What Eye Surgeries Does LSH Help With?

LSH funds critically needed treatment to restore or prevent further loss of vision. We help those in our service area who lack income and/or enough insurance coverage to meet the cost and in some cases, LSH can help with the copay. Though cataract surgery is the most common eye issue we help fund, we do help with other eye issues, including retinal detachment, retinal tear, surfer’s eye (pterygium) and gas bubbles on the retina.

Cataract Surgery

Cataracts cause an eye lens to become opaque or cloudy, and when this happens the amount of light that can reach the retina is reduced, so your sight becomes blurry. To stop cataracts from progressing, cataract surgery is recommended. Read about more about cataracts and cataract surgery costs. In the United States, close to 4 million cataract surgeries are performed each year. It is usually a highly successful procedure with great outcomes and few side effects. “To most people, cataract surgery is just a routine thing. But for me it was life-changing. It was a total miracle.” Cindy Walters

Retinal Tear

Retinal tear symptoms include the sensation of flashes of light in the eye and floaters. Retinal tears can allow fluid to enter beneath the retina and ultimately cause a retinal detachment (see below).

Detached Retina

A detached retina occurs when the retina pulls away from the supportive tissue around it and causes floaters and flashes of light or shadows in the visual field. This is considered an emergency, but quick medical treatment can often save the sight in that eye. Rosie Orduña was told she had a detached retina in her left eye – and this happened right after Rosie gave birth to her daughter Kassandra. Kassandra was born deaf, and Rosie communicates with her using American Sign Language. When she began to lose vision, she also began to lose her ability to communicate with her daughter. She had exhausted her resources. A friend told her about a foundation that helped with eye surgery. “I looked it up on the Internet,” she says. Her research led her to the San Diego Host Lions Club, which helped her to apply and get help from LSH. Thanks to LSH, she has a chance to get on with her life – and to continue to communicate with Kassandra. Rosie Orduña  When Tim Seward was diagnosed with detached retina in both eyes, he struggled to find a way to afford to save his sight.  A mentor, who was a Lion, told him to contact LSH  and then everything changed. “I submitted my paperwork; within a couple of days I got approved and got an appointment at the Pacific Eye Institute. They scheduled me within a week.” Within a month, Tim had surgery on both eyes. He’ll always be grateful to LSH, he says. “You guys were there when I had nowhere else to go.”  Tim Seward 

Surfer’s Eye (Pterygium) 

Surfer’s eye, also known as pterygium, is a condition that causes eye irritation, redness and blurred vision and results from a pink growth on the white part of the eyeball. Surfer’s eye usually is treatable with surgery. Extensive exposure to ultraviolet lights, ongoing dry eyes, sand, wind and dust exposure can cause this condition.

Gas Bubbles on the Retina

In 2016, Norma Agpalo began noticing something strange in her left eye. When she looked at a straight line, it seemed crooked. She had her eyes checked and got glasses, but the problem didn’t go away. “The faces on TV looked like monsters,” she remembers. When she was riding in the car with her husband, she could only see one car ahead. She couldn’t see the stoplights. She went back to the doctor, who referred her to the Pacific Eye Institute. She was told she had gas bubbles on her retina. “I had no health insurance. They told me it was going to cost $3,000.” Norma had no idea how she would pay for the surgery. “They suggested that I call LSH. I called and after I sent in my documentation I was quickly approved.”  Norma Agpalo   

LSH may be able to help with the cost of your eye surgery or procedure.

To find out if you qualify, go to How Do I Qualify or call 1-800-647-6638.

Our staff is happy to provide guidance through the process.