A vital link in the restoration of sight, the eye bank opens a window to the world for those who could not see to see again through corneal transplants. Central Illinois Lions Eye Bank is unique from the former eye bank in that eye donors of all ages will be accepted either for transplant or research purposes. The eye bank's primary function is to retrieve, process and distribute the highest quality donor eye tissue for transplant. Eye tissue which is not suitable for transplantation will be used in research to find the causes and cures of blinding eye diseases.

Dr. Eric Lohse and Dr. Joseph Feder, both local corneal transplant surgeons, will serve as Medical Directors for the Central Illinois Lions Eye Bank. The eye bank will service St. John's Hospital, Memorial Medical Center, and Doctors Hospital, all in Springfield; St. Vincent Memorial Hospital, in Taylorville; Passavant Memorial Area Hospital, in Jacksonville; and Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital, in Lincoln.

The Missouri Lions Eye Research Foundation will maintain the operation of Central Illinois Lions Eye Bank. The Foundation is a publicly supported, not-for-profit corporation, which originated in 1960, as a Missouri Lions Eye Bank and has since expanded its sight programs into other areas, such as eyeglass recycling, eye care assistance and glaucoma screening. The Foundation maintains one of the largest eye banks in the nation, providing restored sight to more than a thousand people each year, throughout the United States and Internationally, through corneal transplantation. The Foundation also handles eye tissue distribution and placement for two eye banks in Kansas City, MO and Kansas.

The Springfield Noon Lions Club Foundation will provide both financial and volunteer support to the Central Illinois Lions Eye Bank. The Springfield Noon Lions Club Foundation is a not-for-profit organization of the Springfield Noon Lions Club. The 77-year-old club is a service organization dedicated to preserving sight and helping the sight impaired. Lions Clubs throughout central Illinois will also be contributing to the eye bank. In addition, the Lions of Illinois Foundation, in Chicago, recently donated a specular microscope for use by the eye bank.