Lions Club to offer free vision clinic and eyeglass recycling in Palm Springs

Lonnie Bell | Special to The Desert Sun

As part of the Lions in Sight program, the Palm Springs Lion Club will be sponsoring a free vision clinic and eyeglasses recycling event on Saturday, Jan. 4 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Desert Chapel gymnasium, 710 S. Sunrise Way in Palm Springs. They will also be offering free, glucose level, HIV and HCV testing as well as blood pressure.

A Lion in Sight was founded in 1987 by Lions Club member Dr. Wayne Cannon. Lions Sight Clinic provides eye exam and evaluations and, if needed, the recipient will receive refurbished pair of glasses free of charge. The recycled eyeglasses collected by LIS are from two major programs: eyeglasses returned to certain eyeglass manufacturers and those collected by Lions Clubs throughout California and Nevada. The LIS program begins with local Lions Club members in the community. The club members collect eyeglasses and take them to the LIS warehouse in Northern California. The collected glasses are sorted, cleaned, processed and packaged for delivery to clinics in developing nations. Volunteer doctors and Lions Club members travel to the clinics with the eyeglasses and exam equipment.

In addition, Lions in Sight instructs a small group of inmates in three California prisons on how to determine the prescription of eyeglasses with LIS-provided lensometers. The inmates process the thousands of eyeglasses delivered to prisons every quarter. They clean them, insert them into small zippered plastic bags and note the prescription before the glasses are returned to the warehouse. The inmates benefit by receiving a small fee per pair, having responsibility and feeling productive. In some instances, inmates might be able to use the skills they’ve learned working with the lensometers upon release.

Lion Jay Matsler of the Palm Springs chapter recalls the story of a young man who drove a semi truck but was laid off because he couldn’t pass the DMV eye exam. “He came in to get glasses,” Matsler says, “but the only pair we had was for a child. But it fit, and he could see. With tears in his eyes, he said ‘I can pass my DMV test, get my job back and feed my kids!’ He had our entire group in tears.”

Please note that all ages are welcome to the Lions in Sight event on Jan. 4, and participants will be seen on a first come, first served basis. There is no guarantee that all patients will be seen, and screening may close early due to attendance.

Lions in Sight program: free vision clinic and eyeglasses recycling

Saturday, Jan. 4

8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Desert Chapel gymnasium, 710 S. Sunrise Way, Palm Springs.

Benefiting Palm Springs Lion Club

How to help: To donate or volunteer, visit pslionsclub.org.