October 22, 2026
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Read moreTerraCycle at Midtown
Bring Your Contact-Lens Recycling
Bring used contacts, blister packs, and foil lids to Midtown Optometry. Our TerraCycle ONE by ONE collection accepts every contact-lens brand.
Editorial update: October 27, 2026 · Midtown Optometry
SMALL ITEMS. A SHARED COMMITMENT.
Bring your contact-lens recycling to your next exam.
Midtown Optometry collects used contact lenses and accepted eye-care packaging through Bausch + Lomb’s ONE by ONE program with TerraCycle. This is an important part of our commitment to the Santa Cruz coast and to making responsible lens disposal easier for our patients.
What can go into the collection?
The program’s published list, cross-checked with Bausch + Lomb’s program information on October 22, 2026, includes:
| Material | Brands or limits |
|---|---|
| Used contact lenses, plastic blister packs, and top foils | All brands. |
| Contact-lens cases | All brands. |
| Single-dose eye-drop vials and their foil wrappers | All brands. |
| Small contact-solution bottles and caps | All brands; four ounces or smaller. |
| Caps from full-size contact-solution bottles | All brands; bottles of ten ounces or more. |
| Eye-drop bottles and caps | Bausch + Lomb brands, including Biotrue, Blink, and LUMIFY. |
| Specified other packaging | LUMIFY Preservative Free plastic trays and paperboard sleeves; Biotrue Micellar Eyelid Cleansing Wipes and their foil wrappers. |
Bring items empty and dry. Save them in a container at home and hand the collection to our team at your exam. Ordinary outer cardboard and full-size solution bottles belong in local recycling where accepted. Check with us about items outside this list. Current TerraCycle list and program FAQ.
Care for your eyes and our coast
Small lens-related items can slip through conventional recycling sorting. A dedicated collection gives these materials a route to specialized processing. The program is free for participants. How TerraCycle processes collected materials.
Keep lenses out of sinks and toilets, and use the collection for accepted waste. Recycling addresses disposal; your wearing schedule still follows your prescription. A used daily disposable lens belongs in the collection after removal. Read why Midtown recommends daily lenses.
A small habit that fits your visit
Your next exam is an easy opportunity to bring the materials you have saved. We have added a reminder to the first-visit checklist. For a separate drop-off or a large collection, call or text our team to confirm availability.
Our office is at 550 Water Street, Suite J5, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. We are open Monday–Thursday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m.–3 p.m.; closed Tuesday noon–1:30 p.m. and weekends.
Part of Midtown’s conservation work
Contact-lens recycling sits alongside our beach cleanups, volunteer eye clinics, and annual commitment to Rainforest Trust. We donate 5% of profits annually to Rainforest Trust. Learn about the cause we support. Explore our community work and photographs.
PRACTICAL ANSWERS
Common questions
Where can I recycle contact lenses in Santa Cruz?
Bring your collected used lenses and accepted packaging to Midtown Optometry at 550 Water Street, Suite J5, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. Our TerraCycle collection is part of Bausch + Lomb ONE by ONE. Bring the collection to your exam; contact us for a separate or large drop-off.
Do I have to wear Bausch + Lomb lenses?
The contact-lens collection welcomes every brand. The full accepted-materials table explains product-specific limits for other eye-care items.
When is Midtown open for a recycling drop-off?
Monday–Thursday: 8:00 am–5:00 pm; Friday: 8:00 am–3:00 pm; Saturday–Sunday: Closed. Closed Tuesdays from 12:00 pm–1:30 pm for our team meeting. Call or text (831) 426-7172 to confirm a separate drop-off. Bringing your collection to your scheduled exam is easy.
MIDTOWN OPTOMETRY · SANTA CRUZ