Holland Foundation for Sight Restoration Launches 'Light After Darkness' Fundraising Campaign
The Holland Foundation for Sight Restoration announced the launch of its five-year, $5 million “Light After Darkness” fundraising campaign. The initiative aims to expand access to life-restoring treatment for individuals living with corneal blindness caused by Severe Ocular Surface Disease (OSD).
A registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Holland Foundation for Sight Restoration is committed to transforming lives through education, clinical training, and access to advanced care. The Foundation supports and trains surgeons at designated Centers of Excellence to perform 'The Cincinnati Protocol,' a surgical procedure developed by world-renowned ophthalmologist Edward J. Holland, MD.
Currently, the Foundation has established four Centers of Excellence across the United States:
Cincinnati Eye Institute (Cincinnati, OH)
University of California, Irvine (UCI) Health Gavin Herbert Eye Institute (Irvine, CA)
Virginia Eye Consultants (Norfolk, VA)
Mass Eye and Ear (Boston, MA)
Each center is led by corneal specialists trained in Dr. Holland’s protocols and actively delivers advanced care to patients with Severe OSD.
“The Light After Darkness campaign represents a critical advancement in our mission to restore sight to patients suffering from Severe OSD,” said Dr. Holland, founder and Medical Director of the Holland Foundation for Sight Restoration. “For too long, these patients have faced devastating barriers to specialized care and delayed diagnoses, which can mean the difference between sight and blindness. By expanding our Centers of Excellence nationwide through this $5 million initiative, we are creating a network of hope that will bring life-changing treatment to thousands of patients currently living in darkness.”
“At the UCI Health Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, we’re already witnessing the extraordinary impact of this work,” said Marjan Farid, MD, Director of Cornea, Cataract, and Refractive Surgery and Professor of Ophthalmology at the UCI School of Medicine. “Each patient treated represents a life transformed—someone who has found light after darkness. This campaign ensures that transformative care will soon be accessible to patients nationwide.”
As part of its continued commitment to education and clinical excellence, the Foundation will also host its Annual Ocular Surface Stem Cell Transplantation Education Symposium on November 14-15, 2025, in Greater Cincinnati. The symposium will provide ophthalmic surgeons and specialists with hands-on training in identifying limbal stem cell deficiency, selecting appropriate transplant candidates, mastering surgical techniques, and evaluating long-term outcomes from real-world patient data.
To donate or learn more about the Light After Darkness campaign, visit the Holland Foundation for Sight Restoration’s website.