Operation sight Volunteers
Volunteer with Operation Sight
Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Operation Sight. You can help end treatable cataract blindness in the U.S. for those who cannot access or afford care. Operation Sight is fueled by a nationwide network of passionate volunteers who help those most in need. We are grateful for their commitment to improving the world's vision by helping Operation Sight patients who might otherwise go without care.
Please complete the Volunteer Surgeon Registration form and a member of our team will be in touch with more information. We ask all volunteers to review and sign our Volunteer Agreement as part of the registration process.
Important Note for Administrators: If you do not have the legal authority to sign documentation on behalf of your doctors, please email [email protected] to register your practice.
For questions or more information about volunteering, please contact [email protected] or call 703-788-5786.
Operation Sight Volunteer Process
Our goal is to make it simple for you to volunteer and change lives. Here's an overview of how our process works.
- Register to Be a Volunteer: Complete the Volunteer Form to register as an Operation Sight volunteer. Our team will reach out with more information.
- Patient Applies for Care: We take responsibility for pre-qualifying patients, completing paperwork, and managing all communication throughout the application, approval, and matching processes to reduce the burden on our volunteers. For more detailed information on this process, please visit our Patient Frequently Asked Questions.
- Match: We match pre-qualified patients with a registered Operation Sight volunteer surgeon in their area. Volunteers can then choose to accept the patient's case based on the information provided.
- Charitable Surgery: Volunteers work with the patient and complete the charitable surgery.
- Documentation: Once surgery is complete, documentation is returned to the Foundation.
Patient Qualification
Here are the qualifications patients need to meet to be eligible for Operation Sight:
- Must be at or below the 200% Federal Poverty Level defined by the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Documentation of household income and dependents must be provided.
- Must be uninsured or underinsured when insurance does not cover cataract surgery. Patients who receive Medicare Part B are ineligible. The program does not pay or assist with copays.
- Must have a formal cataract diagnosis within the past 24 months, where cataract surgery has been deemed medically necessary. Bilateral vision correctable to 20/40 or below is not deemed as medically necessary, unless otherwise noted.
- Must be permanently residing in the United States. Applicants who are temporarily visiting do not qualify for the program.
Should your practice receive a direct request for charitable cataract surgery, you may refer the patient to Operation Sight for review and pre-qualification. Please direct them to our Patient Inquiry Form.
Volunteer of the Year Spotlight
"I’m big on not turning away anybody in my practice. I don’t think there’s any conflict of interest in charging high prices and having a premium practice model with also offering very good quality community/charity care. We run a premium practice and do refractive lens exchange and premium cataract surgery and ICLs, but I also don’t ever want to turn a patient away if they need my help.”
The 2025 Operation Sight Volunteer of the Year is Omar Shakir, MD. Dr. Shakir, who practices at Coastal Eye in Greenwich, Connecticut, decided early on in his career that he wanted to be involved with humanitarian/volunteer eye surgery.
He performs both cataract and vitreoretinal surgery. In addition to participating with Operation Sight, Dr. Shakir is known for performing charitable surgery in his community.
Resources for You
Operation Sight volunteers power our program and have helped nearly 10,000 people see clearly. We want to make your participation in the program as easy and rewarding as possible. This page houses the top resources for our volunteers. Don’t see what you are looking for or have a recommendation on an additional resource? Contact us.
Operation Sight Contact Information:
[email protected]
703-788-5786
Volunteer Resources
Patient Information
Share Your Stories With Us
We're interested in your stories! Share testimonies of grateful patients or your volunteer experience with the Foundation team! Email us at [email protected] or tag us @ascrsfoundation in your social media posts! Your stories may be featured in upcoming Foundation highlights.
Promote Your Participation
- Download our Operation Sight volunteer badge of honor to display in your office
- Download an Operation Sight Patient Resource to share with referring medical practices and organizations (customizable version available here)
- Post on social media! Tag the ASCRS Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter (@ASCRSFoundation) use our hashtags #Operation Sight
About the Foundation Financials & Disclosures
The ASCRS Foundation supports physician education and provides humanitarian cataract surgery in the United States and developing countries. Through its programs and partnerships, the Foundation works to maximize the benefits of modern ophthalmology and to treat thousands of patients in need each year. The ASCRS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. EIN: 23-7388748.
