Recycle those old specs through the Lions

You know those old spectacles that are cluttering up your bedside drawer, or the one in your office desk? writes Brian Byrne. The ones that are out of prescription and have been replaced but you keep them just in case?

Well, there's something you can do with them that's better than keeping them in the clutter. The Lions Club has a scheme by which they send such specs to people in developing countries who have a need for them.

It's a way of giving a gift of better sight to someone else who likely can't afford it. The glasses are collected from the Lions recycling centres and sorted into various categories. They are then distributed to eye camps in India, Africa and Eastern Europe where they are matched to patients.

The Lions Club International has run the scheme for over 30 years and last year distributed some 300,000 pairs of recycled spectacles.

Our local optometrist Nichola Kennedy will gladly take them in for onward delivery to the Lions.