NORFOLK, Va. — Author's note: The video above is on file from a separate story that aired on children's eye health on May 5, 2021.
The gift of good sight is priceless, and Virginia Eye Consultants and Tidewater Eye Centers have begun their annual partnership to help people across the area restore their vision.
The Looking Forward...Giving Back campaign provides free cataract surgery to people who are uninsured and could not otherwise afford the procedure. It began nearly a decade ago, and so far it has helped hundreds of local Virginians.
According to research, roughly half of Americans will have cataracts by the age of 75.
Cataract surgery is minimally invasive and a common procedure. It usually takes less than an hour in total.
Patients are awake during the operation, and few people report any sort of pain or discomfort.
Doctors remove your natural eye lens, which has become cloudy and impaired your vision, and replace it with an artificial lens.
If you have someone you know who needs cataract surgery and could qualify for this campaign, you can nominate them by clicking here.
Nominations are open now through May 31, 2022.