Americans love — and need — their eyewear. In the United States today, there are more eyeglasses than people. Every year, we collectively buy more than 224 million new pairs of glasses, including prescription eyeglasses, over-the-counter readers, and sunglasses! 

People replace their eyewear with brand-new glasses every two years on average, according to the Vision Council, an industry group. That means millions of prescription frames and sunglasses go into hiding every year—in drawers, under car seats, at the bottom of beach bags, or in pieces in landfills. 

That’s unfortunate. All over the world, there are people in desperate need of glasses that don’t have access to them. And one thing landfills definitely don’t need is more stuff piling up in them. 

What can you do with all your outgrown, outdated, and unwanted eyewear? Here are six ideas on how and where to donate your eyeglasses.

Has it been a while since your last eye exam? Now’s the time to book an appointment! 

Where Can I Donate Eyeglasses? 

Many people who wear glasses have a small stockpile of old pairs in their home somewhere. Your prescription changed, you impulse-bought OTC readers that were uncomfortable, or you were ready for a new frame style. Don’t let them collect dust or take up space in a drawer — there are charitable organizations that can put them to good use. 

Most of the time when you’re donating eyeglasses, it’s a used pair. Even if they’ve been well-loved — as long as they aren’t scratched or broken — used glasses can be a major quality-of-life upgrade to someone who needs them. Here are some good ways to get them to people who need them: 

Take Advantage of 20/20 Quest 

If you have frames you never wore, you can donate them to 20/20 Quest, a National Vision-sponsored charitable foundation. The glasses can come from any store or manufacturer, but they must be new.  

Most adult and children's eyeglass frames can be donated. The only exceptions are rimless or drill-mounted frames. Your donation will help someone in the U.S., or the developing world see more clearly. 

To donate yours, send the new frames and your contact information in a sealed, padded envelope to: 

National Vision 
Attn: 20/20 Quest 
2000 Newpoint Parkway 
Suite 100 
Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043  

Find a Lions Club Dropbox 

We’re all familiar with the bright blue-and-yellow Lions Club International donation boxes. 

The Lions Club is a service organization with more than one million members around the world. One of their missions, Lions Recycle for Sight, helps those in need get the eyecare and eyewear that they desperately need but either can’t afford or don’t have access to.

The Lions Club accepts donations of prescription eyeglasses, sunglasses, and readers, although in the United States they’re only able to distribute sunglasses and readers. All other donations help people in developing nations. 

Carefully wrap your old frames in a padded envelope and drop them off at your local Lions Club. Or send them to any of the 12 U.S.–based Lions Club eyeglass-recycling donation center locations. These centers clean, sort, and ship them.

Give Through ReSpectacle 

Around the world, 13 million kids can’t complete their education simply because they can’t see well enough to learn. In rural China, for example, for every six kids who need glasses, only one can actually afford them, notes a report in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology. 

Instead of letting your old eyeglasses sit forgotten in a drawer, consider donating them to an organization that will pass them along to developing nations.

ReSpectacle is a nonprofit that collects used eyeglasses and loads them into their online database based on prescription so the glasses can be redistributed to underserved communities around the world. You can browse available glasses by prescription right on their website.

Here’s how to help: Grab all the old glasses lying around your house, from prescriptions to readers to sunglasses. Choose the ones that are in good shape—no scratched lenses or broken frames are accepted. And if you are a contact lens wearer, unopened, unused, and unexpired contact lenses are also accepted.

You can wrap your items up and mail them to:

ReSpectacle
529 2nd Street
Suite 100
Hudson, WI 54016. 

Good for the planet. Good for your eyes.

GreenLove frames made from recycled materials.  Plastic-neutral contact lenses.  We're committed to keeping our environmental impact low.

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Try a Thrift Store 

The Salvation Army and Goodwill are two organizations that accept eyeglass donations. Both have locations all over the country. Before you bring your glasses there, call to check if that particular location accepts them. You should also inquire about drop-off hours.  

These organizations also accept all kinds of other household items for donation. It could be a good opportunity to donate your glasses and do a round of clutter-clearing at the same time.  

Ask Online Communities 

Freecycle is a grassroots network of people looking to give away things they don’t use or need. Buy Nothing is a similar organization with a mission to build community by keeping things out of landfills.  

Both initiatives have created thriving neighborhood gift economies online where all manner of items are given and taken without the exchange of money. Join either one of these groups and ask if anyone needs your glasses. You just might make a neighbor’s day.  

Check in with Friends and Family 

If you have non-prescription sunglasses or readers to donate, don’t forget about your inner circle. When it comes to the people we love most, we don’t always know what’s happening with their bank accounts. Don’t assume someone close to you wouldn’t be able to put those readers or sunglasses to good use. Even if they don’t need them for themselves, they might know someone who does. 

Is it time for new glasses or contact lenses? Press play for 6 Ways to Save Money on Your Vision Care: