Donation of eyes results in gift of sight

Norma B. Dennis | Jamestown News

When Rebecca Lasley married Mark Johnson 10 years ago, little did she realize their lifetime together would be so brief. After a four-year battle with cancer, Johnson passed away July 14.

Lasley, however, found a way to sustain her husband's memory by donating the corneas from his eyes to provide vision to someone who otherwise would be unable to see.

“It might be nice to know who received Mark's corneas, but it is not really necessary,” Lasley said “It is enough to know that someone can see because of Mark.”

When the couple first began to establish a will and power of attorney, the question of organ donation arose.

“Mark was not averse to it,” Lasley said. “He just never thought it possible because of all the chemotherapy he had received. And by the time he passed away, the cancer had metastasized throughout his body.”

The day her husband died, Lasley learned that most forms of cancer do not eliminate the use of donor corneas for transplantation.
“Corneas can often be used when other parts of the body cannot because they have no blood supply,” Lasley explained.
Information on the eye bank's website also stated that no age is too old or young to donate and previous eye surgery or diseases of the eye - such as cataracts or poor eyesight - do not automatically disqualify donation. Most donations are made anonymously.

Each year over 3,000 corneas are provided by the N.C. Eye Bank and of those, 90 percent of the surgeries are successful in restoring the recipient's vision.

The day Mark died, Lasley, director of Mendenhall Plantation, gave permission to have the N.C. Eye Bank contact her. She was told that if Mark's eyes could not be used to help someone see, they could be used for research.

Approximately two weeks after Mark's death, Lasley received notification from the eye bank that her husband's eyes had indeed been used to restore someone's vision.

“I was so glad,” she said. “It is a cool thing to think that some part of him lives on and is helping somebody. Knowing Mark as I did, I know he would have liked that. It was an easy decision for me.

Mark worked with the High Point Theater for 13 years and for the School of the Arts in Winston-Salem since 2003.
“He was a big supporter of science and technology and was always interested in helping others learn,” Lasley said. “If someone showed an interest in technical theater, he was happy to be a mentor.

“Mark's mother and brother were supportive of my decision and happy that it worked out the way it did.”

Lasley noted that giving permission for a loved one to be an organ donor might not be as clear-cut for some as it was for her. It is good for people to have conversations about being a donor while they are still healthy. The decision could save a life or contribute to someone's quality of life.

“Discussing it ahead makes it easier on a family,” she said. “They have enough to think about when a loved one dies without having to make additional decisions.”

After donating Mark's eyes to the N.C. Eye Bank, Lasley debated putting the information on Facebook, but when she received word that Mark's eyes would help someone see, she decided to tell about it on the social network.

“I had 22 people hit the "like" button and several mentioned that they were organ donors,” she said. “I hope by telling my story someone else will make a decision or it will reaffirm someone in their decision to be an organ donor.
“I have a little heart on my driver's license to show I am one,” Lasley added.

How to become an eye (organ) donor
- Sign up at the Department of Motor Vehicles and put the heart on your license.
- Go to www.donatelifenc.org and signup to be a donor.
 Indicate your wishes in advance directives. Most importantly, share your wish to donate with your family.