In only a few minutes, William J. Lahners, MD, FACS, can perform a surgery that can alter the rest of a patient's life — and in some cases, he'll do it for free.
Dr. Lahners is the medical director of Center for Sight in Sarasota, Fla., one of 23 facilities around the country to participate in Mission Cataract, a program that offers free cataract surgery to patients who don't have insurance and don't qualify for Medicare or Medicaid.
Dr. Lahners says performing cataract surgery is one of the most amazing experiences an eye surgeon can have. Though the procedure is quick and relatively painless, the effects of cataract surgery — improvement of vision and sometimes even the reversal of blindness — can be life-changing.
Cataract is the number one cause of blindness in the world, and most people will suffer from cataracts during their lifetime. Problems usually surface between ages 50 and 60, at which point patients with insurance or access to Medicare or Medicaid can undergo a procedure to replace the lens.
Mission Cataract targets those individuals "who have been left out of the system," says Dr. Lahners. "Because they don't have access to these options, many of them are blind now. In addition to the fact that they can't see or brush their teeth and do stuff around the house, they also can't work," he says. "They're often on a path that's going to leave them destitute, homeless or cared for by family members.
"It's special to meet these people because they're all sorts of different people — people who have been terminated, downsized, some of them very well-educated, some of them skilled labors – who for various reasons have not had the opportunity to have benefits," he says.
To find the patients who have fallen through the cracks, Dr. Lahners' center advertises in local newspapers and magazines, at seminars and through its extensive physician network.
The free surgery doesn't only benefit the patients. Dr. Lahners says offering the service gives his center an "esprit de corps" born out of their collective sense of pride. "Every single one of our employees is very, very proud of the way we take care of people, in particular in offering this service to our community," he says. "It shows when you interact with someone here at Center for Sight."
Learn more about Mission Cataract and the Center for Sight.
Read more coverage on eye surgeons.
-Eye Centers of Florida Adds Dr. Rodney Smith
-Florida Ophthalmology ASC Featured for New Cataract Technology
Dr. Lahners is the medical director of Center for Sight in Sarasota, Fla., one of 23 facilities around the country to participate in Mission Cataract, a program that offers free cataract surgery to patients who don't have insurance and don't qualify for Medicare or Medicaid.
Dr. Lahners says performing cataract surgery is one of the most amazing experiences an eye surgeon can have. Though the procedure is quick and relatively painless, the effects of cataract surgery — improvement of vision and sometimes even the reversal of blindness — can be life-changing.
Cataract is the number one cause of blindness in the world, and most people will suffer from cataracts during their lifetime. Problems usually surface between ages 50 and 60, at which point patients with insurance or access to Medicare or Medicaid can undergo a procedure to replace the lens.
Mission Cataract targets those individuals "who have been left out of the system," says Dr. Lahners. "Because they don't have access to these options, many of them are blind now. In addition to the fact that they can't see or brush their teeth and do stuff around the house, they also can't work," he says. "They're often on a path that's going to leave them destitute, homeless or cared for by family members.
"It's special to meet these people because they're all sorts of different people — people who have been terminated, downsized, some of them very well-educated, some of them skilled labors – who for various reasons have not had the opportunity to have benefits," he says.
To find the patients who have fallen through the cracks, Dr. Lahners' center advertises in local newspapers and magazines, at seminars and through its extensive physician network.
The free surgery doesn't only benefit the patients. Dr. Lahners says offering the service gives his center an "esprit de corps" born out of their collective sense of pride. "Every single one of our employees is very, very proud of the way we take care of people, in particular in offering this service to our community," he says. "It shows when you interact with someone here at Center for Sight."
Learn more about Mission Cataract and the Center for Sight.
Read more coverage on eye surgeons.
-Eye Centers of Florida Adds Dr. Rodney Smith
-Florida Ophthalmology ASC Featured for New Cataract Technology