Our history
Our mission began in 1947 with the establishment of the fourth eye bank in the United States, then known as the Illinois Eye-Bank. Over time, nonprofit eye banks were established in every state to meet the critical demand for corneal tissue to treat preventable blindness.
In 1985, the Illinois Eye-Bank and Michigan Eye-Bank formed a partnership—one that would earn a reputation for clinical excellence made possible by some of the finest medical directors, staff and board members in the eye banking field. The success of the organization attracted affiliations with other regional eye banks like the BroMenn-Watson Gailey Eye-Bank, Lions Eye Bank of New Jersey, Cleveland Eye Bank and the Connecticut Eye Bank, forming one of the largest networks of eye banks in the U.S. In 2015, the network became known as Eversight, all working together as a unified operation to deliver the highest quality services to surgeons and their patients and to continue to grow our impact around the world.
Today, our services reach beyond traditional eye banking by advancing treatments of all blinding eye diseases. We recover, evaluate and provide human eye tissue for transplantation; support research into the causes and cures of blinding eye conditions; promote donation awareness through public and professional education; and provide humanitarian aid to people around the world in need of sight-restoring therapies.
Our vision for the future is to expand our reach, connect more effectively with our communities and provide a life full of sight to anyone in need.
Eversight maintains its commitment to excellence as an accredited member of the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA) and by meeting the highest quality standards set by the Food and Drug Administration.
Making vision a reality
You can help make vision a reality for more than 9,000 people every year by supporting our mission. Charitable contributions are tax-deductible and can be made in honor or memory of someone special in your life.
Give now
Donation makes it possible
When a person says yes to donation, Eversight works around the clock to recover, prepare and deliver donated tissue to a patient waiting for a cornea transplant. In just a matter of days, someone who was once blind will begin to see life in all its vivid detail.
Join the Donor Registry
Our mission in action
