Photo caption: New Miracles In Sight headquarters located in Clemmons, N.C.

CLEMMONS, N.C. (October 28, 2025) – Miracles In Sight (MIS) recently received two grants totaling $115,000 to go toward its ongoing capital campaign for a new headquarters.

MIS, one of the largest nonprofit eye banks in the world, received a $75,000 grant from the James G. Hanes Memorial Fund and a $40,000 grant from the L C Industries Foundation.

“We are extremely grateful for the James G. Hanes Memorial Fund and the L C Industries Foundation for believing in Miracles In Sight’s mission and helping us to complete our new state of the art facility,” said Ingrid Schunder, president and CEO of MIS. “They have a keen understanding of what we do, and the proper facilities needed to expand MIS’s research and recovery operations.”

Funds raised in the $5 million campaign have been used to purchase, remodel, and upfit a new facility in Clemmons. Thus far the campaign has raised over $3,500,000 since 2023 and will run until it reaches the goal.

The James G. Hanes Memorial Fund focuses on providing support to nonprofits in various areas of arts, education, and humanitarian services with priority given to those organizations in Winston-Salem, Forsyth County and the Triad of North Carolina.

L C Industries (LCI) is one of the largest employers of Americans who are blind or visually impaired and L C Industries Foundation provides funding to improve and leave an impact on the lives and well-being of those who are blind or visually impaired.

“L C Industries Foundation is proud to partner with organizations like Miracles In Sight that are making a tangible difference in the lives of people who are blind or visually impaired,” said Patrick Lindsey, president and CEO of LCI. “Their commitment to innovation and compassionate care reflects the same values that drive our mission each day. We’re excited to see this new facility bring even more possibilities for research, recovery, and restored vision”

Based in Clemmons, with recovery offices in nine cities across North Carolina and South Carolina, and a lab in Texas, Miracles In Sight helps restore sight for approximately 3,800 patients each year. The nonprofit facilitates corneal transplantation, a procedure used to help prevent or restore vision loss resulting from disease or damage to the cornea.

The 2022 flood, caused by a water heater failure, damaging the former 15,000 square-foot headquarters the organization leased for over 20 years, destroying its main laboratory.

When fully operational, the new facility will house a specialized lab to meet industry and regulatory requirements, training facilities, an MIS museum, and offices. The new building will sit on a 2.27-acre site, providing 25,920 square feet of space on two levels, with additional room for future expansion.

The new space will provide a dedicated lab to train physicians and ophthalmic technicians on surgical procedures and handling human tissue; build a dedicated area for innovation and product development.

For those interested in making a contribution or learning more about the Miracles In Sight campaign, visit, miraclesinsight.org.

 

ABOUT MIRACLES IN SIGHT: The Mission of Miracles In Sight is to support the restoration, preservation, and enhancement of sight through transplant, research, education, and innovation. Headquartered in Clemmons, N.C., MIS was founded in 1951 as the Eye Bank For Restoring Sight and later became the North Carolina Eye Bank before becoming MIS in 2014. Providing patients with the best tissue, in quality and selection, for transplant by leading ophthalmologists is accomplished by MIS through a state-of-the-art process. For more information, visit miraclesinsight.org.

 

CLEMMONS, N.C. (Sept. 24, 2025) – Miracles In Sight (MIS) recently received a $50,000 grant from the North Carolina Lions Foundation to fund the purchase of two ophthalmic instruments to assist the nonprofit with research. The grant is made possible by additional support from the A.J. Fletcher Foundation and matched by Lions Clubs International Foundation.

As one of the largest nonprofit eye banks in the world, MIS specializes in the preparation, preservation, and distribution of donated ocular tissue. In close collaboration with ophthalmologists and researchers, MIS ensures timely and secure transport of this tissue, helping patients regain sight through life-changing corneal transplants and groundbreaking research.

The funding will be used to purchase a SL-D4 digital slit lamp for tissue evaluation and research and a MORIA microkeratome system. The equipment will be used for enhanced imaging capabilities for tissue analysis, digital imaging and data integration, and training and skills development aligning with the organization’s continued research goals.

“This new and innovative equipment is critical in the ever-changing research needs for preserving this pivotal tissue for successful corneal transplantation,” said Ingrid Schunder, president and CEO of MIS. “This new state of the art equipment will allow MIS to continue its missions of offering a wide range of services, including research and collaboration with innovation partners to advance corneal transplant procedures.”

An SL-D4 slit lamp is a digital-ready ophthalmic diagnostic device that serves as a conventional biomicroscope and a digital imaging platform. The slit lamp can be used as a standard examination instrument or connected to a digital camera to create a comprehensive digital imaging system. MIS will use the slit lamp for various research projects involving tissue analysis.

At MIS, the MORIA Evolution 3E technology will play an important role in clinical application and research initiatives. The device allows for the study and improvement of corneal tissue preparation techniques, which can lead to improved outcomes in transplantation and broader advancements in ophthalmic care.

The North Carolina Lions Foundation collaborated with private and public donors, including the A.J. Fletcher Foundation, to raise $25,000, which was matched by a $25,000 grant from the Lions Clubs International Foundation.

“Eye research has taken a dramatic turn over the years, and NC Lions club members and Lions Clubs International Foundation are excited about the possibilities that can be discovered through the use of cutting-edge equipment used at Miracles In Sight,” said Carlton Metts, executive director for the NC Lions Foundation. “Two of our North Carolina Lions members come to mind after successful cornea transplants: one less than a year ago and the other back in the 90s. Lions have been involved with many research programs but this one with MIS feels like helping a family member.”

ABOUT MIRACLES IN SIGHT: The Mission of Miracles In Sight is to support the restoration, preservation, and enhancement of sight through transplant, research, education, and innovation. Headquartered in Clemmons, N.C., MIS was founded in 1951 as the Eye Bank For Restoring Sight and later became the North Carolina Eye Bank before becoming MIS in 2014. Providing patients with the best tissue, in quality and selection, for transplant by leading ophthalmologists is accomplished by MIS through a state-of-the-art process. For more information, visit miraclesinsight.org.