Your specs can do more than keep you from squinting. They’re actually a sustainable way for you to give back. Here’s how:
Whether you’ve been wearing glasses for years, or only onto your second pair, chances are, you have an extra set of eyeware laying around, being saved “just in case”.
These extra sets may have been saved if you’re worried about breaking the first, or to be used as spares when you don’t feel like wearing your contacts. I’m not talking about those glasses – instead, the ones that have the broken arm, or are an old prescription, or are hot pink and lime green striped – because they were trendy at the time.
Like you, there are many individuals in the world the world who haven’t been blessed with excellent eyesight. Unlike, you, however, they don’t have extra glasses to spare – in fact, they don’t have any glasses at all. These folks, then, are are prevented from performing daily tasks such as going to work or school, all because they cannot afford a pair of glasses.
Ways you can recycle your old specs
The Lion’s Club International provides a way for you to recycle your old eyeware to people in developing nations. Their program, “Lions Recycle for Sight”, collects and repairs glasses, and then distributes them to those in need. The individuals on the receiving end don’t pay a dime.
Unite for Sight is non-profit organization that focuses on high quality eye healthcare for all, world-wide. They train volunteers in their local communities and abroad to globally provide care for those without previous access. Unite for Sight accept donations of eyeglasses as well as monetary donations that goes towards running their programs and purchasing items such as equipment. OneSightSM has a similar program.
Although many of us don’t have the time in our busy lives to volunteer at such programs, minimally donating your unused eyeware is an easy way to partake. During your spring cleaning ventures, see what you might have stored, and swing by a local optometrist or eyeware store. They usually have a container for the glasses, and they send them along.
Keep the eyeglasses in mind when you’re spring cleaning this next month. All programs also accept prescription sunglasses.
Visit one of the organizations’ websites for more information:
Image courtesy of: zennioptical.com
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Discussion Take a look at what is being said about this article.
Michael, on March 25th, 2009 says:
Thanks Calvin, never knew of the options. I went to the Lion’s site and found one in my area.