Goodwill kept in sight

Last Christmas, Dana Point resident Kerri Larson bought a pair of over-the-counter reading glasses after she noticed that she had to strain to see her computer monitor.

A year later, she can’t drive, see friends waving to her on the street or read a book. Aggressive cataracts are rapidly cutting off Larson’s vision. Each day, colors are less vivid, faces less distinct.

Larson, 39, lost her job as an executive assistant after the company she worked for went out of business in June, leaving her without health insurance.

If she applies for disability assistance, insurers won’t cover any of her medical costs relating to her cataracts, because they would be considered a preexisting condition.

“I feel so useless,” Larson said. “I can’t even pluck my eyebrows, or paint my toes — it’s just amazing what you take for granted,” she said.

This year, Larson is hoping for a Christmas present from Newport Beach eye surgeon Gregg Feinerman.

Feinerman is giving away five free eye surgeries to Orange County residents this year to celebrate the five-year anniversary of the nonprofit organization he founded, Operation In-Sight.

Operation In-Sight has helped restore the sight of hundreds of people in developing countries by performing free surgeries and offering training and surgical equipment to doctors there.

Earlier this year, Feinerman traveled to a rural area outside of Hanoi, Vietnam, to perform surgeries to restore the eyesight of poor farm workers there.

One elderly Vietnamese woman was so elated at being able to see after Feinerman removed her cataracts, that she grabbed the doctor and began to dance after the operation.

“They’re typically really excited and so appreciative,” Feinerman said. “It feels good to give of yourself.”

As the country slowly pulls itself out of a deep economic recession, Feinerman wants to focus his philanthropic energies closer to home.

He’s had no problem finding people in Orange County who can’t hold a job or care for themselves because a simple surgical procedure to restore their sight is out of reach.

For many of Feinerman’s patients, a simple, five-minute surgical procedure makes the difference between 20/20 vision and not being able to read street signs, or a book.

“They can get up off the table and read a clock,” Feinerman said. “It’s the difference between that and being able to feed themselves.”

Surgery to remove cataracts, one of the most common problems Feinerman encounters, can cost about $5,000, which is out of the reach of many Americans without health insurance, Feinerman said.

Larson is one of five finalists to receive one of the first of the five free surgeries Feinerman is giving away this year.

One of her friends sent her an ad that Feinerman had posted on Craigslist seeking candidates for the free surgeries.

“Even if I don’t win, I think it’s such a beautiful thing to help someone else. He’s doing such a generous thing. It just kind of touches me,” Larson said. “If I don’t win, it just means someone else needs it more than I do.”

More Information

 Operation In-Sight is accepting “Gift Of Sight” nominations via e-mail at 5 p.m. Friday: operationinsight@frankgroffinc.com.

 The top five applications will be given to the Operation In-Sight executive board to decide the winner of the “Gift of Sight” surgery by early next week.

 The other four finalists will be put back into the candidate files for the future free surgeries through December 2010 by Gregg Feinerman.

 The nonprofit will continue to accept applications for the four other free surgeries throughout 2010.