How our help works
-
Sponsorship & guidance. We connect eligible residents with regional Lions sight-service programs and partner providers, help with forms, and stay with you through the process. (Programs generally require financial eligibility and documentation.)
-
Hospital/clinician partnerships. In some cases, partners help reduce or waive specific costs (for example, eye-bank tissue for corneal surgery), making surgery possible for uninsured or under-insured patients.
-
What surgeries? Determined by medical need after evaluation (e.g., cataract removal or other physician-recommended procedures). Final decisions are made by the medical team.
Note: We’re not an emergency provider. If you have an eye injury or urgent vision loss, please seek immediate medical care (911 or the nearest ER).
Who may qualify
-
Blount County residents with financial need (programs use income/insurance guidelines).
-
Referral or letter from an eye-care professional indicating surgery is medically necessary (often required by sight-service programs).
Steps to request assistance
-
Use our Contact Us form on the website and include the subject line “Surgery Assistance Request.”
-
Include: full name, phone, address (city/ZIP), brief description of your vision issue, your eye-care provider (if any), and insurance/financial situation.
-
We’ll reply with next steps, including any forms, documents (proof of income/residence), and how to obtain a referral letter if you don’t have one.
What to expect
-
Application review by the appropriate Lions sight-service program or clinic; some meet monthly, so timelines can vary.
-
Evaluation visit first; surgery is scheduled only if the medical team confirms need and you meet program criteria.
-
Costs covered: Programs aim for no-cost care (surgeon, facility, anesthesia, and supplies when applicable), but coverage varies by case and partner. We’ll explain what’s included for your situation.
Why donations matter
Community gifts to the Maryville Lions help fund eyeglasses and surgeries for neighbors in need—kept separate from club administrative funds—so every Benevolent Fund dollar goes to service.
No-Cost Surgeries
If you need medically necessary eye surgery and can’t afford it, we may be able to help.
The Maryville Lions Club advocates and sponsors qualifying Blount County residents for no-cost or reduced-cost eye surgery through partner surgeons, clinics, and Lions sight-service programs. We also direct Benevolent Fund gifts to sight-saving care so neighbors can see, work, and live independently.