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.
After Loss, Mom of Two Finds Hope Through Her Donor Family
At age 42, Mary of Emporia, KS was diagnosed with Fuchs’ dystrophy, a progressive disease in which one’s vision becomes blurred. Like many younger patients who face the disease, Mary wondered how she could juggle her family and busy career as her eyesight...
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...
Floragraph Decoration Ceremony Honors Two Incredible Women
Our Donate Life Float floragraph decorating ceremony in honor of donor Mariah West and donation advocate Darian Vanderhoofven was an incredible experience! View photos from the ceremony. Thank you to everyone who joined Saving Sight for this event: the Dye,...
Capturing a Beautiful World with Restored Sight
Losing precious sight from corneal blindness can be an overwhelming and difficult experience for many. For Ramona, who experienced a decade of vision loss from posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy (PPMD) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), it was...
Saving Sight Honors Legacies of Eye Donor and Co-Worker in 2012 Tournament of Roses Parade
On January 2, the lives of two incredible women close to the Saving Sight family will be honored during the 2012 Rose Parade. The Eye Bank is participating in the 2012 Donate Life Rose Parade Float by sponsoring a floragraph- or floral portrait- of donor, Mariah West....
The Gift of Sight Has this Mom Cheering
For a busy mom with three boys ages eight through 12, clear vision is critical to running her kids to their favorite sports and watching them from the bleachers. In 2000, Tammy of Sparta, Mo. was diagnosed with keratoconus, a disorder in which the cornea thins and...
Eye Donation Touches Four Family Members
Fuchs' dystrophy, a disease that causes the cornea to deteriorate, is one of the main reasons why someone requires a cornea transplant. It’s also hereditary, often touching multiple family members. Connie of Bentley, Kan., for instance, was the fourth person in her...
Thanks to His Eye Donors, Baseball Fan is Back Watching His Favorite Game
For years, Jerry of Shell Knob, Mo. had adapted to his lifelong nearsightedness, but by 1996, his vision had grown considerably worse. During a routine eye exam, his ophthalmologist made an unexpected discovery – Jerry was afflicted with Fuchs’ dystrophy, a disease...
Tissue Donors Gifts Give Hope for Sight to Transplant Recipient
In 2002 Kathy’s life was forever changed when she was broadsided by a driver who ran a red light while on his cell phone. Car battery acid hit both of Kathy’s eyes, causing grade 4 chemical burns. The chemical burns on her eyes caused complete limbal stem cell...
Vision Restored to Kansas City Father of Two
As busy parents, we rely on many things to help us balance a full work and home life. One of those things that we often take for granted is the ability to see clearly. Thousands of individuals suffer from corneal blindness each year, limiting their vision and ability...