In 1981, a national survey revealed that many people in Nepal were needlessly blind due to cataracts. In response, Lions Eye Care Centre  began providing eye care services in 1984, initially operating from a small rented room in Bhrikuti Mandap, Kathmandu, to serve the poor and economically disadvantaged from various parts of Nepal. The facility has since relocated to Shantinagar, Kathmandu, for easier patient access.

In 2012, Lions Eye Care Centre was transformed into a fully-fledged hospital named Lions Eye Hospital. Since then, it has steadily grown and now operates as a non-profit organization.