Hampton Roads clinics offering free eye surgery for those in need

Virginia Eye Consultants and Tidewater Eye Centers will be providing free surgeries to remove cataracts for area residents in need later this year.

It is part of an annual program that has helped between 300 and 400 people regain their vision since it was first rolled out in 2013, according to Tami Burke of Virginia Eye Consultants.

“The goal of the program is to help someone regain their independence,” she said.

A cataract is when and they can be debilitating, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Surgeries can cost between $3,000 and $7,000, according to Burke.

“If you’re in a situation where you’ve lost your job or don’t have insurance for any number of reasons, say you might be homeless; if you can get your sight back, you can get your independence back,” Burke said. “So you can do things you couldn’t before and perhaps reenter the workforce.”

Since the surgeries are free, those who receive them must be nominated through paper or electronic forms, according to Burke. Nominations can and have come from everywhere, including from homeless shelters, and individuals can nominate themselves or family members can nominate them, she said.

The program requires nominations and reviews to make sure those who receive the surgery are those who would not be able to otherwise get the surgery and the results of the procedure would have a “substantial effect” on their lives, according to Burke.

The program began nearly 10 years ago, Burke said. In 2013 and the following few years, they performed around 50 of the free eye surgeries, but over the last few years have seen demand wane, she said.

The surgeries for those chosen usually are scheduled for the fall, according to Burke.