If you are a senior citizen looking for a new pair of glasses and cannot afford one, there are several agencies that can help:
Lions Club International
The Lions Club provides a number of services that include free professional glaucoma screenings, cornea transplants and quality eye care.
Each year, Lions Clubs nationwide also helps 600,000 people with free professional glaucoma screenings as well as 25,000 desperately needed cornea transplants as well as collect of 3 million pairs of glasses for distribution. The services provided are based on need and are developed to address the specific needs of each community.
To find your local club, click here to be taken to their website. Enter your state and the nearest clubs to you will be shown in the search results along with their contact information.
Prevent Blindness America
Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness America is the nation's leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. Focused on promoting a continuum of vision care, Prevent Blindness America touches the lives of millions of people each year.
You can click here to contact them or call 1-800-331-2020 and request information regarding an eye exam, screenings for glaucoma and obtaining glasses.
New Eyes For The Needy
Since its founding, New Eyes has improved the eyesight of more than 7,000,000 people in the U.S. and around the world.
You can contact the organization by clicking here and viewing their eligibility requirements for a new pair of glasses.
VISION USA
If you do not qualify for government aid or private health care assistance that covers the cost of routine eye or vision care, VISION USA can help. VISION USA provides basic eye health and vision care services free of charge to uninsured, low-income people and their families. VISION USA was established in 1991 by AOA doctors of optometry who donate their services.
Just click here to see their list of eligibility requirements
EyeCare America
A public service foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, EyeCare America provides free eye exams for qualifying seniors. Eligible individuals receive a comprehensive medical eye exam and up to one year of care for any disease diagnosed during the initial exam, or a referral for a glaucoma eye exam, at no out-of-pocket cost.
The program facilitates eye care for U.S. citizens and legal residents who are without an ophthalmologist and who do not belong to an HMO or have eye care coverage through the Veterans Administration.
Volunteer ophthalmologists accept Medicare and/or other vision insurance reimbursement as payment in full. Patients without insurance receive care at no charge. To determine if you or a senior family member or friend qualifies for free eye exams and other services provided by EyeCare America, call 1-800-222-EYES (3937).
