# Donating eye glasses **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 24, 2022, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-eye-glasses/963354 "2022-04-24T14:09:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![a6ka97](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@a6ka97](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a6ka97)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-eye-glasses/963354/1 "2022-04-24T14:09:53Z")
Occasionally i see a drop box for donation your no longer needed prescription eye glasses, I think the Lions Club does this. As I get safety glasses from work along with regular at home glasses I now have a box of eye glasses that I no longer use. I have eye problems and even had surgery to correct my vision issues. I am legally blind without my glasses. That being said my glasses with the far out prescription (and prism for my double vision) that I require, are my glasses worth donating? I could see a more “normal” prescription helping some 3rd world kid see better, but I doubt my prescription would be useful to 1 in a billion person other than me. More hassle for the Lions Club with glasses they can’t use if I donate, or just throw them away? ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-eye-glasses/963354/2 "2022-04-24T14:31:33Z")
Perhaps the frames themselves could be fitted with new, or used lenses? I can imagine they might have a optician who can sort lenses by power and fit them to existing frames. ---
**Author:** ![TheCuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thecuse/32/2854_2.png) [@TheCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCuse)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-eye-glasses/963354/3 "2022-04-24T14:33:58Z")
When I donated several pairs a few years ago, they said they only needed the frames. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-eye-glasses/963354/4 "2022-04-24T14:43:19Z")
> [@a6ka97](#): > > I could see a more “normal” prescription helping some 3rd world kid see better, You assume that everyone in the First World countries can afford glasses. ---
**Author:** ![a6ka97](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@a6ka97](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a6ka97)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-eye-glasses/963354/5 "2022-04-24T15:48:04Z")
What does that statement have to do with the question posted? NOTHING, why don’t you keep your smart assed comments to yourself? Better yet post a question about where the Lions Club sends the glasses and you can enlighten me with the correct answer instead of assuming they don’t get sent to 3rd world countries. ---
**Author:** ![a6ka97](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@a6ka97](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a6ka97)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-eye-glasses/963354/6 "2022-04-24T15:49:43Z")
I never thought of maybe they just used the frames. I will collect them and drop them off when I locate a drop box. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-eye-glasses/963354/7 "2022-04-24T16:15:16Z")
My gut tells me that you wouldn’t be _burdening_ them with your frames **and** lenses, and that – if just one person could use ‘oddball’ lenses like yours – it might truly be life changing _for_ that one person. ETA: it’s not just the Lion’s Club: > **[Help Someone in Need by Donating Your Eyeglasses](https://www.allaboutvision.com/resources/donate.htm)** > > Never discard your old eyewear! Here's where to send old sunglasses, eyeglass frames and reading glasses to help needy people worldwide. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-eye-glasses/963354/8 "2022-04-24T17:25:45Z")
[Moderating] > [@a6ka97](#): > > What does that statement have to do with the question posted? NOTHING, why don’t you keep your smart assed comments to yourself? > > Better yet post a question about where the Lions Club sends the glasses and you can enlighten me with the correct answer instead of assuming they don’t get sent to 3rd world countries. This is far too hostile for this board. This is an official Warning for attacking another poster. ---
**Author:** ![a6ka97](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@a6ka97](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a6ka97)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-eye-glasses/963354/9 "2022-04-24T22:49:44Z")
Hi Chronos- Wendell\_Wagner made an accusatory assumption that I didn’t consider “first world” people as needing glasses. I never said that or implied that. I used 3rd world as an example as this is an area of the world that is in most need. Wendell\_Wagner posted a comment in the Factual Questions section that was not factual nor related to answering the question I posted. Accusatory assumption + unwarranted/unnecessary/non-helpful comments directed toward me = a smartass comment. I stand by my post. Wendall\_Wagner should receive a warning for posting comments/opinions unrelated to the original question posted in the Factual Questions secretion. From now on if I have a issue with a poster and or comment made to one of my posts I will contact a moderator first instead of a public comment. Jim ---
**Author:** ![a6ka97](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@a6ka97](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a6ka97)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-eye-glasses/963354/10 "2022-04-24T23:09:33Z")
Should be “section” not “secretion”. Spell check… ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2022, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-eye-glasses/963354/11 "2022-04-25T17:07:59Z")
> [@a6ka97](#): > > From now on if I have a issue with a poster and or comment made to one of my posts I will contact a moderator first instead of a public comment. The general rule around here is attack the post, not the poster. You attacked the poster. That sort of hostility is not acceptable in any forum here except for the BBQ Pit. If you wish to discuss moderator actions, do so in ATMB. Do not derail threads with discussions of moderation. ---
**Author:** ![a6ka97](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@a6ka97](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a6ka97)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2022, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-eye-glasses/963354/12 "2022-04-25T17:25:13Z")
I originally responded via email (as the warning came to me through email) thinking it was going to Chronos privately, not publicly posted as happened. After finding out it was posted, but too late to edit I PM’d Chronos stating it wasn’t supposed to be a public comment regarding my warning, just explaining to them why I did what I did, and asked them to remove that part of the post. I am still waiting for it to be removed as I had asked. I was unaware of that function of the ATMB but now know. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2022, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-eye-glasses/963354/13 "2022-04-25T20:22:36Z")
We don’t generally remove posts, but recognizing that that was a mistake, we won’t ding you for disputing moderator action in the thread. That said, let’s get back to discussing spectacles.