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Donating Eyeglasses

Wondering what to do with your used eyeglass frames? Don't throw them away!

Donating eyeglass frames is an easy way to help people who can't function normally because they can't see well.

Seventy-five percent of world blindness is unnecessary. Many of the more than 250 million visually impaired people worldwide could easily be helped with a pair of glasses. Instead, they have to live with functional blindness — the inability to see well enough to do basic everyday tasks, such as reading, writing, cooking and earning a living.

Donating Eyeglass Frames Through Lions Clubs International

To learn more about donating eyeglasses or collecting them in your town, click on the image.

Lions Clubs International volunteers collect old eyeglasses, reading glasses and sunglasses. They clean and repair the used eyewear, which is then distributed to people who can't afford to buy their own.

They accept both prescription and non-prescription eyewear, in both adult's and children's sizes.

Donating eyeglasses is easy. All you have to do is to take your old pairs to a Lions Club eyeglass donation bin in your town. You and your kids can also collect them on Halloween through the Lions Club "Sight Night" program.

Want to know more about donating eyeglasses? Visit the Lions Clubs eyewear donation web page for more information.

Donating Eyeglasses Through OneSight

OneSight is another organization that collects old glasses at locations nationwide. It also participates in Halloween Sight Night with Lions Clubs International.

So far, OneSight has helped 7,768,100 people in its global eye care clinics. It will hold 15 such clinics in 2011 and needs to collect and recycle hundreds of thousands of pairs of donated eyewear.

Visit the OneSight North America web page to find drop-off locations for donating eyeglasses.

Make a difference. Donate today.

Note: World blindness figures are from ORBIS International and Optometry Giving Sight.

[Page updated September April 2011]