What is The Vision Project?

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The Vision Project is the Minnesota Eye Foundation’s longstanding charitable program and is a celebration of volunteerism. During the program’s annual two-day event, ophthalmologists perform no-cost cataract and glaucoma surgeries benefiting Minnesotans unable to afford care. The program is a volunteer effort supported by a group of optometrists, nurses, and anesthetists willing to donate their time and expertise to assist those less fortunate. The Foundation works to match eligible patients with volunteer surgeons and provides a financial stipend to subsidize the cost of supplies and equipment required for each procedure.

By leveraging the combined strength of an established charitable organization along with volunteer surgeons, The Vision Project assists low-income, uninsured individuals who wouldn’t otherwise be able to obtain eye care on their own.

“It has truly been rewarding to serve these folks by engaging our entire team — surgeons, physicians, clinic professionals and even their families – in this volunteer effort,” said Dr. Elizabeth A. Davis, board-certified ophthalmologist, partner and medical director of Minnesota Eye Consultants’ Surgery Center, who helped launch the program in 2004, Davis. “Our goal now is to inspire other practices, medical providers and volunteers to help serve the growing needs for these patients.

2023 Vision Project

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“When you give this kind of treatment to someone who cannot afford it, it must be on the basis of love for humanity .”

2022 Vision Project Patients, Denzil & Joanie Desilva

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“We don’t know what would be our future if we didn’t have this gift from Vision Project. It’s kind of given us some light to our life; because it’s so clear now…More than me, it’s my wife… I’m so happy that Vision Project gave vision to my wife and me as well.”

The program not only eliminates the costs associated with the surgical procedure, but by working with its partners, the Minnesota Eye Foundation is able to also subsidize the costs associated with the initial evaluation and testing, post-operative care, and medications for patients.

HOW TO APPLY