EyeCare America Expands Access to Sight-Saving Eye Care to People Age 18 and Older

Generous gift from the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. allows innovative screening program to serve more Americans in need of eye care

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Oct. 18, 2025 — The American Academy of Ophthalmology, through its EyeCare America® program, is expanding a novel approach to providing care to the nation’s uninsured and underinsured, thanks to a $1.5 million gift from the Knights Templar Eye Foundation (KTEF). The KTEF investment will support the largest expansion of the EyeCare America program since it began 40 years ago, transforming it from a seniors-only program to one that serves people aged 18 and older. The funding also supports the expansion of a pilot program launched last year that partners with Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) to provide eye care services to patients in underserved communities.

FQHCs are a vital resource for low-income and medically underserved patients that are growing in importance. Between 2000 and 2018, the number of people getting care at FQHCs has increased by 196 percent, becoming a main source of health care for one in 11 Americans. But few FQHCs provide screenings for sight-threatening eye disease.

Under a pilot program started last year, the Academy worked with industry partners to equip a FQHC in Delaware, the Henrietta Johnson Medical Center, with an artificial intelligence-powered tool to screen patients for diabetic eye disease during primary care visits. Those found at risk of vision loss got an appointment with an EyeCare America volunteer ophthalmologist for further management and treatment.

In just one year, more than 30 percent of patients screened at the Delaware center showed signs of diabetic eye disease that required further ophthalmic evaluation. But many of these patients were too young to qualify for the EyeCare America program, which at the time offered no out-of-pocket cost medical eye exams only for those age 65 and older.

By lowering the age eligibility requirement to 18 and older and expanding the pilot program to include at least three FQHCs in the next year, the Academy and the Knights Templar Eye Foundation will serve more Americans in need of eye care through the program’s dedicated volunteers.

“This investment from the Knights Templar Eye Foundation effectively allows the Academy to expand its mission—to protect sight and empower lives—to more Americans in need of our services,” said Stephen D. McLeod, MD, CEO of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. “Leveraging both the accessibility of FQHCs to find patients where they seek care and the efficiency of artificial intelligence-powered screening can ultimately make it easier for the millions of uninsured and underinsured Americans to get the diagnosis and the therapies they need to save their vision.”

The Academy’s Task Force on Ophthalmology and Community Health Centers is working to promote the need for eye care services in more FQHCs. The work of this Task Force is key to the Academy’s effort to address gaps in eye care delivery nationwide.

“The Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. has been pleased to sponsor the American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeCare America's Senior Eye Care Program for several decades. We have also sponsored programs in Pediatric Ophthalmology through various universities and organizations,” said David D. Goodwin, executive director and past president of the Knights Templar Eye Foundation. “We are now pleased to join the American Academy of Ophthalmology in expanding the current program to provide eye care to those 18 years of age and older. This new program will now give us a presence in eye care for all ages.”

To learn more and see if you or a loved one qualifies for a no out-of-pocket cost medical eye exam, visit: www.aao.org/eyecare-america.

About the American Academy of Ophthalmology

The American Academy of Ophthalmology is the world’s largest association of eye physicians and surgeons. A global community of 32,000 medical doctors, we protect sight and empower lives by setting the standards for ophthalmic education and advocating for our patients and the public. We innovate to advance our profession and to ensure the delivery of the highest-quality eye care. Our EyeSmart® program provides the public with the most trusted information about eye health. For more information, visit aao.org.