November 2021 is Eye Donation Month, and VisionFirst will be raising awareness about the life-transforming opportunities that are created through eye donation. Eye Donation Month 2021 will focus on the Community of Compassion – people make the gift of sight possible, their passion for eye donation, and the passions recipients are able to fully pursue thanks to the gift of sight from a generous donor.
Quick Facts:
- VisionFirst is the primary Indiana eye bank that recovers and provides transplantable tissue to those in need.
- Last year, through cornea donation from fellow Indiana residents, VisionFirst’s eye banks provided 1550 corneas to help Hoosiers, and patients around the world, regain their sight.
- Almost anyone can be a cornea donor, regardless of vision, age, race, religion, blood type. Aside from a few highly communicable diseases, nearly anyone can be a cornea donor.
- The transplants performed each year increase their recipients’ productivity and reduces healthcare costs, contributing $6 billion in benefits to the US healthcare system.
It all starts with registering to be an eye, organ, and tissue donor and sharing your decision with your family and loved ones.
During Eye Donation Month, VisionFirst will promote cornea donation and transplantation awareness; encourage individuals to register as eye, organ and tissue donors; honor donors and their families; and celebrate cornea recipients. They have several stories to share with media.
For more information visit www.eyedonationmonth.org .