What Your Practice Can Do With Old Stock or Donated Glasses
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Every optical practice accumulates surplus stock and unwanted items over time, from discontinued frames and unused lenses to old accessories sitting in drawers or storage rooms. While some items may no longer be suitable for sale or dispensing in practice, many can still have a valuable second life. By donating, recycling, or repurposing optical products responsibly, practices can reduce waste, support sustainability initiatives, and help improve access to eye care for people in need. Whether it’s contributing to outreach programs, supporting student training, or ensuring materials are properly recycled, there are several meaningful ways the optical industry can make a positive impact with stock that would otherwise go unused.
Discontinued and Old Stock such as unused frames and uncut single vision lenses, can be donated to the South Pacific Eye Care Foundation (SPEC Foundation). A registered Australian charity and endorsed as a deductible gift recipient (DGR), the donations will be made into complete pairs of new glasses and dispensed during outreach projects in underprivileged communities within the South Pacific region. They can also accept brand new non-prescription sunglasses. Optometry practices can send donations using Harts Couriers / National Optical Distribution. specfoundation.org.au
Broken Frames, Scratched Lenses, Used Specs with Progressive or Toric Lenses can be sent to dedicated optical industry recycling programs such as Opticycle or Spexcycle. Both have their own individual processes in place for the collection and shipping of donations.
Used Single Vision Sphere Powered Glasses can be donated to Lions Recycle for Sight. The glasses should be fitted with damage free, single vision lenses with no more than a 0.25 dioptre difference between the two eyes and mounted in an undamaged frame. They cannot use cases, broken or empty frames, multi-focals, progressives and cyl-powered lenses or non-prescription sunglasses. Contact your local Lions Club to organise a box and regular collection or post them in the mail.
Stock For Teaching Students can be sent to the Australasian College of Optical Dispensing (ACOD). Things like unique frame materials and uncut stock bifocal and progressive lenses, can be used during practical training workshops. Contact the college directly for more information. acod.edu.au
Other Accessories and Equipment such as fabric glasses pouches, lens cloths, nose pads, frame cords, lens spray, lens edger blocks, adhesive blocking pads etc can also be donated to the SPEC Foundation for use during their outreach work.
Sorting through old stock is a simple way for practices to free up valuable space, support recycling and repurposing initiatives, and help improve access to eye care through donations. Before sending anything on, it is recommended to check the current acceptance criteria with each organisation, as requirements may change.
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