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Hong Kong Hospital Authority Eye Bank is the only eye bank in the entire territory. It is situated in Hong Kong Eye Hospital, it is a non-profit organization that harvests, evaluates, processes, and distributes ocular tissues, including corneas and sclera donated by individuals for use in corneal transplantation, glaucoma surgery and occasionally research, and education purposes.

History
Hong Kong Eye Bank and Research Foundation (HKEBRF) was formed in 1962. After Dr. Thomas A. Dooley invited the three renowned ophthalmologist, Dr. Harry King, Dr. Charles Iliff, and Dr. John McLean to demonstrate the cornea grafting technique in Tung Wan Eastern Hospital back in 1961. The eye bank was supported by and large from donations from the Lions Club of Hong Kong and was made up of professionals from the Hong Kong Ophthalmological Society, and community-service-minded Lions Club members. It is a non-profit service organization devoted to sight conservation with a primary objective of serving as a collecting and distributing center of human eye tissue (mainly corneas) for corneal surgeons in Hong Kong for corneal transplant. The work of the Eye Bank prompted the Hong Kong Government to enact the Tissue Act in 1968, permitting the removal of parts of the human body for medical use and transplantation provided that the approval of such removal was given by the next of kin of the deceased.

However, during the early years of establishment the donation had not been impressive, owing to the tradition Chinese concept that one's body would not be "complete" if part of it was removed. Furthermore, in the roots of the Confucian believing that one's body, even a single skin and hair, came from one's parents, and should be treasured accordingly. It is estimated that between 1980 and 1990, there were roughtly 10 local donors. To meet the demand of corneal transplantation, tissues were sent from the International Eye Bank in Colombo, Sri Lanka, through the goodwill of its people. The Hong Kong Eye Bank were merely a liaison office for its transportation and documentation. Whenever cornea tissues were needed, cornea surgeon would contact the Hong Kong Eye Bank office and would be relayed to eye bank in Sri Lanka by wire, the cornea surgeon would later be informed when the tissue arrived and could be retrieved at the air cargo terminal. Between 20 to 40 corneas were flown to Hong Kong annually from the 70s to the mid 80s.

In view of the difficulties of the Sri Lankan Eye Bank in meeting the local need and to respond to the demand of the local community, the HKEBRF, in 1991, had resolved to set up an Eye Tissue Laboratory (ETL). The ETL, accommodated in a regional hospital, was made possible with an initial generous contribution of HK$1 million by Mr Simon KY Lee, a director and vice president of the HKEBRF, and named after his wife. The Kung Wah Lee ETL of the HKEBRF was officially inaugurated on April 25, 1992, officiated by the Secretary for Health and Welfare.

Recognition

 * Outstanding Team, Hospital Authority, 2017