Seeing The Future

The first successful cornea transplant was performed in 1945 by Dr. Charles I. Thomson at University Hospitals, but it wasn't until 1958 that Cleveland established a local eye bank. Northeast Ohio has a rich history of service and innovation in supporting those who experience issues with sight. At the center of the eye healthcare community has been the Cleveland Eye Bank Foundation. Once known as the Cleveland Eye Bank, this group is instrumental in ground-breaking achievements that improve and restoresight for thousands of people in northeast Ohio and across the country.

The Cleveland Eye Bank Foundation is celebrating 63 years of service to enable sight through vision research funding, along with professional and community education. Listen as Executive Director Debbie May Johnson discusses their historical accomplishments, exciting future, and mission to fund research projects to accelerate cures for some of the most critical eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma