Free and Low Cost Vision Healthcare Providers in Los Angeles

Community health centers, university clinics, or nonprofit foundations provide free and low-cost vision services. Clinics can offer their services at a low cost by using a sliding scale. Some might also have charity programs that allow people to access these services for free.

A sliding scale means that the prices of eye care services depend on how much a person earns. This ensures that quality services are more accessible to underserved communities or people at a fair price.

There are also nonprofit organizations or government agencies with eye care programs available nationwide. This is to provide people with free or low-cost eye care services.

These national programs often work on a volunteer basis. Doctors can sign up as providers for these programs and operate in their local communities. School clinics can also be part of these national programs.

Free and Low-Cost Vision Clinics in Los Angeles

Braille Institute

Address
741 North Vermont Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90029

Phone Number
(323) 663-1111

Website
https://brailleinstitute.org/losangeles

Services Offered

• Low vision rehabilitation
• Classes and workshops for the visually impaired

Angels for Sight

Address
920 North Alameda Street
Compton, California 90221

Phone Number
(310) 537-2102

Website
http://angelsforsight.org/

Services Offered

• Vision screenings
• Eye exams
• Prescription glasses

Saban Medical Community Clinic

Address
6043 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Website
https://www.sabancommunityclinic.org/

Services Offered

• Eye exams
• Vision tests
• Prescription glasses and contact lenses
• Surgery referral
• Diabetic retinal exams

Saban Medical Community Clinic

Address
8405 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Website
https://www.sabancommunityclinic.org/

Services Offered

• Eye exams
• Vision tests
• Prescription glasses and contact lenses
• Surgery referral
• Diabetic retinal exams

Saban Medical Community Clinic

Address
137 N. Virgil Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90004

Website
https://www.sabancommunityclinic.org/

Services Offered

• Eye exams
• Vision tests
• Prescription glasses and contact lenses
• Surgery referral
• Diabetic retinal exams

Local Initiatives Providing Vision Care for Low-Income Families 

UCLA Mobile Eye Clinic (UMEC)

Website
https://www.uclahealth.org/departments/ophthalmology/mobile-eye/

About
UMEC was established in 1975 by an anonymous donor. Now, it has a staff of ophthalmologists, ophthalmology residents, technicians, and volunteers.

The staff visits hundreds of Southern California community locations annually to provide free vision care to medically underserved communities.

The free services include basic eye examinations to determine the need for prescriptive lenses and to rule out the need for further treatment of any eye condition or disease. It also includes vision services for young children. Prescription and reading eyeglasses are provided at no cost to the patients who need them.

Braille Institute Youth Program

Website
https://brailleinstitute.org/youth/youth-program

Phone number
(323) 663-1111

About
Braille Institute’s Youth Program aims to help school-age children (7 to 19 years old) living with vision loss. They provide strategic workshops and hands-on learning opportunities to help them develop independence and self-determination.

Their mission is to help these children achieve a better quality of life long-term. The program’s curriculum supports the nine areas of the Expanded Core Curriculum. It also works with educators and parents in workshops led by its Child Development Program.

Operation Sight

Website
https://ascrs.org/foundation/operation-sight

About
Operation Sight is a US ASCRS Foundation program launched in 2014. It is run by a nationwide network of volunteer surgeons and their colleagues.

Their mission is to provide life-changing cataract surgery for Americans who cannot afford or access quality eye care. Since its founding, the program has provided over 7,000 surgeries throughout the United States.

National Programs and Resources

EyeCare America
(877) 887-6327
https://www.aao.org/eyecare-america

New Eyes
549 Millburn Ave
Short Hills, NJ 07078
https://new-eyes.org/

Mission Cataract USA
Fresno, CA.
(559) 797-1629
https://missioncataractusa.org/

AGS Cares
655 Beach Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
https://www.americanglaucomasociety.net/

Free White Cane Program
655 Beach Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
https://nfb.org/programs-services/free-white-cane-program

InfantSEE
243 N. Lindbergh Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63141
https://www.infantsee.org/

Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry
143 Rollins Ave #2046
Rockville, MD 20847
(301) 231-5944
https://optometriceducation.org/

My Retina Tracker Genetic Testing Program
(358) 40-2511-372
https://blueprintgenetics.com/my-retina-tracker-program/

Genentech Ophthalmology Access Solutions
(877) 436-3683
https://www.genentech-access.com/hcp/ophthalmology.html

Lions Clubs International
300 22nd Street
Oak Brook, Illinois 60523
(630) 571-5466
http://www.lionsclubs.org/