How to Recycle Eyeglasses

The concept of recycling eyeglasses means to give away as donation, so that someone in need can use it. There are many people around the world who cannot afford to buy simple eyeglasses for themselves, which makes it increasingly difficult for them to see clearly, read, write, and perform daily tasks at work or at home.

We all can donate our, used eyeglasses for such a worthy cause, rather than discarding them in the desk drawers or dustbins. These glasses are transported to impoverished communities, the homeless and underdeveloped countries, where many individuals are in need of eyeglasses.

This idea of initiating the program Give the Gift of Sight has been empowered by the Lion's Club and LensCrafters, both of which are national organizations, working for making eyeglasses accessible to every person in need. There are a few more, such as New Eyes for the Needy and CLEANUP, which have come up with innovative means of collecting used eyeglasses.

► Your first step would require that you speak to local ophthalmologists, and ask them if they collect used eyeglasses. If not, then ask them if there are any eyeglass donation boxes in your town or not.

► If visiting the ophthalmologist seems too tedious, you can simply call up the CLEANUP helpline number on (800) which is affiliated to the Lion's Club and LensCrafters. This line will give you all the information you need about the various drop off centers in your locality, and how to go about the procedure.

► You can also drop off your used eyeglasses at various drop boxes established by Lion's Club, which you will find in schools and hospitals.

► You could also gain further information from the Lion's Club website. The website will show 11 drop locations situated in USA, out of which you can select the one closest to your residence.

► If you wish you can have your eyeglasses delivered to the Lions Club International Headquarters. You can have access to their postal address through their official website.

► If you cannot find a drop box, simply post your eyeglasses to the Medical Ministry International. You can find their address on their website.

► Never give away broken or damaged eyeglasses as these cannot be repaired by the charitable organization. If the lenses are in good condition, you can always replace them with cheap eyeglass frames, which will not pinch your pocket in any way whatsoever. Only functional and reusable eyeglasses shall be accepted.

► You can also drop off your eyeglasses at the Kodak Lens Vision Center. They require that you pay $1 as donation along with the eyeglasses, which seems alright considering that it will take some amount of money to have these glasses delivered to its recipient.

► The Charity Guide is also affiliated to the Lion's Club, and you may send your glasses to them or deliver them yourself to their office.

► Always remember to pack the eyeglasses in its box or any strong container along with bubble wrap, so that it does not break.

You will find plenty of drop boxes in hospitals and in the ophthalmologist's office. Or you could donate it to the church or other religious organizations too, which can give it to someone from the community, who is too poor to afford the same.

A pair of eyeglasses can bring about drastic improvements in people's lifestyle. It can help cure problems caused by bad eyesight. The Lion's Club initiative can help provide corrective eyeglasses to millions of people all over the world who need your help. So do not throw away your old glasses, and instead give them away as donation.