Dec 4, 2020   SOURCE: PR NewsWire

Give The Gift of Sight

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA) and its member eye banks across the country are asking Americans to register to be a cornea donors with the potential of giving the gift of sight.

Register here.

Cornea donations are taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic and providing vision to thousands of people across the country. Since 1961, U.S. eye banks have provided corneas for over 2 million sight-restoring transplants.

To see directly the benefits of the amazing gift of cornea donation, view the story of Zoe, who at six-months-old received a cornea transplant; the corneas were donated by the family of a 10-year-old girl who died in an accident.

See more stories of donor families and recipients here.

Did you know?

    --  Eye donation refers only to the cornea (the clear, dome-shaped surface
        that covers the front of the eye) which is replaced during a 45-minute
        transplant procedure, restoring sight for those with cornea-related
        blindness.
    --  The entire eye can be used for research and education, potentially
        helping untold thousands of people regain their sight as researchers
        develop new understanding of the causes of, and cures for, eye
        conditions that lead to blindness.
    --  Eye, tissue, and organ donor registration can be coordinated via
        https://registerme.org/campaign/restoresight, individual state
        registries, or through your state's Department of Motor Vehicles. It is
        important for prospective donors to notify family of their wishes
        because the family's cooperation during a medical/social history
        interview is required before transplantation.
    --  Each year, millions of people around the world have their lives
        transformed through cornea donation and transplantation. In 2019, 85,601
        corneas were provided for transplant with a more than 95 percent success
        rate, providing $6 billion in net economic benefit during the
        recipients' lives. In 2019, there were 68,759 U.S. donors of ocular
        tissue.
    --  EBAA-member eye banks are nonprofit organizations that obtain, medically
        evaluate and distribute corneas donated by caring individuals for use in
        corneal transplantation, research, and education.

EBAA is the nationally-recognized accrediting body for eye banks. Since 1961, EBAA and its 81 member eye banks nationwide have made possible more than 2,000,000 sight-restoring corneal transplantations. Individuals interested in learning more about cornea donation and transplantation should visit the EBAA website at restoresight.org. While there, visitors can also get information on how to register as a donor to leave the lasting legacy of the gift of sight.

About the Eye Bank Association of America

The Eye Bank Association of America supports both American and international eye banks in restoring sight worldwide through cornea donation, transplantation, research, and innovation. provides the gold-standard for tissue accreditation, technician education, training and certification, research grants and funding, and an overall community for the field of eye banking. To learn more, visit www.restoresight.org.

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/give-the-gift-of-sight-301186613.html

SOURCE Eye Bank Association of America