Eye banking in Texas.

Abstract

Texas is providing corneal tissue in the 1980s that is quite adequate to meet the needs of all Texas patients. Infrequent maldistribution is corrected by tissue-sharing between eye banks, facilitated by a toll-free number in Dallas (800-433-6667) for Texas eye banks to call when they cannot meet a local need. With distribution of tissue through eye banks, no patient need wait when tissue is abundantly available. The most important law aiding corneal tissue procurement has been the 1977 Medical Examiners/Justice of the Peace Act, that permits removal of corneas under controlled conditions. This has been implemented in almost all jurisdictions where medical examiners are active, although only a few counties have the services of a medical examiner. The implementation of this law, particularly in Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio, has increased previous donations by more than double.