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Lions
Eyeglasses Recycling Program
The World Health Organization estimates that the eyesight of one-fourth of the world's population can be improved through the use of corrective lenses. Unfortunately for many, a pair of glasses is both unaffordable and inaccessible. In developing countries, an eye exam costs as much as one month's wages, and a single doctor may serve a community of hundreds of thousands of people.
The Lions Eyeglasses Recycling Program was adopted as an official service activity of Lions Clubs International in October 1994. However, Lions have been recycling eyeglasses for approximately 80 years. The goal of the program is to meet the demand for quality eyeglasses in developing nations. Currently, it costs less than US eight cents to provide someone with recycled eyeglasses.
There are 13 official Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centers in the world (seven in the U.S., one each in Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Republic of South Africa, and Spain). Lions volunteer their time and services to prepare the eyeglasses for distribution,cleaning and categorizing each pair by prescription. Optical missions sponsored by Lions clubs and other groups distribute donated eye eyeglasses to needy people. In addition, programs have been established to train prisoners to prepare donated eyeglasses. These individuals are provided an opportunity to learn skills for use when released and the satisfaction of knowing they are helping others.
The Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centers also instruct Lions how to properly dispense the eyeglasses. When training is completed, the recycling centers continue to provide eyeglasses to the local Lions responsible for managing their respective programs.
All types of eyeglasses and sunglasses, prescription and non-prescription, are acceptable. Reading glasses are also very useful because many recipients are in need of visual correction to help them perform close-up tasks. Sunglasses are needed by people living near the equator in order to shield their eyes from the sun's damaging rays.
In fiscal year 2003-04, the Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centers reported a collection of nearly 5.5 million pairs of eyeglasses, distributing to nearly 3 million people in developing nations.
Lions
in Sight of California and Nevada
Lions
Eyeglass Recycling Centers
District Webmaster: Lion
Chris Lee
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