Eyes of Hope is founded by Francisco West. He knows from experiences the challenges involved with eye related issues. In June 1977, when Francisco was nine years old, he experienced trauma to his right eye as result of punch from his five-year-old younger brother. Later that day he had emergency eye surgery to repair the internal damages to his eye. Because of the severity of the damage caused, he developed a cataract. In August 1977, he had cataract surgery. In 1998, Francisco had an intraocular lens implanted in the right eye.


In 2000, the intraocular implant had dislodged. He had another surgical procedure to replace the dislodged implant and a cornea transplant in the right eye. The cornea transplant was due to the initial injury in 1977. Approximately 4 months after the cornea transplant, he experienced a cornea rejection.


September 2001 he had his second cornea transplant and it rejected a week later. November 2001 Francisco had his third cornea transplant it rejected a week later as well. As result of these multiple cornea transplant, he developed secondary glaucoma. In 2003, he had a glaucoma tube shunt surgery to address his glaucoma issue. In 2004, Francisco had a fourth cornea transplant, after nine months once again the cornea reject. On March 20, 2008, he had his fifth cornea transplant done at the Wilmer Eye care at John Hopkins. In addition, he also a participant in the Study to Assess LX201 for Prevention of Corneal Allograft Rejection or Graft Failure in Subjects Who Have Experienced One or More Rejection Episodes Following Penetrating Keratoplasty at John Hopkins as well. (www.luxbio.com/LX201.htm)


In 2002 after his third transplant, he needed medication to treat his glaucoma. He was unemployed because of his company down sized. He had no insurance and faced with a dilemma buy food or buy eye medication? There are many people who are faced this dilemma daily. In some cases, the outcome appears hopeless.


In April 2008, still recovering from surgery, while in prayer he said, "God there has to be a purpose for all these surgeries and the pain and discomfort that is associated with it." He read Proverbs 13:12, which say "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life." This scripture was the inspiration for the name Eyes of Hope. Francisco desires to make a difference for those who will face similar eye related challenges. Together, making a difference one eye at a time.


You may be asking yourself, “What can I do?”  1) Become an organ donor.  I am a living witness, I can see because due to the generocity of cornea donor.  Click here for more information on how to become an organ donor. 2) Please donate time, money or both to a charitable organization that focused on eye related issues. Please click on the Resource Information for more information. 3) Get regular eye examinations.