Meta is providing free AI-powered smart glasses to more than 130,000 blind veterans across the United States, expanding access to assistive technology designed to help users navigate daily life more independently.

The initiative will donate Ray-Ban Meta glasses to eligible veterans, allowing them to read documents, identify objects, and perform everyday tasks using voice commands. The program was inspired by blind U.S. Army veteran Don Overton, who credited the technology with helping restore his independence after losing his sight during the Gulf War.

“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 said the donation program will also include training and support through partnerships with veteran and blindness advocacy groups to ensure recipients can fully utilize the technology.