Success for Sight-Saving Campaign

A unique sight-saving initiative in Birmingham has helped over 1000 people with a learning disability access appropriate eye healthcare.  Three years ago SeeAbility, formerly The Royal School for the Blind, launched the eye 2 eye Campaign to improve the sight of thousands of people with a learning disability.

There are an estimated 10,000 people with a learning disability living in Birmingham and around 4,000 will have a significant but undetected visual impairment which could put them at risk of going blind.  Many could lose their sight because they don't have regular and appropriate sight tests often leading to greater isolation.  SeeAbility's eye 2 eye Campaign helps people with a learning disability access specially-adapted eye tests and has vastly improved the quality of life for hundreds of people in Birmingham - many of whom were able to have their vision corrected with glasses after years of being unable to see properly.

Last year Dollond & Aitchison, who have their HQ in Birmingham, nominated SeeAbility as their chosen charity and together they have been working to improve sight testing for people with learning disabilities.  Specialist training from Michael Loftus, SeeAbility eye 2 eye Community Development Officer in Birmingham, has helped D&A optometrists understand how they can make their eye tests more effective.   D&A branches are now acquiring specialist equipment and introducing longer appointment times to improve their service for people with a learning disability.

"D&A cares passionately about eye health and is committed to providing first class sight tests to everyone," explains Andy Cole, Head of Learning and Development for D&A.  "SeeAbility's eye 2 eye Training Programme has enabled our optometrists to gain a much greater understanding of the issues facing people with a learning disability.  Everyone who has attended the training programme has found it helped them to give far more effective sight tests to people with a learning disability."

SeeAbility are keen to help as many people with a learning disability in Birmingham.  If you know someone who might be able to benefit from the eye 2 eye Campaign, please call 0800 121 8900 or visit www.seeability.org or www.lookupinfo.org