Cornea Donation
Since 1960, Saving Sight has coordinated cornea donation and the distribution of corneas for transplant. Today, we operate in Missouri, Kansas, and central Illinois, and we distribute corneas to transplant surgeons in those states, the rest of the U.S., and around the world to help people receive the precious gift of sight.
Help us spread the message about eye, organ, and tissue donation in your community. If you haven’t yet, register your choice to donate online at Donate Life America or your local Department of Motor Vehicles office. And be sure to speak with your family about your decision.
Casey’s Story – Twenty-One-Year-Old College Student Regains Sight
“Since I had my cornea transplant my experience has been filled with joy because, for the first time, I do not feel like there’s anything that can hold me back. I feel like I can literally do anything without worrying about my sight,” says Casey. Casey is currently a...
Live Like Barb—Donor’s Legacy Lives On
“My mom was ALWAYS happy! She was everyone’s best friend and she never met a stranger,” says Tamika of her mom, Barb. “She had the most beautiful smile and the most distinctive laugh ever!” Tamika adds that Barb was an expert shopper and bargain-hunter who loved...
November is Eye Donation Month
November is Eye Donation Month! Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA) uses the month as an opportunity to educate the public about the importance of registering to be a donor, about cornea donation and transplantation, and to acknowledge the work of their partner eye...
Donor Family Finds Comfort through Volunteerism to Honor the Legacy of their Son
Because of donation, Vivian and Larry know that John’s legacy lives on in 37 other people. For Larry and Vivian, volunteering in support of the Donate Life message has brought great healing after their son John gave the gift of life as an eye and tissue donor. John...
Donor Mother Shares Her Experience with Donation and Correspondence
Over the years, Carol from Sunrise Beach, MO has generously volunteered several times to share her experience as the mother of a donor. She tells a powerful story about her son Mark who became a cornea donor in 2010. Her son's heroic decision to donate impacted the...
Bonnie and Charlotte: Correspondence After Transplantation
Correspondence after donation and transplantation can be a positive part of the healing process for many people. Saving Sight offers donor families and cornea transplant recipients the opportunity to write to each other in a safe, positive environment. Acting as an...
Heartland Lions Eye Banks’ Work in Corneal Transplantation Contributes to Total Lifetime Net Benefit of Nearly $6 Billion
Corneal transplants performed in the United States this year will result in nearly $6 billion in total net benefits over the lifetime of the recipients, according to a six-month study undertaken by the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA). Heartland Lions Eye Banks...
Transplant Recipient Pays It Forward
It was a routine eye exam that brought an incredible gift full circle for Diane, a cornea transplant recipient. In August 2011, Diane of Independence, MO went to her eye doctor for a new pair of eyeglasses. During the exam, the optometrist noticed Diane showed signs...
Correspondence Makes a Difference for a Donor Family
When someone loses a loved one, it’s difficult to find the good in such a heartbreaking situation. However, for many families, eye, organ and tissue donation has given them a sense of hope. And when those families hear from their loved one’s recipients, it’s...
Sight Saved in Haiti Thanks to Saving Sight Partner in Sight
In a developing country like Haiti, vision loss can be a devastating blow to an individual’s ability to work and support one’s self, not to mention his or her entire family. Glaucoma, cataracts, corneal blindness – disorders that can be treated here in the U.S. – can...