Cornea (top of page)

1. Clear, outermost part of the eye. Often called the "window of the eye." If that "window" becomes clouded, or is damaged in any way, a cornea transplant is necessary.
2. The part of the eye most commonly used in transplant (the sclera also has clinical uses).
3. Roughly half as thick as a dime; 12-13 mm (1/2 inch) in diameter.
4. All non-transplantable corneas are used in cornea research projects.

Lens (top of page)

1. Located directly behind the pupil and iris, which are behind the cornea.
2. Also must remain clear in order for light to pass through, to allow for "normal" vision.
3. Should the lens become opaque, removal is sometimes necessary. This condition is called a cataract. Cataractous lenses are usually removed and replaced with an artificial lens; however, with recent medical progress, surgeons are also performing laser surgery on cataracts. This sometimes eliminates the need for lens removal.
4. Lenses retrieved from donated eyes are used in cataract research programs to find new treatments and new ways to prevent cataracts.

Retina (top of page)

1. Lining of the back of the eye, capturing the light that passes through the cornea and lens.
2. Vital in transmission of images to the optic nerve and on to the brain.
3. All donated eyes contain a retina which is presently used by scientists at various institutions for study of macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and retinal cell transplantation.

Sclera (top of page)

1. The outer, protective white tissue of the eye.
2. Extremely durable.
3. The only other part of the eye, besides the cornea, that can currently be used in transplants.
4. Can be used to make scleral patches, eardrum repairs, nasal septum repairs, repairs of the gums, and in various other surgical procedures.

Optic Nerve (top of page)

1. Carries visual image to the brain.
2. Contains thousands of nerves. Whole eyes cannot be transplanted because these nerves are too complex to re-attach, with current technology.

How We See (top of page)

1. Light from the sun or another source reflects off an object, and enters into the eye.
2. This light enters the eye via the cornea...
3. and passes through the lens to
4. The retina, where discrete nerve endings are stimulated depending on shape and color of the object.
5. The optic nerve carries the image to the brain.
   
   (NOTE: Should any one of the areas of the eye become clouded or damaged, a loss of vision occurs.)

Transplant Effectiveness (top of page)

1. Overall, corneal transplants are 90% successful.
2. Of the next 10 people who go blind, however, only one can be helped with a cornea transplant.
3. For most of the other nine, the treatment or cure for their blindness has not yet been found. Their only hope to see again lies with continued eye research to find a cure.