Due to a shortage of donated tissue in Japan, there are currently 15,000 people are waiting for corneal transplant surgery. Only 2,000 corneal transplants are performed annually in Japan, compared with 40,000 in the U.S. This means that the majority of people suffering from diseased and damaged corneas will have to wait indefinitely to undergo operations in Japan.

I (Mr. Hideto Saiki) was diagnosed as a candidate for corneal transplant surgery in Tokyo in 1985. At that time I was shocked to learn I must wait four to five years to have the surgery in Japan. Fortunately, while I was attending college in the U.S.A, I consulted with an American ophthalmologist who I have undergone successful procedures in both eyes and states, "This experience has changed my whole life." I have improved vision in both eyes and a much more positive outlook on my future.

Now, other Japanese patients like me, can alleviate their pain and suffering by traveling to the U.S.A. for corneal transplant surgeries and other procedures which are limited or unavailable in Japan. Most eye procedures only require a two to three week stay. So why wait any longer?

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