eye 2 eye Birmingham project 2 years on 

SeeAbility, formerly The Royal School for the Blind, is a registered charity working with people who are blind and partially-sighted and have other complex needs including learning and physical disabilities, mental health difficulties and degenerative conditions.  With over 200 years experience SeeAbility are the leaders in this sector.

SeeAbility fundamentally believe that regardless of their needs everyone has the right to quality services and community inclusion.  They provide person-centred services which specialise in supporting people with a visual impairment and other disabilities to explore their own potential, develop and maintain their skills and lead fulfilling lives.

SeeAbility's research revealed that over 30% of people with a learning disability will have a significant visual impairment.  The vast majority have never had a sight test so live in a permanently out-of-focus world leaving them even more isolated.  Some have lost their sight needlessly through a lack of awareness. 

SeeAbility launched their groundbreaking eye 2 eye Campaign to address this problem and ensure that people with a learning disability could be able to access the first class eye healthcare they deserve.

Since its launch in Birmingham 2 years ago, eye 2 eye has helped over 2000 people with a learning disability access appropriate eye healthcare.

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.  

SeeAbility currently have two eye 2 eye Community Development Officers working in Birmingham.  They have been working closely with hospital eye clinics and individuals with a learning disability.  Their work has involved:

• accompanying someone with a learning disability to an eye appointment to address any communication barriers, for example explaining medical language.
• familiarising people with the hospital environment prior to the appointment
• preparing for an eye test, for example shining a small torch and using practice cards at home
• spending as much time as possible with the individual during a hospital stay for eye surgery to help reduce the stress and confusion this might cause
• arranging and attending a pre-discharge meeting with the individual, hospital staff, family and professional carers to ensure that there is a clear understanding of post-operative eyecare.

A Steering Group has now been formed to achieve long-term change in the provision of eyecare for people with a learning disability in Birmingham.  Members include Birmingham Service Users Forum, Birmingham Focus on Blindness, orthoptists from Heartlands, Good Hope and Selly Oak Hospital Eye Clinics, Birmingham Local Optical Committee, Sense West Midlands, Birmingham City Rehabilitation Service and the Learning Disability Partnership Board - a prime example of people with a learning disability, practitioners and policy makers working together.

Last year Dollond & Aitchison, who have their HQ in Birmingham, nominated SeeAbility as their chosen charity and have raised  £128,000 for the Birmingham eye 2 eye Campaign.  SeeAbility and Dollond & Aitchison have worked closely 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.

SeeAbility's eye 2 eye Campaign in Birmingham has also been generously supported by The South Birmingham Primary Care Trust, The John Avins Trust, The Eveson Charitable Trust, The Lillie Johnson Charitable Trust and The George Fentham Birmingham Charity.

Members of the SeeAbility eye 2 eye team and South Birmingham PCT team will be at a special event to offer support, advice and information regarding all aspects of healthcare for people with a learning disability.  The day will be supported by healthcare professionals and will give people with a  learning disability, their families, carers, support workers and professionals the opportunity to discuss a wide range of healthcare issues.
This special Health Event is being held at Aston Villa Football Club     (Directors Suite Witton Lane entrance) on Friday 17th October from 10.30 until 3.30pm.

For more information please call 0800 121 8900 or visit www.lookupinfo.org