Easy Eye Care for People with a Learning Disability
Author: Lance Campbell
Continuing the Conversation
Part of the Estia Centre's Learning Together 2026 blog series, featuring articles from conference speakers and contributors.
My name is Lance Campbell, and I am an Eye Care Champion for SeeAbility. SeeAbility promotes eye care for people with learning disabilities and autism.
Eye care is important because adults with learning disabilities are 10 times more likely to have serious sight problems, and children with learning disabilities are 28 times more likely to have sight problems.
There are lots of barriers that can stop people from getting an eye test. For example, some people might not know which opticians to go to. Some people might be nervous, especially if it is their first time having an eye test.
My story
Before I joined SeeAbility, I had never had an eye test. It was something that my family and I never got round to doing because we were mainly focused on dental checks. Once I joined SeeAbility and learned how important it is to have regular eye checks, especially for people with learning disabilities and autism, I decided to have my first eye test at the age of 19.
At the time, I was doing work experience at Specsavers Fulham. When I mentioned that I had never had an eye test before, they booked me in that same day. They explained how the test was going to work. They shined a light through my eye and carried out the pressure test. They said that I have a small prescription, but nothing too big for me to need glasses. Since then, I have continued to have regular eye tests just to keep an eye on my eyes.
How to look after your eyes
There are lots of ways to look after your eyes. Staying healthy is important, including eating more fruit and vegetables and not smoking. It is also important not to spend too long looking at screens and to take regular breaks to give your eyes a rest. Try not to rub or touch your eyes too much.
SeeAbility recommends that people with learning disabilities should have an eye test once a year, or more often if the optometrist advises it.
One important message is that you do not have to communicate verbally to have an eye test. Optometrists can use Kay Pictures, where you have a matching card and match the picture that they are showing you. You can point, speak, or use Makaton.
Also, the optometrist can use an instrument called a retinoscope to find out if the person needs glasses or not. The person does not need to speak at all for this test!
Easy Eye Care in South East London
SeeAbility is now promoting the Easy Eye Care service. This service is for people with learning disabilities and autism of all ages. The pathway is available across the six boroughs of South East London: Bexley, Bromley, Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham and Greenwich.
The service includes opticians who provide reasonable adjustments for people with learning disabilities and autism. These adjustments can include longer or shorter appointments and optometrists who have received extra training.
People can self-refer, or they can be referred by a Learning Disability Team or an advocacy group. There is also a formal referral process through services such as GP Annual Health Checks, hospital eye clinics and the Special Schools Eye Care Service.
Unfortunately, Southwark is currently the only borough that does not have any opticians that are part of the pathway – although we are currently trying to change this, with the help of the London Assembly!
SeeAbility is also promoting Live Opticians, who provide home visits and home eye tests for people with learning disabilities and autism. Live Opticians are available across all six boroughs of South East London.
What about children?
The other good news is that in the future, SeeAbility will be doing eye tests and providing glasses in even more special schools in London. This will help children to make the most of their education and will give them more opportunities in the future. We will share more information about this soon.
Useful resources
On our website, we have Easy Read factsheets because some people with learning disabilities and autism may find it difficult to understand complicated words and jargon.
We also have two forms available. The first is SeeAbility's “About Me and My Eyes” form, which can be given to the optometrist before the appointment. You can request this from your optician's practice or download it from our website. It helps the optometrist tailor the eye test to suit the person - https://www.seeability.org/resources/about-me-and-my-eyes
The second is our Eye Test Results form. The optometrist should complete this after the eye test and give it to the person. It helps people and their carers understand what happened during the eye test and any next steps - https://www.seeability.org/resources/results-my-eye-test
We also have an optometrist’s database to help you find accessible services in your local area - https://www.seeability.org/optometrists
My main call to action is that we should all be having regular eye tests, and people can make use of the Easy Eye Care service. Eye care should be included in Annual Health Checks, and people can also use our Easy Read eye care factsheets - https://www.seeability.org/resources?resource_specialism=10
Everyone is able to have an eye test. SeeAbility is working to make sure that opticians are aware of the needs of people with learning disabilities and autism, and that everyone gets the right eye care they need.
About the author
I am mildly autistic and was diagnosed at the age of 3. I am a London Eye Care Champion working to promote eye care for people with learning disabilities and autism. I have worked for SeeAbility for 7 years now and I am enjoying the work that I do and the people I work with.