The Courtenay Rotary Club and the Comox Valley Lions Club are combining efforts to collect used eyeglasses and redistribute them to the less fortunate. For those who have had changes to their eyeglass prescription, or who have eyeglasses that no longer work for them, donating the old pair makes a world of difference to those with vision problems who can’t afford them.
Donated eyeglasses can be dropped off at any of the Courtenay Rotary book drop boxes in the Comox Valley, or at designated boxes located at the office of Dr. Limbers in Comox, Coastal Eye Care Centre in Courtenay, Quality Foods in Comox, or at Walmart. No prescription information or eyeglass cases are necessary, as all are sent to the Canadian Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centre for evaluation, sorting, and distribution.
As stated by the Lions Clubs International website, the World Health Organization reports 153 million people have uncorrected vision problems that could be easily diagnosed and treated with corrected lenses. For those receiving the eyeglasses, quality of life is significantly bettered through improved literacy, productivity, and independence. The collected eyeglasses will be sent to the Canadian Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centre in Calgary, one of 18 centres worldwide, where they will be distributed globally through various humanitarian organizations.