplants, regardless of their socio-economic status.” The first International Eye Banking Facility was inaugurated at the Makati Medical Center on Oct. 16, 1995.

Thanks to various donors, the construction and equipping of the medical eye bank was accomplished. Among them were Dr. Raul Fores (former director of the Makati Medical Center), members of the American Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Robert Caro (a New York-based retina specialist who donated $25,000 to equip the eye bank). The International Federation of Eye and Tissue Banks (whose CEO was Frederick Griffith) trained the staff and gave the eye bank the quality standards and seal. Dr. Caro had only one request: To name the eye bank facility after Santa Lucia, the patron saint of vision and his patron Saint. Hence, the Santa Lucia International Eye Bank of Manila (SLIEB) was born — the medical eye bank owned and operated by the EBFP. The SLIEB/EBFP is now recognized as a world-class eye bank with the highest quality standards, serving the Philippines and the Asia Pacific region.

Corneal disease ranks fourth as a cause of blindness and fifth as a cause of visual disability in the world and in the Philippines. What is a cornea? It is the outermost crystal-like layer of the eye that has to be clear and spherically shaped in order for a person to see correctly. It is a very small piece of tissue, around 12 mm in diameter and less than a millimeter in thickness. It is the refracting surface of the eye that is responsible for focusing light and images. Anything that can affect its clarity or shape can result in visual disability or blindness.

Until now, corneal blindness is very difficult to solve because only a cornea from another human being can replace the damaged cornea. Although technology has advanced where we need not replace the entire cornea anymore and we can select which layers of the cornea we need to replace so that more than one person can benefit from one cornea, corneal donation and organ or tissue donation are not yet fully acceptable and prevalent in countries most in need and most vulnerable to corneal blindness.

On Oct. 16, the EBFP will mark its 20th year since the inauguration of its medical eye bank. As part of the celebration, the EBFP launched two new projects: The electronic donor card and form and the Eye Bank’s second poster making contest themed “A journey’s end, a gift of hope, a new beginning…”

Around 80 artworks selected from entries all over the country were exhibited at the lobby of the Gateway Mall Araneta Center, Cubao. The artworks best encapsulate the EBFP’s poster contest theme for this year.

Following the exhibit, 12 artworks that successfully capture the theme will be selected and reproduced as official posters of the foundation.

The EBFP pioneered the first Electronic Pledge form and Tissue Donor Card in the Philippines. The project, which started last March 17, is designed not only to increase awareness and acceptance of eye and/or cornea donations but also to make it more convenient for people to sign up as cornea or eye donors. All you need to do is visit the Eye Bank’s website www.eyebankphil.org and follow simple steps in filling up an electronic pledge form and availing of a donor card.

Meanwhile, awarding of winners will be held on the EBFP’s anniversary on Oct. 16, where the grand prize winner will receive P50,000. First runner-up will get P25,000 and second runner-up P15,000. Honorable mention winners will also receive special prizes. A special award of P10,000 will be given to the People’s Choice winner as voted by the public.

The winning artworks that encapsulate the theme will be reproduced as official posters of the foundation. The posters will be prominently displayed in hospitals, health centers, partner organizations, schools, malls and other institutions that support in the thrust and advocacy of the EBFP. The winning designs will also grace various products and merchandise of the Eye Bank and future partners through which funds may be generated to help support the EBFP’s mission.

The foundation also invites netizens to follow it on social media and join its EyePromise campaigns. It hopes to encourage people to become eye or cornea donors in order to share the gift of sight with those in need of sight restoring transplant surgery.

For more information about the Eye Bank Foundation of the Philippines, you can visit www.eyebankphil.org. You may also visit its Facebook page Fb.com/eyebankfoundation and its official Twitter and Instagram account @eyebankph.

The Eye Bank Foundation of the Philippines is located on the second floor of Sentro Oftalmologico Jose Rizal Building, Philippine General Hospital compound. Its telephone numbers are 302-6202 and 302-6287 and its fax number is 302-6285. You can also e-mail at [email protected].

Meanwhile, the Department of Science and Technology Region 8 just concluded the 2015 Visayas Cluster Science and Technology Fair and Exhibits (VCS&TFE) with the theme Philippines: A Science Nation Innovating for Global Competitiveness at the Ormoc City Superdome.

The event was participated in by entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers, researchers and students from Regions 6, 7 and 8.