[French Directory of Eye Banks. Report on activities during 1993-1997]

To describe the activity of the eye banks participating in the French Eye Bank Directory over the period 1993-1997.

Since 1993, the eye banks have answered annually a questionnaire concerning technical aspects (procurement procedures, microbiological testing, tissue evaluation and preservation procedures) and activity (number of corneas processed, preserved and issued). Data from these banks were collected and presented in the Directory each year.

In 1997, a total of 2,432 eyes were processed. Most of the eye banks (84%) used organ culture as the storage method. Thirty percent of the processed corneas were not used for transplantation. The main reasons for discarding corneas were inadequate endothelium before preservation (15.5%) and positive serology (27%), contamination during preservation (4.6-7.2%), and inadequate endothelium after preservation.

Quality assurance, microbiological safety and tractability requirements are currently an integral part of the cornea transplantation circuit in France. Publication of eye bank activity has enabled and evaluation of the different procedures.