Snowmobilers travel for eye bank awareness

February 5, 2010

Individuals in Ontario, Canada, recently went snowmobiling to raise awareness for a local eye bank, which collects donations of eye tissues.

The 27th annual Journey for Sight event, which lasts for an entire week as snowmobilers travel throughout Canada, raises awareness and donations for the Lions Eye Bank of Manitoba, according to the Valley Leader.

The 48 riders pay their own expenses, and this year raised more than $150,000 to go towards new equipment for the eye care facility. Riders feel it's important to participate in the event, as the cause can make a big difference in someone's life.

"We appreciate every participant's dedication and commitment," Morden Lions Club spokesperson Rob Lawrence, told the Morden Times.

The bank provides eye tissues for corneal transplants to individuals who qualify. Though there were 240 successful eye tissue transplants last year, there are still 106 individuals in Manitoba who still need the procedure. Corneal transplants have a 92 percent success rate of restoring vision for an individual.

According to the Mayo Clinic, approximately 40,000 corneal transplants are performed in America every year.