Vision Aid Overseas is a registered charity which collects unwanted used spectacles, and is “committed to helping the estimated 200 million people who require, but have no access to spectacles to allow them to live an ordinary, normal life”.
If you have unused spectacles, perhaps now out of date by reason of a change in prescription, or a change in fashion styles, someone, somewhere may benefit from them.
Virtually any Association of Optometrists Ireland member practice (including ours!) will gratefully accept these donations and will forward them to VAO. These spectacles are cleaned, checked and measured and then distributed to people in developing countries who have the need for glasses, but no access to eyecare or eyewear facilities.
Vision Aid Overseas also arranges volunteer trips to those countries, where optometrists staff clinics to test their eyes. People are known to walk for miles, even for days to reach one of these clinic facilities. More information about Vision Aid Overseas and its work can be found on the website: www.VAO.org.uk