Rand Paul offers free cataract surgery for uninsured during break

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) performed four free cataract surgeries on uninsured Kentuckians on Tuesday, an act that that the former full-time eye surgeon said helps keep in him practice but also helps him remain a "citizen politician" who doesn't stay in Washington full time.

"It's nice for people who don't have insurance to get their cataracts done, and it does help me to stay in practice," Paul said, as reported by the KY Post. "I've told people I believe we need more citizen politicians who do come home. Unfortunately, many doctors get up there and get too far away from it."

Paul said he was surprised that Senate rules prevent him from continuing to work as a surgeon even just part time while in the Senate, but said he is glad to remove cataracts for people pro bono.

"They end up being probably the happiest people you'll ever meet," Paul said.