Here’s What You Should Know This Eye Donation Month

Written by Zoe Engels, Contributing Writer and Editor

Did you know that November is Eye Donation Month? According to the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA), its member eye banks have performed over two million sight-restoring corneal transplants since 1961 thanks to the generosity of deceased eye donors and their families. These transplants have an impressive success rate of 95 to 98 percent. 

The World Health Organization estimates that corneal blindness impacts at least 5.1% of people experiencing blindness and is the fourth leading cause of blindness worldwide; an estimated 12 million people suffer from corneal blindness globally, according to EBAA.

That means the transparency of the cornea, the clear outer layer at the front of the eye that a contact lens would cover, is blurred or otherwise impacted. Deceased eye donors’ corneas are used to restore sight for those suffering from corneal blindness. 

Recipients, who would otherwise face lifelong blindness or severe vision impairment, can often return to normal activities—work, school, driving, raising children, among other activities that allow them participate in life largely as they did prior to losing their vision. 

“People tend to think of … eye or organ transplants as something needed by older/elderly people,” Colleen Bayus, Director of Communications at EBAA, told SODA. “The truth is, someone can need an eye or organ transplant at any time. If you have a need for a transplant, don’t you hope there’s someone who [is] willing to give the gift of sight to you?”

On students’ roles as organ, eye, and tissue donation advocates, Bayus continued, “Students and young people have a lot of empathy and are motivated to help others and change the world—registering as a donor is a very easy way to achieve this. Students are so great about spreading information and using their voices! [They] are much more comfortable navigating social media and talking to cameras (and the world) about important topics than older generations. We want to tap into that power of conversation to spread awareness and understanding about eye donation.”

EBAA encourages students to have conversations about donation with their friends and families and register as donors at RegisterMe.org.

Fun Facts About Corneal Transplants:

• Corneas were the first tissues to be transplanted, and the first full-thickness corneal transplant was performed approximately 100 years ago!

• President Ronald Regan was a proponent of eye donation, and he was the first to designate a “National Eye Donor Month” as part of his “Proclamation 5170.” In the proclamation, he declares, “One of the most magnificent presents that one human being can bestow upon another is the gift of sight.”

• Though they’re often referred to as ‘eye donors,’ typically only corneas are used for the transplant itself. Eye banks may recover other parts of the eye for research purposes.

• Corneas are recovered within 24 hours (in a 30 to 45-minute recovery process) of the donors’ death and can be stored for up to 14 days before transplant. Recovery technicians work to make sure the donor’s appearance remains intact for any open-casket viewings.

• Because the cornea is avascular, there is no need to match blood types, and there is a lower risk of rejection than with vascular organs. 

• There is no waitlist for corneas in the United States! 

Learn more at EBAA’s FAQ page. 

Back in March of 2024, SODA had the chance to speak to EBAA’s President and CEO Kevin Corcoran, who answered our questions about corneal transplants. You can check out the blog here.

The theme of this year’s Eye Donation Month is “We Can See Clearly Now,” an ode to the popular 1972 Johnny Nash song. 

According to EBAA’s website, “The theme emphasizes the LITERAL outcome of eye donation – the ability to see, and the FIGURATIVE outcome of what people experience or ‘see now’ as a donor family, recipient, or champion of eye donation. Combining these elements; actual vision, the metaphorical ability to see a new perspective of life and the world, and a distinct memorable song as a backdrop – we celebrate Eye Donation Month and spread the word about the transformative power of corneal donation and transplantation.”

“Since sight is one of the senses, and senses are something we all tend to take for granted, we thought it would be interesting to draw on a second sense to help make our point about the importance of eye donation,” Bayus added regarding this month’s theme. “Using sound and music adds an extra layer of understanding—music has a way of drawing on emotion in a way words can’t always do.”

Stay tuned to SODA’s blog page for our next post in which we speak to a cornea recipient and share her transplant story.