Donation

• Goodwill shops, Lions Clubs, Lenscrafters, New Eyes for the Needy and the Madre organizaton's Helping Hands campaign will all accept unused contact lenses. These organizations will give your unused lenses to someone in need. You can drop off lenses at any Goodwill or Lenscrafters locations, mail them to or drop them off at your local Lions Club or send them to the following organizations:
  
  New Eyes for the Needy
  549 Millburn Ave., P.O. Box 332
  Short Hills, NJ 07078
  (973) 376-4903
  http://www.neweyesfortheneedy.org/
  
  or
  
  Madre's Helping Hands campaign
  121 West 27th St., #301,
  New York, NY 10001
  (212) 627-0444
  http://www.madre.org
  
  These groups will issue a receipt for your lenses so that you can claim your charitable donation for tax purposes.
  
  

Trade-in

• You can also take unused lenses back to your optometrist. Many eye doctors will issue a credit for your old lenses that can be used toward the purchase of new glasses or contact lenses.
  
  

Disposal

• If your unused lenses have been opened and can't be donated, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends disposing of them by sealing them in a zip-top bag and throwing them in the trash. Don't flush contact lenses down the toilet or rinse them down the sink.