|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Miami, FL — March 10, 2026 — Patients across Florida will soon have greater access to
sight-restoring care thanks to a $228,641 Vision Grant awarded by Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) to Lions District 35-N. The grant will support the upgrade and equipping of
Beauty of Sight’s eye bank, expanding the organization’s laboratory capabilities and
increasing its ability to serve more patients throughout the state.
The LCIF Vision Grant is a matching grant made possible through the generous support of
Lions clubs across District 35-N and throughout the Multiple District 35 region, which includes Florida, the Bahamas, Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. The expansion will strengthen the organization’s capacity to provide sight-restoring corneal tissue, produce specialized ocular biologic therapies, and support ophthalmic research, education, and surgical training. The upgraded facility will also position the eye bank to adopt emerging technologies and therapies that are advancing the field of vision care.
“Lions have been leaders in the fight against blindness for more than a century, and we are
deeply grateful to Lions Clubs International Foundation for helping make this Vision Grant
possible,” said Elizabeth Fisher, District Governor for Lions District 35-N. “This grant reflects
the dedication of Lions throughout District 35-N and across our region to improving lives
through sight. By supporting the expansion of Beauty of Sight, we are helping ensure that
more patients across Florida have access to the vision-restoring care they need.”
Beauty of Sight, formerly known as the Florida Lions Eye Bank, has served patients and
physicians for more than six decades and is currently located within Bascom Palmer Eye
Institute, the #1 ranked eye hospital in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report.
The organization’s new laboratory, located just blocks away on the medical campus, will allow Beauty of Sight to expand its capabilities while maintaining its close collaboration with Bascom Palmer.
“This grant represents a powerful investment in the future of vision care,” said Elizabeth Fout, Executive Director of Beauty of Sight. “With LCIF’s support and the dedication of Lions throughout our district, we will be able to enhance our laboratory capabilities, expand our services throughout Florida, and ultimately serve more patients who rely on sight-restoring treatments.”
The laboratory expansion is part of Beauty of Sight’s broader strategic initiative to prepare for emerging technologies, therapies, and innovations that are transforming the role that eye banks play in supporting ophthalmic care.
“Beauty of Sight has a long and proud history of advancing vision care through innovation,
research, and collaboration,” said Joel Levenston, PVDG, President of the Board of Beauty of Sight. “This investment in our new laboratory ensures that the organization remains
positioned to support emerging technologies and therapies that are shaping the future of eye banking and ophthalmic care.”
Through the continued partnership among Lions Clubs International Foundation, Lions
District 35-N, and Beauty of Sight, this project will strengthen the region’s ability to provide
sight-saving care and expand access to advanced treatments for patients across Florida.
Together, these efforts will help ensure that more individuals facing vision loss have access to treatments and technologies that can restore sight and improve quality of life.
About Beauty of Sight
Founded in 1962, Beauty of Sight is a nonprofit eye bank dedicated to restoring sight and
advancing vision care for patients across Florida and beyond. Each year, Beauty of Sight
provides more than 1,000 corneas for sight-restoring transplant surgeries, prepares over
1,600 batches of Serum Tears, and supplies nearly 800 ocular tissues for research and
medical education. Beauty of Sight also funds ophthalmic research and supports a dedicated
ocular pathology laboratory that provides critical diagnostic services to physicians. For more
information, visit www.beautyofsight.org.
About Lions District 35-N
Lions District 35-N is part of Lions Clubs International and represents Lions clubs across
South Florida. District 35-N Lions are dedicated volunteers who serve their communities
through humanitarian initiatives focused on vision care, hunger relief, youth programs,
disaster assistance, and community service. Through fundraising, volunteerism, and
partnerships with organizations like Beauty of Sight, Lions in District 35-N work to improve
lives and strengthen communities while advancing the global mission of Lions to serve. For
more information, visit www.lionsdistrict35n.com.
About Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF)
Lions Clubs International Foundation is the global charitable foundation of Lions Clubs
International. Through the generosity of Lions and partners around the world, LCIF provides
grant funding to support humanitarian initiatives focused on vision, youth, disaster relief,
humanitarian needs, and diabetes. For more information, visit www.lcif.org.
Media Contact:
Elizabeth Fout
Executive Director
Beauty of Sight / Florida Lions Eye Bank, Inc.
305-482-4323
efcaraza@med.miami.edu
www.beautyofsight.org
