The North Carolina Eye Bank

What The North Carolina Eye Bank does

The North Carolina Eye Bank is a 501(c)-style nonprofit eye bank founded in 1951 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, operating commercially as Miracles In Sight (since a 2014 rebrand) and now, following a November 2025 merger with Advancing Sight Network, functioning under the combined brand Precision Ocular Network effective January 2026. The organization recovers, processes, evaluates, preserves, and distributes human corneal tissue for transplantation, performing approximately 3,600–3,800 corneal grafts annually with a reported ~97% transplant success rate. Its product portfolio spans the full corneal surgery stack: traditional Penetrating Keratoplasty (PKP), Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty (ALK), Descemet Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSEK), Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK) in traditional and preloaded formats, plus Corneal Allogenic Intrastromal Ring Segments (CAIRS) and a range of scleral tissue preparations. A key technical differentiator is the proprietary MIS RapidPrep DMEK and MIS RapidPrep DSEK Systems, which deliver preloaded tissue on glass cannulas to reduce surgeon preparation time in the OR; the portfolio is complemented by distributed partner products (BrightMEM, Vital Tears, KeraNatural, OptiGraft) and the EyeProGPO purchasing-organization service.

The company sells and distributes primarily to ophthalmologists, hospitals, and research institutions, with donor referral sourced through partner channels including hospice organizations, funeral homes, and medical examiners. Revenue is generated transactionally on a per-tissue-processed basis (quote-based, not publicly disclosed), supplemented by foundation and government grants; notable 2025 grants include $50,000 from the North Carolina Lions Foundation for research-grade ophthalmic instruments and $115,000 from the James G. Hanes Memorial Fund and L C Industries Foundation supporting a $5 million capital campaign for a new state-of-the-art Clemmons, NC facility. Operating geography spans North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas (Central Texas via the Lone Star Division and the Panhandle via the new Lubbock division), with international tissue distribution to more than 20 countries supported by FDA export certifications to the UAE, UK, Switzerland, Israel, and Saudi Arabia and Health Canada registration.

Strategic positioning is anchored on regulatory accreditation (EBAA 2023-2026, FDA tissue registration, state licenses in Florida, California, Maryland, and New York) and on multi-decade institutional relationships within the U.S. eye-banking ecosystem, including board seats on the Eye Bank Association of America, membership in the Global Alliance of Eye Bank Associations, and a research and donor-registration partnership with Donate Life America. The 2020 acquisition of Lone Star Eye Bank established the Texas footprint, the April 2025 transition of the Great Plains Lions Eye Bank operations created the Lubbock/Amarillo division, and the November 2025 merger with Advancing Sight Network creates what is positioned as the largest U.S. nonprofit eye-bank platform under the Precision Ocular Network brand.

Name

The North Carolina Eye Bank

Legal name

North Carolina Eye Bank

Website

https://miraclesinsight.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Nonprofit eye bank founded in 1951 (d/b/a Miracles In Sight, now part of Precision Ocular Network) that recovers, processes, and distributes corneal tissue for transplantation to ophthalmologists, hospitals, and research institutions across the United States and more than 20 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Eye Banking / Corneal Tissue Services

NAICS

Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115), Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers (423460)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Cornea & External Disease Surgical Devices (Keratoplasty Tools, Cross-Linking Systems, Amniotic Membrane Delivery) (HLAHAJAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ophthalmic Regeneration (cornea/retina) (HLAAAGAK), Ophthalmology Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAK), Cornea, External Disease & Refractive Surgery (LASIK/PRK) (HLAKAKAF)

Keywords

• Corneal transplantation services
• Eye banking services
• Corneal tissue processing
• Ophthalmic tissue products
• Eye donation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Winston-salem

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tissue Processing and Preservation Services: Fees charged for processing, evaluating, preserving, and distributing corneal tissue for transplantation. Revenue is transaction-based, generated per unit of tissue distributed.
2. Government and Foundation Grants: As a nonprofit organization, the eye bank may receive grant funding from government agencies and healthcare foundations to support operations and research initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The North Carolina Eye Bank, operating as Miracles In Sight, recovers, processes, evaluates, preserves, and distributes donor corneal tissue for transplantation to ophthalmologists and hospitals. It offers a portfolio of corneal transplant preparations including PKP, ALK, DSEK, and DMEK, along with patented preloaded tissue preparation systems (MIS RapidPrep DMEK and DSEK) and complementary distributed partner products such as BrightMEM, Vital Tears, KeraNatural, and OptiGraft. The organization also supplies scleral tissue and research tissue for medical advancement.

Product overview

Miracles In Sight (formerly The North Carolina Eye Bank) operates as a nonprofit eye bank offering a comprehensive portfolio of corneal transplant products and services. The core offerings include multiple corneal transplant techniques: Penetrating Keratoplasty (PKP) for full-thickness grafts, Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty (ALK), Descemet Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSEK), and Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK). The organization provides patented preloaded tissue preparation systems including the MIS RapidPrep DMEK and RapidPrep DSEK Systems, along with Corneal Allogenic Intrastromal Ring Segments (CAIRS) for keratoconus treatment. Distributed partner products include BrightMEM corneal allografts from Brightstar Technologies, Vital Tears autologous serum eye drops, KeraNatural allograft rings and arcs, and OptiGraft sterile ophthalmic allografts. The organization also offers scleral tissue products, antifungal supplementation, and partners with EyeProGPO for purchasing organization services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Vital Tears™: Custom, convenient autologous serum eye drops made for each patient per physician's specifications, produced by diluting a patient's serum with a sterile balanced salt solution.
• BrightMEM™
• KeraNatural™
• OptiGraft
• MIS RapidPrep DMEK® System
• MIS RapidPrep™ System

Products and services

• Penetrating Keratoplasty (PKP) Traditional full-thickness corneal graft procedure for corneal transplantation, provided as processed donor tissue to ophthalmologists and hospitals.
• Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty (ALK) Partial-thickness corneal graft with average graft diameter of 9.5mm, supplied to surgeons for anterior segment corneal disease treatment.
• Descemet Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSEK) Endothelial corneal transplant processed to desired thickness (regular, thin, or ultra-thin), distributed for endothelial keratoplasty procedures.
• Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK) Endothelial keratoplasty tissue available in traditional and preloaded formats using the patented MIS RapidPrep DMEK System.
• MIS RapidPrep DMEK System Patented preloaded DMEK system with multiple glass cannula sizes for streamlined tissue preparation and delivery, reducing surgeon operating time.
• MIS RapidPrep DSEK System Patented preloaded DSEK system with glass cannula available for streamlined endothelial keratoplasty tissue preparation.
• Corneal Allogenic Intrastromal Ring Segments (CAIRS) Allogenic donor stroma used as a spacer agent in ectatic keratoconic corneas for keratoconus management.
• Scleral Tissue Products Sclera available in 5% alcohol, quarter, half, whole, and 5x8mm square sizes, plus long-term, glycerin-preserved and irradiated corneas for ocular surgery.
• BrightMEM Corneal allograft derived from Descemet's Membrane that improves conditions of the ocular surface to support survival, maturation, and multiplication of corneal epithelial cells.
• Vital Tears Custom autologous serum eye drops made for each patient per physician's specifications by diluting the patient's serum with sterile balanced salt solution.
• KeraNatural Sterile allograft rings and arcs designed to manage advanced keratoconus by reshaping the cornea from within, with a 2-year shelf life.
• OptiGraft Hydrated, irradiated, sterile ocular patch graft delivering gold standard safety and shelf life at accessible pricing for glaucoma and corneal surgeries.
• EyeProGPO Ophthalmology-focused purchasing organization that helps practices and ambulatory surgery centers work more efficiently through group purchasing.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~97% success rate for corneal transplants

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Brightstar TechnologiescoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for BrightMEM product, integrating technology for enhanced tissue processing capabilities
• Vital TearscoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for autologous serum eye drops, providing complementary products for ocular surface treatment
• KeraNaturalcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for sterile allograft rings and arcs used in corneal surgical procedures
• EyeProGPOminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGroup purchasing organization partnership for procurement optimization
• OptiGraftcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for sterile ophthalmic allografts complementing tissue offerings
• Cure Blindness ProjectflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal partnership to eliminate corneal blindness worldwide through international tissue distribution and training programs
• Duke Global OphthalmologyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for global ophthalmology initiatives, research collaboration, and training programs
• Trillium Vision FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation partnership for vision restoration programs and international outreach
• Eye Bank Association of AmericacoreOthersPrimary industry association providing accreditation, standards, and advocacy for eye banking
• Global Alliance of Eye Bank AssociationscoreOthersInternational association connecting eye banks worldwide for standards and collaboration
• Donate Life AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for organ, eye, and tissue donor registration programs to increase donor enrollment
• Association for Research in Vision and OphthalmologyminorOthersResearch association for vision and ophthalmology professionals
• American Society of Ophthalmic AdministratorsminorOthersProfessional association for ophthalmic administration and practice management
• American Association of OphthalmologyminorOthersLeading professional association for ophthalmology providing education and advocacy

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Advancing Sight Network: Direct peer and now merger partner; nonprofit eye bank that recovered, processed, and distributed corneal tissue to surgeons. Merged with Miracles In Sight in January 2026 to form Precision Ocular Network, making it the closest comparable in scale, mission, and operating model.
• Eversight: Nonprofit eye bank network with operations across multiple US states providing donor corneal tissue for transplantation and research. Directly comparable in mission, products (DMEK, DSEK, PKP), and surgeon customer base.
• SightLife: Nonprofit eye bank focused on corneal tissue recovery and global distribution to eliminate corneal blindness. Direct competitor in both US tissue supply and international eye banking partnerships.
• Saving Sight: Nonprofit eye bank (formerly Missouri Lions Eye Bank) providing donor corneal tissue for transplant and research. Comparable mission, product portfolio, and Lions-affiliated heritage, with overlapping US geographic coverage.
• Lions VisionGift: Nonprofit eye bank based in Portland, Oregon recovering, processing, and distributing corneal tissue across the western US. Directly comparable in services, EBAA accreditation, and surgeon customer model.
• San Diego Eye Bank: Nonprofit eye bank providing corneal tissue for transplantation with strong presence in Southern California. Direct peer in tissue processing, regulatory accreditation, and ophthalmologist customer relationships.
• Eye Bank for Sight Restoration: Nonprofit eye bank serving the New York metropolitan area with corneal tissue recovery and distribution. Comparable mission and EBAA-accredited operations, overlapping with Miracles In Sight's NY license territory.
• Lions Eye Institute for Transplant and Research: Nonprofit organization in Tampa, Florida providing donor ocular and tissue banking services. Comparable in corneal tissue processing, EBAA accreditation, and Florida state licensing, making it a geographic and operational peer.

Emerging players

• CorneaGen: For-profit corneal tissue provider focused on DMEK and DSEK innovations and surgeon supply. Competes in the same tissue preparation and distribution market with proprietary graft technology, representing a commercial counterpart to nonprofit eye banks.

Others

• Donate Life America: National nonprofit alliance managing the organ, eye, and tissue donor registry. Miracles In Sight partners with Donate Life America for donor registration, making it an upstream ecosystem enabler for eye bank donor supply.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/134470376605919
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/miracles-in-sight
• Instagraminstagram.com/miraclesinsight
• Xx.com/miraclesinsight

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The North Carolina Eye Bank