Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on June 12, 2026, that the company will donate Ray-Ban Meta AI smart glasses to every blind veteran in the United States.
The initiative is being carried out in partnership with the Blinded Veterans Association and other organizations. The donation program seeks to provide hands-free AI assistance to help veterans navigate daily life more independently, per the Meta press release.
The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses combine classic Ray-Ban design with built-in cameras, open-ear speakers, microphones, and Meta AI.
Users can issue voice commands such as “Hey Meta, what am I looking at?” to receive real-time descriptions of their surroundings, read text from documents or menus, identify objects, answer calls, and take photos or videos hands-free. The glasses also integrate with services like Be My Eyes for additional visual assistance.
Retail prices for Ray-Ban Meta glasses typically range from $299 to $499, depending on style, lenses, and prescription options, with some models exceeding $500.
More than 130,000 American veterans are legally blind, according to data referenced by Meta and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The program focuses on legally blind veterans.
The announcement was inspired in part by U.S. Army veteran Don Overton, who lost his eyesight in Desert Storm.
“When I lost my eyesight in Desert Storm from a bunker explosion, I also lost my independence. The moment I put on my Ray-Ban Meta glasses, I got my independence back,” Overton said.
Meta President and Vice-Chairman Dina Powell McCormick stated that “When Don Overton worked with our wearables team at Meta to build features that made the Ray-Ban Meta glasses more meaningful to the everyday lives of veterans, we at Meta knew we had to find a way to reach every blind veteran in America.”
The Blinded Veterans Association will provide training, including monthly webinars, in-person events, and a dedicated guide. Applications are open at bva.org/glasses. Veteran organizations can also apply through TechSoup.
The program is timed ahead of America’s 250th anniversary and involves multiple partners, including Tunnel to Towers Foundation, Homes for Our Troops, Lighthouse Guild, American Council of the Blind, and National Industries for the Blind.
