Fort Collins Lions Club

Glasses and Eye Exams

For more than 50 years the Lions Club has provided eye exams and new eyeglasses to low-income residents. All ages, children and adults, who qualify for help, are served by this program—more than 100 per year. If you need help please call 970-377-2282 and leave your name and number. Interviews are held the 3rd Thursday or each month by appointment at First United Methodist Church, located at the corner of Stover and Elizabeth Streets.

Photo-Screener Program for Amblyopia

This new program, starting in early 2002, will utilize a special Polaroid camera that photographs the eyes of pre-school children. Trained professionals will analyze the photographs to determine if the child may have any of 6 possible eye problems that can be treated or lessened with early detection and treatment. Identified children will be referred to a local eye care professional for treatment.

Assistive Technology Center

This center, located in space provided by the main Fort Collins Library, was established by the Fort Collins Lions Club in 1996, with a gift of more than $11,000 in equipment. The facility contains equipment for synthesized speech, a scanner, to assist the visually impaired with reading reference material and using a computer. Alternative print formats are offered, including large print, Braille, and recorded cassettes.

Recycled Eyeglasses

Each year, more than 10,000 pairs of used eyeglasses are collected in Fort Collins. After they are clean, sorted and packaged, groups of volunteers (including Lions, Church groups, optometrists and/or ophthalmologists) go to developing countries, usually in South or Central America, or Africa and distribute the recycled eyeglasses to those needing vision correction. Used eyeglasses are also provided to migrant, non-citizen workers and their family members in the United States.

If you have used Eyeglasses and wish to donate, please use one of these local collection Sites: