Help Adults with Learning Disabilities Get Clear About Eye Care

Do you work with adults with learning disabilities? Advocacy groups, support providers and health promotion services can learn how to help people care for their eyes and stop preventable sight loss by following the example of an innovative event held in Yorkshire this month.

One in three people with learning disabilities has sight problems, but many never have an eye test. Eight adults with learning disabilities and ten support staff from across Yorkshire attended a workshop to help them learn about eyes and eyecare hosted by SeeAbility, formerly the Royal School for the Blind.

This innovative event helped people learn about getting an eye test. Attendees got the chance to practice naming or matching letters or picture eye test charts. People had a wide range of abilities and course leader Laura Christie, eye 2 eye Manager for SeeAbility in Yorkshire and the Humber says, “I was able to show that there was a way for everyone to have a sight test.”

The workshop helped people learn about eye tests and also gave them the chance to practice looking after their glasses. Everyone went away with a pack of information including a You and Eye DVD, and easy read factsheets about healthy eyes, having an eye test and wearing glasses

The workshop was held at St Georges Church Centre in Leeds. One attendee summed up what they had learnt from the day, “We should think having a sight test is a good thing. If you need glasses wear them.”

A supporter who attended the event said she learnt, “What to look for to indicate possible sight problems, the aids available and the problems people might have.” Another summed up that, “The day was a real eye opener!”

Course organizer Laura Christie concludes, “The day was successful and fun. People were able to participate and share their own stories. I feel very strongly that people should be given the information about eyes and vision in an accessible way to enable people to take responsibility for their own eye health care.”

If you work with people with learning disabilities, you can use the information on Look Up to create your own training or contact Laura Christie l.christie@seeability.org to organise training in your area.