Vision care is not a high priority for most insurance companies and is often considered optional coverage. Ever-increasing premiums, deductibles, copays, and coinsurance means that even people who have health insurance often find it difficult to afford basic eye care and necessary treatments. People without insurance at all are at an even greater disadvantage. 

Fortunately, there are a wide variety of resources available that offer assistance with medications, products, and services to help people take proper care of their eye health.*

The American Academy of Ophthalmology EyeCare America® Program

Through the EyeCare America Seniors Program, volunteer ophthalmologists provide care to U.S. citizens and legal residents 65 years of age or older who:

• Do not belong to an HMO
• Do not have eye care benefits through Veterans Affairs (VA)
• Have not seen an ophthalmologist in three or more years

Those who don’t qualify for the Seniors Program may still be eligible to receive a glaucoma eye exam through the Glaucoma Program at no cost if they:

• Are uninsured
• Have not had an eye exam in 12 months or more
• Are at high risk for glaucoma

American Glaucoma Society Cares

American Glaucoma Society Cares provides glaucoma surgery at no cost to uninsured patients who are clinically eligible for that surgery. 

Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry

Through the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry, many optometry schools offer low-cost care to people willing to be treated by supervised students. They may also provide free care to people who join research studies.

Foundation Fighting Blindness: My Retina Tracker® Program

This collaborative program provides no-cost genetic testing and counseling for inherited retinal degeneration (IRD). 

Genentech Access Solutions

Genentech Access Solutions helps patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) gain access to the medication, Avastin, through assistance with health insurance and reimbursement issues.

The HealthWell Foundation

Through The HealthWell Foundation, eligible patients can find assistance with co-insurance, co-payments, premiums, and deductibles for specific treatments.

Good Days

Good Days provides financial support by covering prohibitively costly co-pays for those with life-altering conditions, thus allowing people to receive treatments that would have otherwise been financially inaccessible.

The Hill-Burton Program

Based on family size and income, eligible individuals can receive care through The Hill-Burton Program at no cost or reduced cost at participating hospitals and clinics. Covered procedures may vary by location.

InfantSEE

Optometrists associated with InfantSEE provide comprehensive vision assessments for infants under one year of age at no cost.

Lions Clubs International

One of this organization’s missions is to provide patients with financial assistance for vision care. Find and contact your local club through the organization’s website. 

Lucentis® Access Solutions

This service helps patients gain access to the AMD medication, Lucentis, through assistance with health insurance and reimbursement issues.

Medicaid and Medicare

For Medicaid assistance, it’s best to start with your state Medicaid office or website. For Medicare, information and assistance are available through the official Medicare website. 

NeedyMeds

NeedyMeds is a national nonprofit that provides information on programs offering direct financial assistance for medications and other healthcare costs.

Mission Cataract USA

Through Mission Cataract USA, the Volunteer Eye Surgeons Association provides free cataract surgery to patients of all ages who have no Medicare, Medicaid, or third-party insurance.

National Federation of the Blind

Local NFB chapters in all 50 states seek to improve the social and economic conditions of blind people and parents of blind children through a variety of programs and services. 

New Eyes for the Needy

The New Eyes voucher program purchases new prescription eyeglasses for adults and children who cannot otherwise afford them. 

OneSight’s OnSite Voucher Program

By following specific steps, the voucher program enables eligible patients to receive a pair of glasses at no cost through participating retail locations. 

Partnership for Prescription Assistance

PPA is a free, confidential service that helps connect uninsured and underinsured patients with prescription assistance programs that offer medicines for free or at greatly reduced prices. 

Patient Access Network (PAN) Foundation

The PAN Foundation helps underinsured people who have life-threatening chronic and rare diseases with out-of-pocket costs for prescribed medications and other treatments. 

Sight for Students, a Vision Service Plan

VSP offers free eye care services (including an eye exam and eyeglasses, if prescribed) to students 18 years old or under whose family income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. 

For more information, visit the Prevent Blindness website.

*Vision Care Financial Assistance Information. (n.d.). Prevent Blindness. https://preventblindness.org/vision-care-financial-assistance-information/