The Forbes and District Lions Club is running its Recycle For Sight program during the months of May and June.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
This program collects used eyeglasses and sunglasses which are forwarded to a recycling centre in Brisbane for cleaning and grading.
If you have some unused glasses around the home consider donating them.
More than 150 million people in the world suffer from blurred vision due to near or far sightedness, which affects their ability to learn and find employment.
A lack of access to health care and the high cost often prevents many people from getting the help they need.
Lions have been recycling glasses since the 1930s with the program officially branded as Recycle For Sight in 1994. Recycle for Sight is part of the Lions Clubs International Worldwide Eyeglass Recycling Program, headquartered in Queensland and operating throughout Australia and overseas.
Each year Lions collect about 30 million pairs of glasses.
Those collected in Australia and Japan are shipped to six recycling centres in Australia, some of which employ people from local correctional facilities, teaching them skills they can use after leaving prison.
If you have unused glasses in good condition, these may be dropped in to the collection boxes at the following locations:
- Phillip Wells Pro Vision Optometrist or Eyewear specs in Forbes.
- Parkes Optical Services or OPSM in Parkes.
Please note you may keep your glasses cases as these are not needed.