The Eye-Bank routinely supplies medical investigators with eye tissue for scientific studies. Eye tissue not suitable for transplant may be distributed to research teams for work in glaucoma, cataracts, retinal diseases such as macular degeneration and various other eye related studies. Such studies are intended to lead to an understanding of the causes and possible treatments for the diseases.

The Eye-Bank is required to meet multiple regulatory and accreditation requirements in obtaining screening and distributing eyes for corneal transplants and its ocular tissue research program. The laboratory staff, who are on location 24 hours a day, seven days a week, evaluate, process and distribute donor tissue after a complete donor history has been obtained on all donor tissue, including that used for research.

Clinical researchers interested in receiving research tissue from The Eye-Bank please click here to use our online request form.

Ocular Tissue Research Program

The Eye-Bank for Sight Restoration has developed a new Ocular Tissue Research Program to provide ample eye tissue to medical scientists in the Greater New York area who are conducting research on improving or restoring vision. There is great need for donor tissue other than for the immediacy of cornea transplants, particularly to ocular researchers seeking the cure or prevention of other eye diseases such as macular degeneration, cataract, glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa and diabetic retinopathy.