December 15, 2025 – Miami/Tallahassee. The Florida Justice Institute (FJI), a nonprofit civil rights organization, and Winston & Strawn LLP, an international law firm, have filed a class action lawsuit against the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) and its medical vendor Centurion of Florida, LLC, (Centurion), alleging that Defendants have refused to provide timely and necessary cataract surgeries to people in prison—forcing hundreds of people in Florida prisons to go blind for years.
The complaint, Barde v. Dixon, Case No. 4:25-cv-00463, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, asserts that FDC and Centurion maintain a policy and practice of denying cataract surgeries until incarcerated people become blind and then impose further delays, in violation of the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Cataracts, a clouding of the eye’s lens, are easily treatable through a safe, outpatient surgery—but left untreated, they can cause irreversible vision loss in some cases.
The Plaintiffs—Randall Barde and Carla Varner—seek to represent a class of all people in prison who have been diagnosed with cataracts but have been denied medical care. Mr. Barde suffered from preventable blindness for seven years and may now have permanent vision loss due to Defendants’ denials and delays. Ms. Varner suffered from blindness for more than two years and remains blind in one eye due to ongoing denials. Internal communications from 2024 show that there were at least 1,000 prisoners waiting for cataract surgery. Plaintiffs request a judge declare that such extreme medical neglect violates the Constitution and to ensure that prisoners with serious eye conditions like cataracts are afforded proper care.
“Rather than providing a quick and simple surgery, Defendants have allowed hundreds of people, many of them seniors, to become totally blind,” said Erica Downs, FJI attorney for the Plaintiffs. “Not only are they now at risk for permanent vision loss, but they are far more likely to suffer from falls and fractures and be abused in prison.”
“No one should be forced to live blind for years when a 15-minute surgery could restore their sight,” said Kristin McGough, Pro Bono Counsel – Civil Rights at Winston & Strawn. “Florida’s prison healthcare system is turning a preventable condition into a permanent disability.”
FJI is a nonprofit civil rights organization that uses impact litigation and advocacy to improve the lives of Florida’s residents. FJI works to promote human rights in the criminal justice system, empower vulnerable populations experiencing homelessness and poverty, and provide dignity and access to people with disabilities. To find out more, please visit https://fji.law
Winston is an international law firm with 14 offices in North America, South America, and Europe. More information about the firm is available at www.winston.com.