How to Support LMEB
The Lions Medical Eye Bank and Research Center of Eastern Virginia is a Non-Profit Transplant Agency that Provides People the Opportunity to Donate Eye Tissues, Healthcare Professionals the Means to End Blindness & Patients the Hope of Clear Vision.
As a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization, we rely on financial contributions from our community to continue our mission. Your gift may qualify as a charitable deduction for federal income tax purposes. Please consult with a qualified tax advisor for more information.
Mission Critical Equipment
Donations Needed
Slit Lamp Microscope
Donate today to help defray the cost of this mission critical piece of equipment, and
Give the Gift of Sight worldwide!
*Cost Estimate for Replacement: $30,000 - $50,000
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The Slit Lamp Microscope is used 24/7 as a part of the eye donation process.
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This equipment is used by Eye Bank Staff to evaluate thousands of corneas per year.
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Current equipment has been in continuous use since January 1998.
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Current equipment has been repaired at least 15 times to extend its use well beyond its normal expected lifespan.
A Modern, State of the Art, Industry Standard Replacement Will Provide:
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An expected 20+ years of continuous use for tissue evaluations and on-the-job training for Eye Bank Technicians.
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LED Lighting (to replace current halogen lighting) for longer-lasting, brighter, and more eco-friendly illumination.
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Beam Splitter for co-observation during training or with students.
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Inclined eye-piece adaptor for better ergonomics to reduce pain when staff perform multiple evaluations in a row.
You can't put a price on the precious
Gift of Sight...
However, it does cost money for us to be able to process that Gift. Lab equipment, storage medium, sterilization supplies, eye prep kits, donor family support, and ongoing clinical and community education, and the skilled and talented staff who keep our eye bank running smoothly all come at a monetary cost to our organization.
Although we do charge industry standard fees for our staff members' labor processing tissue, donated eye tissue itself is priceless, and is supplied with no charge for the tissue itself. It costs thousands of dollars to provide just one cornea for transplant. We rely on supporters like you to help cover that cost, so that we can continue to Give the Gift of Sight worldwide.
Other Ways to Make a Contribution
You may also make your financial contribution by mail. If sending in your contribution by mail, please be sure to include:
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Your Name
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Your Return Address (for us to mail your receipt letter)
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A check made out to "Lions Medical Eye Bank"
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Do not send cash through the mail!
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Optional: Any additional information about the contribution
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If the contribution is in memory or honor of a loved one​
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If the contribution is on behalf of an organization
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Please mail your gift to:
Lions Medical Eye Bank & Research Center of Eastern Virginia
600 Gresham Drive
Norfolk, VA 23507
Continuing Education as a Core Value
Your monetary contribution to the Lions Medical Eye Bank and Research Center of Eastern Virginia does so much more than help supply transplant tissue to those in need. Continuing education is one of our core values. Our lab facilities and state of the art OR help our staff continue to be on the cutting edge of transplant studies, and our conference area is utilized not only by in house staff, but also by our local community, including EVMS ophthalmology students, local Lions Clubs, and other groups interested in learning more about how we can better give the gift of sight worldwide.
With a nearly 20% increase in donor activity each year since 2005, the Lions Medical Eye Bank and Research Center of Eastern Virginia has become a model for other eye banks.
Every year, over 600 corneas and ocular tissue grafts are provided for transplant from local donors.
Congratulations to our Director of Transplant & Research, Brian Philippy, for receiving the 2021 Heise Award from the EBAA. LMEB has two Heise Award winners on staff - our Chief Executive Officer Dave Korroch was given the Heise Award in 2017.
Contributions Help Us Give the Gift of
Worldwide Perspective!
Your continued support helps the Lions Medical Eye Bank host lectures and continuing education for EVMS ophthalmology students, eye bank staff, healthcare professionals, local lions clubs, and interested community members which would not be possible without the global network of providers and eye bankers cultivated by our staff.
Dr. Jung-Yul Choi, Immediate Past President of Lions Clubs International, and his wife, Seong-Bok tour the facility, and Dr. Diego Ponzin, the Medical Director of Fondazione Banca degli Occhi del Veneto Onlus presents his work "Cornea Transplantation in the COVID Era, Fears, Hopes, and Lessons Learned".
Taking Care of Donor Families and Recipients
The Lions Medical Eye Bank and Research Center of Eastern Virginia is not just a laboratory and tissue processing center. We appreciate that for every successful transplant, there is also a grieving family involved. Our administrative team handles all correspondence between donor families and recipients.
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LMEB's staff of caring and experienced professionals take over where the Donor Coordinators leave off to make sure that every family has access to information about their loved one's gifts, and handle anonymous correspondence between donor families and recipients in a timely and respectful manner. They also coordinate our biannual luncheons where local donor families and recipients come to celebrate the gift of sight, and remember those who were selfless enough to give that gift.
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Your contribution helps to ensure that both the lives of cornea donors and the precious gift of sight are celebrated locally in our community.
Questions?
We want to be certain that you know your monetary contribution to the Lions Medical Eye Bank and Research Center of Eastern Virginia is helping us accomplish our shared goal: to Give the Gift of Sight by providing people the opportunity to donate eye tissues, health care professionals the means to end blindness, and patients the hope of clearly seeing form, color, and motion. If you have any questions about our mission, your contribution, or how you can help us share the Gift of Sight locally or globally, please reach out today!