What We Do

EyesUP International connects grassroots organizers and volunteers in the United States and Guatemala to bring individually personalized prescription glasses to rural communities in Guatemala.

EyesUP does not collect previously used or owned glasses for donations. Each pair of glasses provided by EyesUP is specifically designed by and prescribed for each unique individual.

Altogether, our volunteers in the US and Guatemala put in over 1000 hours of collective work from beginning to end – each year! It’s a massive effort joyfully undertaken by our teams of volunteers in a process that includes:

  • Communicating with local communities in Guatemala about the opportunity to receive glasses, primarily accomplished through word-of-mouth and on-the-ground relationship-building.

  • Connecting with local optometrists in Guatemala to set appointments and follow through with collecting prescriptions.

  • Meeting with each individual for an hour or more for the completely personalized eyewear design and selection process.

  • Organizing and maintaining clear records of the hundreds of glasses, prescriptions, eyewear styles, and eventual recipients.

  • Collaborating on shared digital documents to ensure each recipient’s details are correctly entered, shared with appropriate team members, and securely maintained.

  • Entering each individual order, and double-checking to ensure that each prescription matches the desired styles as well as any additional needs, such as bi-focal lenses.

  • Receiving and sorting hundreds of glasses and ensuring that all orders match original needs.

  • Coordinating travel and meeting arrangements to ensure secure transportation of glasses from the US to Guatemala.

With your help, EyesUP will also provide financial compensation for the hundreds of hours of invaluable work accomplished by our grassroots team members in Guatemala. This way, in addition to providing personalized eyewear, EyesUP will also directly support the local economy of rural Guatemala.