How Eye and Cornea Donation Works Through Georgia Eye Bank

Georgia Eye Bank, Inc. (GEB) recovers, processes, and provides donor eye tissue for transplant surgeries and eye research. If you want to understand what the organization does, how donated tissue reaches a patient, or what donor families and recipients should know, this guide covers the process at a general level. It draws on GEB's own published information about its mission, history, and services.

What Georgia Eye Bank does

GEB describes its mission as "improving vision and lives through transplantation of ocular tissue and cells, innovation, research, education, and collaboration to advance treatments and patient outcomes." In practice, that means three connected activities:

• Recovery — obtaining donor eye tissue after a donor's death, with authorization.
• Processing and evaluation — assessing and preparing tissue so it is suitable for surgery or research.
• Distribution — providing tissue to surgeons for corneal transplants and to researchers studying corneal disease and ophthalmic care.

The organization reports that it has provided over 65,000 sight-restoring corneas since 1961, and currently provides over 2,000 corneas for transplant each year.

The donation and transplant path, step by step

The exact sequence varies by hospital, donor registry status, and timing, but the general flow looks like this:

1. Authorization. Donation proceeds only after proper authorization — through a donor registry, or with the consent of the family or another authorized person. This is the gate for everything that follows.
2. Recovery. Eye tissue is recovered, typically within a limited time window after death. Timing matters because corneal tissue has a usable window for transplant.
3. Evaluation and processing. The tissue is assessed for suitability. Not every donation can be used for transplant; some tissue may instead support research.
4. Distribution. Suitable corneal tissue is provided to a surgeon for a transplant procedure, or directed to a research study.
5. Transplant. A corneal transplant replaces part or all of a damaged or diseased cornea with donor tissue.

What to expect: GEB states that over 90% of all corneal transplant operations successfully restore the corneal recipient's vision. That figure describes corneal transplant outcomes generally, not a guarantee for any individual case — a surgeon can explain what is realistic for a specific patient.

What donor families and recipients can find

GEB's site organizes information for two main audiences:

Donor families can learn what donation involves and how to correspond with a recipient, if both sides agree. Recipients can find the same correspondence pathway from their side. Medical professionals can review accreditation, safety, and quality information and request tissue.

If you are a family member deciding in the moment, the most useful first step is to speak with the hospital's donation coordinator or call GEB directly at 1-800-342-9812, the number listed on its site.

Why donation also matters for research

Not all donated tissue goes to transplant. GEB states that it provides donor eye tissue for eye research studies, and lists innovation and research among its core values — specifically work focused on corneal disease and improving outcomes for people with ocular conditions. Research use can include studying corneal disease mechanisms and testing approaches to ophthalmic care. This is one reason a donation that cannot be used for transplant may still have value.

Background and oversight

GEB has operated since 1961 and began at Grady Hospital in downtown Atlanta. The Lions Clubs of Georgia and the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation helped establish and guide the eye bank in its early years; in 1974 it became an affiliate, according to its history page. The site also references Georgia Eye Bank and the EBAA (Eye Bank Association of America), the professional body associated with eye banking standards.

Common questions

Does a corneal transplant always restore vision? No. GEB reports that over 90% of corneal transplant operations successfully restore the recipient's vision — a strong general outcome, but individual results depend on the patient's condition.

Can I choose whether tissue goes to transplant or research? Authorization requirements and options are set by the applicable donation process and organization. Ask GEB or the hospital coordinator about what choices are available in your situation.

How do I contact Georgia Eye Bank? The phone number published on its site is 1-800-342-9812. The site also offers adjustable text size for accessibility.

Where can I read more? GEB's site includes sections on eye donation, donor families, transplant recipients, correspondence, FAQs, medical professional resources, accreditation and safety, tissue requests, careers, and news.