The Eye-Bank for Sight Restoration

03/05/2026

Please join us for the 29th Annual Ecumenical Service honoring donor families and transplant recipients hosted by Transplant Recipients International Organization (TRIO) Manhattan Chapter. Cornea transplant recipient and Eye-Bank volunteer Allison Lauer will be among the featured speakers. The event will be held on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at 3:30pm at St. Patrick's Cathedral on 5th Avenue in New York City. All are welcome.

Questions? Contact info@ebsr.org or call 212-742-9000

03/02/2026

March is Women’s History Month, an opportunity to recognize the achievements, influence and enduring contributions of women in the United States and around the world. At The Eye-Bank, the occasion provides an opportunity to honor the women who have helped shape the field of eye banking and advance the mission of sight restoration.

Among them is the first Executive Director of The Eye-Bank for Sight Restoration, Aida Breckinridge. In the 1940’s and 50’s, Mrs. Breckinridge led an extremely ambitious public education campaign to promote the world’s first eye bank and the cause of eye donation.
Mrs. Breckinridge’s impact was featured in this public service announcement from 1980. In it, another significant female historical figure, actress and singer Angela Lansbury, lent her voice and stature to one of the organization’s first televised campaigns. At a time when eye donation and corneal transplantation was still unfamiliar to many people, this PSA introduced viewers to the transformative potential of donated ocular tissue and provided education about The Eye-Bank’s unique history.

02/20/2026

Happy Black History Month! This year marks 100 years since the observance began. To honor the centennial, we sat down with Regina, a cornea transplant recipient, to talk about what this month of recognition means to her. For Regina, Black History Month is grounded in gratitude for the leaders of the civil rights movement whose courage reshaped the nation and for the everyday strength within her own community, where family and faith form the foundation of her values. What does Black History Month mean to you?

02/19/2026

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Awareness Month, observed in February, highlights the importance of understanding this common eye condition, which is a leading cause of vision loss among older adults. Eye donation is an essential component of new research advancements that aim to significantly improve treatments for this disease in the future. Sign up on the New York State Registry. Your gift can help The Eye-Bank contribute to research that reduces preventable vision loss in AMD patients.

02/18/2026

The Eye-Bank’s “New Yorkers Need You” campaign features New Yorkers like Jamal, whose sight was restored through corneal transplantation. The campaign will run on English- and Spanish-language digital, social, and streaming media, showing real corneal recipients encouraging residents to register as eye donors at the DMV or EyeDonation.org. Each year, more than 1,100 New Yorkers regain vision—join the Donate Life Registry and help restore sight.

02/14/2026

Happy National Donor Day, a day to help raise awareness about all forms of donation, including eye donation. Many patients depend on the generosity of donors for sight-restoring, life-saving or life-sustaining treatment, yet supply often falls short of demand. National Donor Day helps address this gap by promoting accurate information, dispelling common misconceptions and encouraging individuals to consider donation as a way to support their communities.
Today, we also recognize the kindness and generosity of donors who have given the gift of sight and life through eye, organ and tissue donation. Become a donor today by signing up on the New York State Donate Life Registry.

02/14/2026

On this National Donor Day, we are saddened by the recent loss of our friend and Eye-Bank volunteer, Elena Dinn. As a cornea transplant recipient, Elena was an exemplary ambassador for The Eye-Bank. A former chef, she dedicated her retirement to encouraging New Yorkers to become eye, organ and tissue donors. She traveled with us to Albany to promote the cause of donation among law makers; she shared her story in an Eye-Bank testimonial video; she accompanied our liaisons on hospital visits to thank hospital staff; and she assisted with a variety of tasks in our office over the years. Elena believed strongly in the importance of eye donation. She is now an eye donor herself. Her gift will support advancements in ocular research, and her memory will live on in the many lives she touched with her exceptional warmth and generosity.

02/11/2026

Ellen can see again because a New Yorker gave the gift of sight. You can help others regain vision by joining the New York State Donate Life Registry today. The Eye-Bank’s new multimedia campaign spotlights real New Yorkers like Ellen and invites viewers to register as eye, organ, and tissue donors at the DMV or EyeDonation.org, across English- and Spanish-language digital, social, and streaming media.

02/05/2026

As a young man, cornea transplant recipient Jamal Moore was diagnosed with keratoconus, a blinding eye disease that put his life on hold. Thankfully, Jamal's sight was restored with donor tissue provided by The Eye-Bank. Today, he is enjoying many milestones in his adulthood, like seeing his first child. Read more about his journey in our latest blog!

https://www.eyedonation.org/brooklyn-father-grateful-to-see-his-son/

When Jamal Moore graduated from high school, he worried that a full, independent adulthood might not be within his reach. His friends were getting their driver’s licenses and pursing their goals, but Jamal felt left behind because he was losing his eyesight. His future seemed increasingly dim. Aft...

02/04/2026

Jaclyn, Regina and John can see again because New Yorkers like you chose to give the gift of sight. Each year, more than 1,100 New Yorkers regain vision through corneal transplantation—and you can be the one to make that difference by joining the New York State Donate Life Registry today. The Eye-Bank’s new campaign shares real stories of sight restoration and can be seen across English- and Spanish-language digital, social, and streaming media, encouraging New Yorkers to register as donors at the DMV or EyeDonation.org.

02/02/2026

The Eye-Bank’s latest testimonial features Jamal, a cornea transplant recipient and new father. Once uncertain about his future, Jamal now credits his sight-saving transplants with making the life he enjoys today possible. For him, nothing compares to being able to see his son grow up. “Becoming a dad and being able to see my son’s birth changed my life completely,” Jamal said. He treasures watching his child discover the world—moments made possible by the generosity of his eye donors. Enroll today on the New York State Donate Life Registry to help New Yorkers like Jamal see again.