Becoming a Tissue Donor

By pledging to become an eye donor upon your death, you are a hero to the 46,000 people in the U.S. who need a cornea transplant. When someone loses his or her eyesight to a corneal disease or eye injury, a donor's gift can rescue that cornea recipient from a lifetime of blindness.

Almost anyone can share the gift of sight. The color of your eyes, your gender, blood type, age and race don't affect your ability to donate. Neither should the diagnosis of cancer, diabetes or poor vision. The only step you need to take is to join the donor registry in your state.

Join an Eye, Tissue & Organ Donor Registry

The easiest way to pledge to become an eye donor is to add your name to your state's donor registry either online or at your local DMV. An eye, organ and tissue donor registry is a simple and confidential way to make your wishes about donation known to your family after you're gone.

All three states in the Heartland Lions Eye Banks service region have first-person donor registries, meaning your choice to donate will be legally binding, and your family doesn't have to make a decision regarding your final wishes. This removes the burden from your family during a difficult and heartbreaking time in their lives. In addition, the registries allow you to choose which organs and tissue you wish to donate, and you have the opportunity to remove yourself from the list if you change your mind.

If you live outside of our service area and wish to find a registry in your state, please visit www.donatelife.net.

Talk to Your Family About Eye Donation

Another important step in making your decision to become an eye donor is letting your family know about your wishes, even if you join a first-person donor registry. By informing them of your pledge ahead of time, there will be no question of your decision upon your passing.

If you do not live in a state with a first-person consent donor registry, your next of kin will be asked to give the final consent for donation upon your death. If your family knows of your wishes ahead of time, it will be easier for them to give consent, which helps to save the sight of someone in need.