On Dec. 8, 1994, the Lion’s Eye Bank of Washington, Northern Idaho and Alaska announced that they had completed the 10,000th corneal transplantation since being established in 1969.

The Northwest Lions Foundation is an operating unit of the Lions World Vision Institute (“LWVI”). LWVI is the new name of SightLife and the Lions Eye Institute, following their merger in August, 2022.

SightLife, based in Washington state, was founded in 1969 as the Northwest Lions Eye Bank. It underwent several name changes and has reorganized several times over the years as it expanded its scope and service area and joined with other orgainizations. Before changing its name to SightLife in 2008, it was known as the Northwest Lions Foundation for Sight & Hearing.

The Lions Eye Institute, based in Florida, was formed in 1973, and has grown into a hub for ocular tissue preparation, musculoskeletal tissue recovery, research, and pediatric vision health to transform the lives of people around the world.

LWVI is headquartered in Tampa, Florida, with satellite offices throughout Florida, Louisiana, Washington state, California and Pennsylvania, with additional tissue recovery services in Montana, Idaho and Wisconsin.