Helping the wider community with their eye health needs and giving back where we can is important to us. That's why here at 1001 Optical, we have established a Share Your Vision humanitarian program that allows the local community (yes, you!) to help others by donating your old glasses to 3rd world eye care missions. In communities less fortunate in different parts of the world, it is not uncommon for those with a strong prescription never having the opportunity to have an eye test or to wear glasses to correct their vision. This is why we have teamed up with the Lion's Club program to give the gift of sight.

About the Lion's Club Recycle for Sight Program
Lions Recycle for Sight Australia is part of the Lions Clubs International Worldwide Eyeglass Recycling Program, headquartered in Queensland and operating throughout Australia and overseas. Donated spectacles are sent here where they are cleaned and graded before being packed. Over the 26 years that the Australian program has operated, the program has delivered over 7 million pairs of refurbished quality spectacles to men, women and children in need in Africa, Europe, Middle East, Indian Sub- continent, East Asia, and the Far East, China, the countries of the Pacific Rim and Southern Asia and Oceania. In the past 10 years several members of our Marine Branch have been able to use their oceangoing yachts to reach and test villagers, in the remotest areas for eyesight and deliver spectacles to them. After natural disasters recycled glasses have also been supplied to communities in need here in Australia. The work in Queensland is done by volunteers and often people on work release from local correctional institutions although with COVID-19 the latter labour is currently on hold.

Why Donate?

Old pairs of prescription eyeglasses may not be useful to you as your prescription changes, you can donate your old glasses which will benefit others in your community or around the world, as well as keep additional waste from the environment.

How To Drop Off & What We Accept

Each of our 1001 Optical stores have a donation drop off box. Simply drop off your unwanted glasses or sunglasses to any of our stores and once a month a local member from the Lions club will collect the glasses and have them ready to be shipped off to those in need. We are currently only accepting prescription glasses, sunglasses (all ages) and non-prescription sunglasses for adults.