Can you see this? If so, you’re lucky enough to be born with good vision, or have corrected vision with glasses or contact lenses. The World Health Organization has estimated that 44% of people in developing countries need eyeglasses. However, glasses are expensive to buy, forcing many of these people to live with poor vision. This limits education for children, since it’s difficult to keep up with classes when you’re struggling to see. That in turn hurts employment opportunities, and eventually it becomes difficult to live an independent life. Do you see what I’m getting at here?
While a growing number of people need glasses, an estimated four million pairs are thrown away each year. This takes up unnecessary space in landfills, while depriving others of the chance to see clearly. A well known organization, the Lions Club International, is one of the leading groups in gathering and donating glasses. They collect old glasses, divide them into groups based on the prescription, clean them , and then distribute the glasses to people who need them (after providing eye examinations to determine the correct prescription). Lions Club International collects millions of prescription and non-prescription glasses, as well as reading classes and even sunglasses, which can then be donated and give people the sight they need to live full, independent lives.
If you have old pairs of glasses lying around, you can donate them in drop off boxes, found in libraries and eyeglass stores throughout Rochester, or mail them to the Lions Club International Headquarters. See how easy it is to help out?