If you’ve worn glasses for a while, you’ve probably gone through a few pairs. Your prescription changed, and you need to get rid of your old pairs.
Before you throw them in the trash, consider if you can donate your old glasses. And if you already need to go to Costco, you might want to take the glasses with you.
Table of Contents
Can You Donate Eyeglasses at Costco?
You can donate eyeglasses at Costco, but they have to meet certain requirements. For one, they have to be in good condition. They also have to be prescription eyeglasses or sunglasses, and you can donate the frames and lenses.
If your glasses are broken, you’ll need to find somewhere else. Otherwise, you should be able to drop your glasses at your local Costco.
How to Donate Eyeglasses at Costco
If you want to donate used eyeglasses through Costco, you’ll need to find a local Costco Optical Center. Then, you can call ahead to make sure they’re currently accepting used glasses.
Assuming they do, you can go to Costco during store hours. Look for the donation box near the Optical Center, but it could also be near the food court. If you have trouble finding it, ask an employee for help.
Drop your glasses in the donation box, and you can shop around or leave the store. Each month, Costco will send the glasses off for cleaning and analysis before donating the pairs.
Before you donate your glasses, consider cleaning them a bit. Costco will clean them more, but you can wipe off any oils or other dirt that may have been sitting on your frames.
Where Do Your Eyeglasses Go?
If you donate your glasses through Costco, the glasses will go to a charity. Costco works with groups such as:
- New Eyes
- Assist International
- Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity
First, the warehouse will inspect your glasses to make sure they’re in good condition. They’ll also clean the glasses and frames and review the prescription. That way, they can make sure the glasses go to the right person.
Why Donate Eyeglasses Using Costco
If you know you want to donate your old eyeglasses, consider why Costco is great. You can donate in other ways, but the warehouse has some advantages. And you don’t even need to be a Costco member.
More Convenient
Costco makes it easy to donate your eyeglasses. You don’t have to worry about shipping your glasses through the mail.
All you have to do is go to your local warehouse and find a donation drop box. Of course, you do have to go during the store hours. But that also means you can go shopping if you have a Costco membership and need to pick up groceries.
Even if you don’t have to go to Costco, it can still be easier. You don’t need to pack up the glasses, and you might live closer to a Costco than a post office.
Help Others
Of course, the benefit of donating glasses in any way is that you can help people in need. Costco partners with a few organizations to donate your old eyeglasses.
Plus, donating allows you to reduce waste. If you just throw your glasses away, they’d end up in a landfill rather than as a new pair for someone else.
Save Space
Another advantage of donating your glasses is that you can save space in your home. If you have a few pairs of old glasses, they may be sitting in a drawer somewhere.
Instead of letting them take up space, clear out your home. That way, you can have space for other things that you actually use.
You can save a lot of space if multiple people in your household have glasses to donate. So consider clearing out your glasses once a year to make sure they don’t pile up.
Should You Donate All of Your Old Eyeglasses?
If you have a collection of eyeglasses in a drawer, you may wonder if you should donate every pair except what you currently wear. That can be a good idea if you have surgery and no longer need glasses.
However, if your prescription changed slightly, keep your most recent pair. That way, if something happens to your main pair, you have a backup. It won’t be perfect, but you can get by until you can replace your newer glasses.
What If Your Eyeglasses Are Broken?
Sadly, Costco won’t accept broken eyeglasses for donation. However, you can look for other organizations in your area where you can mail your glasses to.
Then, you can still donate your old frames even if they have a crack or are split in two. It might take more work, but some organizations may be able to repair the frames. Or if the lenses are the problem, they could replace those for the next owner.
Does Donating Eyeglasses Cost Money?
Donating your old eyeglasses shouldn’t cost you any money. Now, you might need to pay for shipping if you decide to mail your glasses if you can’t go through Costco.
But if Costco will accept your glasses, it’s totally free. All you have to do is get to the donation box and drop off your old glasses.
Does Costco Donate Eyeglasses?
Costco donates eyeglasses to a few organizations. Whether or not you’re a Costco member, you can take your old glasses to a Costco and find the donation box. Then, you can make sure someone new gets to wear the specs.