What to do with unused contacts?

Whether a prescription has changed, or a person has gone from wearing contact lenses to glasses, sometimes there are extra contact lenses left over. Figuring out what to do with these left overs can be tricky, after all, they're paid for, and no one wants to just throw them away, especially if someone else might be able to use them. Fortunately, there are a few options for what to do with leftover contact lenses.

There are a few charities that will take left over contact lenses and give them to people that cannot afford them. Two of these charities are Madre's Helping Hands, and New Eyes for the Needy. Unused contact lenses can also be donated to the Lion's Club, which will makes sure that someone who needs these unused contact lenses gets them.

In some cases, if the contact lenses are not too old and they are not expired, the optometrist will take them back and give a credit towards a new set or a new pair of glasses. Also, the packaging the contact lenses come in needs to not have been opened. This depends on the optometrist, but many are willing to work out a trade so that at least some of the money that was spent will be credited towards another purchase.

Even if someone has a new prescription, in many cases, prescriptions don't change all that much. If this is the case, then consider keeping the old contact lenses as a back up in case money is short, and it's not possible to buy a new supply right away.

Sometimes contact lenses, no matter how good of condition they are in, have to be disposed of properly because they are either expired, or the packaging has been opened, and they cannot be donated or traded in. In this case they should be put in a zip lock bag and sealed up before being thrown in the rubbish.