Eye Bank Data Acquisition

A retrospective analysis of eye bank referrals and eligible donors was performed at the Eversight eye bank facilities (Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, New Jersey, and Connecticut) from March 1 to June 30 of 2019 and 2020. A number of corneas exported for international use during the study period were also collected. Referrals to the eye bank were determined by organ procurement organizations (OPOs) based on OPO COVID-19 screening guidelines and eye bank weekly demand for corneal tissue. The study and data accumulation conformed with all federal and state laws and that this study was in adherence to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki and was considered exempt by the Institutional Review Board at the University of Michigan. Because of Eversight data sharing protocols, percent changes were used instead of specific numbers of referrals and donors.