how to donate prescription glasses

Across the United States, many non-profit organizations and companies accept eyeglass donations. Donating your eyeglasses can be as easy as dropping them off in donation boxes or collection points. You can also mail the glasses to the respective organizations.

Full Answer

Where can I donate old eyeglasses near me?

You can deposit your eyeglasses at any participating Walmart Vision Center. The collection boxes are usually near the Vision Center entrance. Each month their staff freights collected glasses to the nearest Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center. Use the Walmart store locator to find Centers near you.

What can I do with my old glasses?

5 ways you can recycle your old glasses#1 Donate them to a glasses recycling program. ... #2 Give them a new lease on life by selling them online, or gifting to a friend. ... #3 Repair your glasses, or take them to someone who can. ... #4 Replace the lenses on your frames. ... #5 Save them for fancy dress occasions.

Where is the best place to donate glasses?

Walmart and Sam's Club— Walmart Vision Centers partners with the Lions Club to collect eyewear. Look for the blue and white Lions Club donation box, or ask your local Walmart if it accepts donations. Find a vision center near you here. Certain optical chains also accept donations.

Does Costco take old eyeglasses for donation?

Donate Eyeglasses at Costco Summary Costco accepts gently used prescription glasses, old reading glasses, sunglasses, and children's eyeglasses to recycle and distribute to those in need.

Should I throw away old glasses?

Do not throw away your old eyeglasses. Beyond the fact that glass and plastic pollute the planet, someone else in need could use your old glasses. There are many options for getting rid of old eyeglasses, and throwing them in the garbage can should not be one of them.

Where can I donate glasses to Lions Club near me?

Walmart Vision CenterYou can deposit your eyeglasses at any participating Walmart Vision Center. Local Lions clubs: Some local Lions clubs collect eyeglasses.

Can I bring my own frames to America's best?

Customers can purchase our Product Protection Plan, which protects your eyeglass frames and lenses for one year for a low additional cost. If your frames break or your lenses become excessively scratched during the year, bring them to your local America's Best store so we can replace them (only 1 replacement allowed).

What can I do with unused contacts?

Recycle your unused, unexpired and unopened contact lenses by donating them to places like Goodwill or the non-profit organization DonateContacts. While many of Goodwill facilities accept unused contact lenses and used glasses, be sure to call the location nearest to you to double-check.

How fast can LensCrafters make glasses?

In select locations, we may be able to make your glasses same-day or in about an hour. The ability to do so depends upon your particular prescription, the frame you choose, the lenses and options you select, and whether the store you visit has an onsite lab.

Where can I donate contact lenses near me?

Currently there are several charitable organizations that accept donations of unused contacts. These include (but are not limited to) New Eyes for the Needy (neweyesfortheneedy.org), MADRE (madre.org), Goodwill (goodwill.org), and the Lions Club (lionsclub.org).

Where can I donate old glasses UK?

SpecSavers and MYgroup Specsavers has partnered with MYgroup so that customers can recycle their glasses near them, free of charge by bringing them into their local store. Recycling boxes for you drop your old glasses in are available in all UK stores.

Where can I donate old glasses near me UK 2021?

You can donate them at many branches of Vision Express, Specsavers and Boots Opticians as well as many independant opticians. Onesight accepts used and broken glasses and transfers them for responsible recycling. Lions Clubs around the UK collect spectacles for reuse via Chichester Lions.

Do Specsavers UK take old glasses?

Recycling glasses is not usually an option through local authority collections. As a result, Specsavers has partnered with MYgroup so that customers can recycle their glasses near them, free of charge by bringing them into their local store.

Can you reuse old eyeglass frames?

Many patients who consider reusing their current frames do so because their frames are no longer in production. While this may seem like a compelling argument for putting a new prescription in your current frames, it can also be a reason to get new frames.

Where can I send old glasses in Australia?

Lions Australia Their program, called Lions Recycle for Sight Australia, makes up the Lions Club Internation Worldwide Eyeglass Recycling Program. Basically, they accept glasses, contact lenses, and even hearing aids to refurbish and donate them to those in need.

Why Should I Donate My Old Glasses?

Donating your glasses is a great way to give back to your community. Even more so, it can change lives.

How Can I Donate My Eyeglasses for a Good Cause?

Donating your eyeglasses is easier than you may think. Many organizations have convenient recycling centers, dropboxes, and other ways to donate. All you have to do is get your used glasses to the right place.

How many people have OneSight helped?

OneSight. OneSight has helped more than nine million people in 46 different countries by hand-delivering glasses to clinics for those in need. This independent nonprofit only donates new glasses — but you can donate your used glasses, too, and they will send them to other nonprofits such as Lions Club International.

What eyewear does New Eyes accept?

New Eyes accepts the following used eyewear that is in good to excellent condition: reading glasses, prescription glasses, safety glasses, sunglasses, and children’s glasses.

What is Eyes of Hope?

Eyes of Hope. VSP Global, a vision insurer, helps more than two million people around the world receive eye care and eyeglasses at no cost through Eyes of Hope. Eyes of Hope accepts new and gently used eyewear. You can learn more about the donation process on their website.

What does an eyeglass company do with used glasses?

The organizations that accept used eyeglasses will inspect them to make sure they are not damaged or broken. They will also determine the exact prescription and find a match for each pair — which could be someone as close as your next-door neighbor, or someone as far as a country thousands of miles away.

Why do people donate eyewear?

Eyewear donations help your local community members and can even stretch as far as helping someone thousands of miles away to see the world around them clearly for the first time.

Where to place eyeglass collection box?

Place a collection box in your business or community in an area where it will be noticed . You can request an eyeglass collection box from LIS or use any neatly labeled box. LIS can provide Lions Club stickers to help identify the purpose of the box. Please be sure to include your contact information on the box and collect the contents on a regular basis.

Can you use clip on sunglasses?

Clip on sunglasses with metal parts. Please discard clip ons that are all plastic.

What is Lenscrafters eyewear?

LensCrafters is an international retailer of prescription and nonprescription eyewear. It accepts donations of gently used glasses at its many stores throughout the U.S.

What is a respectacle?

ReSpectacle. ReSpectacle is a nonprofit charitable organization that distributes quality used eyeglasses to people in the U.S. who qualify for free glasses. It accepts glasses that are gently used and does not accept any that: are missing one or both arms, nose pads, or lenses. have loose lenses.

What are the conditions for a syringe?

It accepts glasses that are gently used and does not accept any that: 1 are missing one or both arms, nose pads, or lenses 2 have loose lenses 3 have cracked, scratched, or peeling lenses 4 have nonfunctional or broken hinges 5 have sharp points 6 are damaged beyond simple repair

Why do people donate glasses?

Donating glasses may help people regain their independence and improve the quality of their lives.

How many people have near vision impairment?

The World Health Organization (WHO) says that 2.2 billion people globally have near or distance vision impairment, and that this figure is higher in low- or middle-income countries than in high-income countries.

Who is Lenscrafters partnership?

LensCrafters has a partnership with OneSight, an organization that provides vision care to those who could not otherwise access it worldwide. LensCrafters and OneSight have donated eyeglasses and provided low-cost vision care since 1988 and have helped more than 10 million people.

Can a company donate glasses?

A company might donate a new pair of glasses when a person purchases a pair or donate used glasses when a person upgrades their prescription.

Why donate your old glasses?

One big reason to donate your old eyeglasses: You can easily change lives . Over 1 billion people around the world with vision loss and lack of access to eye care could regain their sight with a pair of glasses, according to the independent nonprofit OneSight.

What is VSP Global?

Through Eyes of Hope, vision insurer VSP Global provides access to no-cost eye care and eyewear for more than 2 million people around the world. They accept donations of new and gently used eyewear.

Why do people donate eyeglasses?

Besides giving the gift of sight, donating eyeglasses allows you to declutter your home and divert a perfectly useful item from the dump. Since the average U.S. resident tosses 4.5 pounds of solid waste per day, anything you hold back can help.

What to ask when donating eyeglasses?

When donating eyeglasses, ask yourself, "Would I be proud to give these glasses to a friend or relative?" Donate only glasses that are in good to excellent condition, and be generous with your contributions.

What happens if you donate glasses?

Once you donate your glasses, the organization will assess them, determine the exact prescription, and clean and possibly fix them if necessary. Your old glasses will then get matched to someone who needs them, around the world or in your neighborhood. Many donated glasses get used in “medical missions,” trips in which qualified medical ...

What are donated glasses used for?

Many donated glasses get used in “medical missions,” trips in which qualified medical professionals provide free vision care and correction in areas with limited access to eye doctors and health resources .

Does Goodwill accept eyeglasses?

Your local Goodwill may accept eyeglasses donations to pass on to another nonprofit in the community. Check with a nearby donation center to see if Goodwill offers this in your area.

But Why Donate Old Glasses?

Globally, at least 2.2 billion people have a near or distance vision impairment, according to a WHO report. These are the people who lack access to basic eye care services.

Wrapping Up

Hope this article answered all your questions, and now you know where to donate old glasses.