Our founder—Elizabeth Hope Armstrong—had a mission to give hope and vision to young people, and we continue her work with a dedication to giving sight and other critical services to those in need.

Twice a year, the John A. Moran Eye Center leads the way in a state-wide initiative called “Operation Sight.” In this charitable model, Moran’s operating room is run on a Saturday as it would be during the week—only physicians, nurses, and other staff members volunteer their time, and patients are not billed for their care.

It has proven to be a cost-efficient way to restore sight to up to 30 low-income, uninsured, or under-insured people with treatable eye conditions—many of whom cannot work because of their vision loss.

The University of Utah’s John A. Moran Eye Center, in partnership with Utah Navajo Health System, Inc. (UNHS) and Blue Mountain Hospital, has been providing free pediatric and adult care to the Utah strip of the Navajo Nation, one of the most isolated and neglected areas in the Lower 48, since 2013.

Once a month, teams of volunteers travel south to provide vision screenings, glasses, and sight-restoring surgeries. In a typical month, the team serves roughly 120 patients.