Volunteer Frequently Asked Questions

Operation Sight is the ASCRS Foundation’s U.S. based charitable cataract surgery program. The program was launched in 2014 to serve financially vulnerable, uninsured or underinsured Americans who cannot afford or access care. The program screens and matches patients with its nationwide network of volunteer surgeons, who donate their time and services to those who could not otherwise afford the life-altering cataract surgery.  

If you would like the ASCRS Foundation to source the patients, there may be varying degrees of pre-op testing. Operation Sight does require a formal cataract diagnosis as part of the application process. However, patients may have varying details in the eye exam they provide. Some may have had a full documented exam, while others may have minimal information. We do our best to provide our volunteer surgeons with as much information as possible.  Typically, practices provide an evaluation appointment in advance to ensure the patient is a good candidate for surgery. 

It is generally performed at your practice by your staff. Once the volunteer practice/surgeon has accepted the Operation Sight patient, the practice staff become responsible for all medical scheduling with the patient.  

Yes, the patient is responsible for getting to and from the office/surgery center for both pre- and post-op exams and the surgery. 

The surgery typically takes place at the ambulatory surgery center used by the volunteer surgeon.

The center provides all supplies associated with cataract surgery, as well as the staff necessary to support the surgery and cataract care.  

Among the advantages to delivering cataract surgery is that the surgeon and the practice’s responsibility ends following the 90-day period. While the Operation Sight team will explain this to the patient, it is important that the surgeon or staff reinforce the message. Every surgeon can determine his/her own plan for post op care and visits. 

Please note that if glasses or contact lenses are needed, the patient would be financially responsible. 

Following the 90-day post-op period, additional care is entirely the patient’s responsibility.  

The surgery center provides all supplies associated with cataract surgery, as well as the staff necessary to support the surgery.  
Please note that patients have been screened to be of financial need and should not be billed for the cataract surgery or its associated appointments/care. The practice waives these costs. The patient only becomes responsible for costs if additional care is required post the 90-day global cataract period. 

If the surgeon would like to do the second eye through the Operation Sight program, the same process applies as with the first. If not, the volunteer must notify Operation Sight staff, so that we can work to match that patient with a different volunteer surgeon.  

At this point in time, the Operation Sight program is only for cataract surgery. If the surgeon determines that the patient is not a good candidate due to another condition, unfortunately, that would fall outside the capability of the program to provide care. If this occurs, the volunteer should notify Operation Sight staff.   

Care through the Operation Sight program is limited to the 90-day global cataract surgery period. The surgeon’s responsibility and liability end with that period. This is explained to the patient, but volunteers should confirm this with the patient during their initial visit.  

Please connect the company with Molly Gascoigne at mgascoigne@ascrs.org 

Please contact Jaya Minhas, Foundation Program Manager at jminhas@ascrs.org.