Tampa eye care nonprofit to break ground on $16M Ybor City project

One of the largest combined eye bank, tissue recovery and ocular research centers in the world is launching its newest venture this week that will, once completed, give the gift of sight to thousands of children in Hillsborough County.

The Lions World Vision Institute is scheduled to hold a groundbreaking ceremony Friday morning across the street from its iconic brick Ybor City location at the site of what will soon be a new $16 million Vision Health Center, according to a release. 

Scheduled to open in 2027, the 30,000-square-foot center will be dedicated to expanding pediatric vision care for uninsured and underinsured children and families across the Tampa Bay region. 

The new center, at 2112 E 3rd Ave. in Ybor City, has been in the works since 2024, according to the Lions World website. Once completed, the building will bring pediatric screenings, diagnostics, treatment and community programs under one roof, the release says. 

When the Vision Health Center is fully operational it is projected to serve 23,000 children annually, addressing longstanding gaps in access to essential eye care and serving as a critical connection point for comprehensive treatment. 

The center’s design will also include ample training, education and research space to “drive breakthroughs and the advanced surgical skills of ophthalmologists,” the release says. 

“Untreated vision issues remain one of the most common, and most preventable, barriers to learning and development,” the release says. “Local data underscores the urgency.”

According to the LWVI, only 53% of Hillsborough County third graders read proficiently — a challenge often linked to vision problems. At the same time, nearly 45% of Tampa Bay households are considered Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (or ALICE) homes, which means limited access to consistent, high-quality vision care. 

Additionally, the LWVI release states that up to one in four school-aged children may have an undiagnosed vision issue affecting classroom success.

“The new center is designed to provide earlier detection, coordinated services and long-term support for families who face persistent barriers to care,” the release says.

LWVI is a global nonprofit that has served as a bridge between eye tissue donors and recipients for more than 100 years.