My name is Lance. I have been working for SeeAbility for almost 6 years as an Eye Care Champion in London. I am mildly autistic and have had this diagnosis since the age of 3.  

Growing up with autism during school had its challenges. Sometimes I’d do things which people didn’t understand. I wouldn’t say they were unkind to me, but I felt like I was the odd one out. As a solution I worked with a support teacher to make a video of myself explaining autism and what it is. I felt it was very important to share it with the class, to help them understand me and autism better. After this I felt more included, and people understood me more. 

When I went to college, I joined a supported internship called DFN Project Search which helped me learn employability skills which led me to finding a job at SeeAbility. I worked closely with my job coach to prepare for the interview. I was extremely nervous but the interview went well and a couple hours later I got a call saying I got the job. 

Reflecting on my last 6 years of being an Eye Care Champion, I have seen that people with autism can have different feelings and emotions about having an eye test or expressing their views and voice. Everyone should be able to understand the outcome of their eye test. I explained to the team that as someone with autism it is hard to understand big and complex words. This is why easy read information is important. 

I have learned a lot working for SeeAbility, including how to look after my own eye health. As a child I never had an eye test. It’s something my family and I never got round to doing. Since I joined SeeAbility I learned how important it is for people with learning disabilities and autism to have an eye test, so I went for my first eye test in Specsavers. I was nervous, especially when they did the pressure test which blew a puff of air into my eyes. They explained how the test was going to go and made me feel more comfortable. They said I had a small prescription but nothing serious enough for me to wear glasses. From personal experience it is important to make sure someone with autism is comfortable, especially if they have never done something before. 

When I joined SeeAbility in 2019 I was working in person in an office and travelling to events. Then in 2020, because of the pandemic, I had to adapt to working from home and having events online. It was big change, but I was fine with it. Now working from home is my normal routine. We still go to in person events, which allow me to do presentations, workshops and see my colleagues. 

I have had many opportunities to improve on my skills. Through this role, I became an Oliver McGowan accredited trainer. I enjoy this additional part of my role and getting to teach people about eye care from an autistic perspective.  

When I first started SeeAbilty I never thought I would have this level of confidence to do events and presentations on my own. Now I can do presentations confidently by myself or with another champion. I am excited to see what the future of SeeAbility holds for me.