In 1990, Lions established SightFirst, a $143.5 million global initiative to fight the major causes of preventable and reversible blindness. The unprecedented program joins Lions volunteers with blindness prevention experts and organizations and governments.
SightFirst has:
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provided more than 7.6 million cataract surgeries
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built or expanded 300 eye hospitals
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supported more than 131 million treatments to prevent river blindness
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improved eye care in 102 countries around the world.
Lions clubs support other sight-related activities. Lions clubs and members:
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provide 600,000 free professional glaucoma screenings and make 25,000 corneal transplants possible each year
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establish and support a majority of the world’s eye banks, hundreds of clinics, hospitals and eye research centers worldwide
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collect more than 6 million pairs of used eyeglasses annually for free distribution to those in need in developing countries
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offer screenings, eyeglasses and sports goggles to athletes through the Special Olympics-Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes Program
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provide free quality eye care, eyeglasses, Braille-writers, large print texts, white canes and guide dogs for thousands of people each year.
