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7 ways to get creative with your old glasses

7 ways to get creative with your old glasses

Are you wondering what to do with old glasses once their charm and utility has faded away? If yes, then we have got you covered. Being a 20-something year old, I understand the value of material things and how expensive even the most basic necessities like eyewear can be.

Thus, I hate throwing things away. I do not mind being called stingy or whatever. Simply put, I hate the idea of parting with something that I had once spent my hard earned money on. Such an attitude has helped me devise unique and creative ways to reuse and reinvent old things, including glasses.

So, whenever somebody asks me what I do with my old glasses whose prescription changed or the frames fell out of fads, I have some ingenuine answers. What are they? Let us find out!

While there are charitable organisations such as the Lions Club where you can donate old glasses in the UK, there are other ways to put your old spectacles to good use. What are they? Let us find out!


Reusing Old Glasses - Top 7 Tips

For people who are thinking about what to do with old spectacles and prevent expensive designer glasses from ending up in a landfill, I’ve got a few suggestions to help you recycle or reuse your old glasses.

Mentioned below are seven foolproof tips that can provide a new lease of life to your old glasses.


Give Them To Your Friends or Family

If your old glasses are incompatible with your upgraded prescription, they aren’t completely useless. If the frame is still in good condition, then why not pass it on to someone in your friends or family?

Image of a family wearing glasses

Caption: When you are confused about what to do with old glasses, consider passing them on to friends or family

Just because your old specs don’t fit your prescription anymore doesn’t mean they won’t fit someone else’s. Reading glasses or blue light glasses are the best in this matter as they can be used by anyone irrespective of their eye prescription.


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LANCASTER 4
  • Black & Caramel Brown
  • Aqua blue & Tortoiseshell
  • Black & Mint Green
  • Cherry Red & Cream White
Marc Fabien LANCASTER 4 £79.99

Donate Your Old Glasses

Charity is a good deed and what could be a greater gift than the gift of vision? There are a number of charities out there in case you’re thinking ‘what to do with old prescription glasses’!

These charities will happily take your old specs and donate them to those who need vision correction but can’t afford to buy glasses. Drop off your old glasses to a local charity or send them via post but make sure to wrap your glasses in bubble wrap so they don’t break during transit.


Keep Them for Fancy Dress Events

Whether it’s a Halloween party or a fancy dress competition, your old frames can come in handy. If you’re going as Harry Potter, your full-rim round glasses will help you look the part. Not just Harry Potter, you could dress up as Velma or Simon from Alvin and the Chipmunks using your old frames.

 A girl in a fancy dress event

Caption: Reinvention is a great way for people who want to know what to do with old glasses

If your frame has become outdated, you don’t have to give it away (that’s what I do). Just keep them with you as fashion trends return after a decade or two.


Reglaze Your Glasses

Reglazing specs is the perfect solution for those wondering what to do with old glasses because their prescription has changed. The frame could be a gift from your father or a dear friend and probably have a strong sentimental value.

Reglazing glasses allow you to replace your outdated prescription lenses with new upgraded ones and keep the frame.

At Specscart, reglazing glasses is a hassle-free process where you can get new optical lenses for your beloved frame along with free protective lens coatings. Reglazing is the best way to recycle specs in the UK


Sell them

Let me guess what you’re thinking - who would want to buy my old glasses? Well, a lot of people think the frame is still wearable and stylish. And you could use the money from selling your old pair to invest in a new one. Thus, it’s a win-win for both parties.

So, if you’ve got some designer frames lying in your cupboard due to your frequently changing prescription, you may be able to get some cash for it.


Repair Your Glasses

Whether it’s cracked lenses or a crooked frame, repair your glasses yourself or take them to someone who can. It’ll save you some money.

If the frame is not fitting you well because a screw came loose, take out your glasses repair kit and fix the problem. You can remove scratches from your glasses or use our glasses repair guide to make your specs workable again. Thus, now you know what to do with old glasses that seem broken or too bad to wear!


 Image of a wearing with glasses in her hand

Caption: The tips above can help understand what to do with old glasses

Final Thoughts

I know you’re excited about your new glasses. But make sure you take care of your old frames. They once used to correct your vision and deserve better treatment than to be thrown away in a garbage bin. So, hopefully, the tips and tricks mentioned above will help you understand what to do with old glasses once they are past their prime!

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