The Eye Research Foundation founded in 1990, is a non-profit research foundation dedicated to eye research and education to improve the treatment of eye disorders and individual quality of life through better vision.

The Eye Research Foundation founded in 1990 is a non-profit organization whose mission is,

"The elimination of functional blindness in our community through the permanent correction of visual disorders enhanced through ongoing research and public education."

Our services include vision screenings at senior citizen and assisted living centers, providing educational services to other vision professionals and the community, ongoing research and clinical studies, and also providing subsidies to needy patients who need cataract surgery and have no means to afford the surgery.

The Eye Research Foundation has been fortunate to obtaining funding through grants from the Baptist Healing Trust, Cal Turner Family Foundation, James Walter Pickle Charitable Foundation, Nashville Gas, Harnish Family Foundation, plus many corporate sponsors and individual contributions. This funding allows the Foundation to fulfill it's mission to the middle Tennessee community it serves.

Every year, some 2.5 million Americans have cataract surgery. In Middle Tennessee alone, over 400,000 people in Tennessee age 40 and older have cataracts. By age 50, most people have the beginnings of cataracts. By age 80, more than half of all people have significant cataracts. According to the American Optometric Association, more than 40 million low-income working people in the United States can not afford the cost of routine eye care or the health insurance to cover it. As income earners, they don't qualify for government aid and private health-care assistance. United States census figures tell us that out of the almost 400,000 families in Middle Tennessee, 13% or an estimated 30,000 families are experiencing financial hardships.

According to Stephen J. Molnar, Jr., Executive Director of the Eye Research Foundation,

"We are very pleased and excited to partner with our many donors to further our mission of the elimination of functional blindness in our community through the permanent correction of visual disorders enhanced through ongoing research and public education."

The Subsidy Assistance Program represents a segment of the ultimate goal of helping to provide people with vision correction so they have a viable alternative to suffering from poor vision with no means to afford correction. Most of our subsidies are granted to patients whose cataracts have caused them to stop driving and working, and they have no insurance. With a quick phone call, patients can be qualified to apply for a subsidy. We also work closely with Nashville's Bridges to Care program. It is important that all patients with debilitating cataracts have access to quality health care. This program will be judged directly by the number of people we are able to assist in receiving vision correction where before their inability to afford cataract surgery was the only deterrent to enjoying a better quality of life.

Many people have asked:

"How they can help the Eye Research Foundation with its programs." You can contact us using the contact information on this page, and your inquiry will be answered promptly.

By bringing together the resources of our generous supporters, The Eye Research Foundation will continue to bring your world into beautiful focus. Won't you please consider your own donation to help us let others see the world as we do? Thank you!