Children with learning disabilities are 28 times more likely to have a serious sight problem.

SeeAbility’s peer reviewed research shows that thousands of children with disabilities across the country are missing out on the eye care they need. Over four in ten pupils we have seen had no history of sight tests or eye care, and yet half of the children have a problem with their eyes or vision, and at least a third need glasses.

We are delighted that NHS England has responded to our findings from this work by committing in their Long Term Plan to providing a fully funded eye care and glasses service to all special school students.

NHS England’s planned model of special school eye care is based upon the  'Framework for the provision of eye care in special schools in England' paper, written in collaboration with the country's optical bodies. All children will be offered a full vision and eye health assessment, at least every year and more often if needed. When children need glasses, these will be provided free of charge, including a spare pair so that children are not left without their glasses if they are lost or broken, and children, will be supported to get used to wearing new glasses. Plain English reports will be shared with parents/carers and teachers to explain each child’s visual abilities and needs, so that everyone understands how best to support them to get the best possible vision and, where necessary, how to adapt their education and support.

NHS England have produced a series of 3 films for special school staff, parents/ carers and clinicians to explain more about the new special schools eye care services. To find out more about accessing or providing the NHS Special School Eye Care Service, contact NHS England at  [email protected].

NHS England have also worked with SeeAbility, Contact and the National Deaf Children’s Society to produce a series of 3 guides for families on  eye checks,  hearing checks and  dental checks for children with a learning disability, autism or both. The guides explain why these health checks are important, how they are done, how to access them and how to prepare and support your child.

The ambition of NHS England’s Eye Care programme is to eventually improve access to eye care services for all people with a learning disability and/or autism. However, for children who do not attend a special school, or where an in school service is not yet established, an eye test at least every year is recommended. All children under the age of 16, or 19 and in full time education, are entitled to a free NHS sight test carried out by an optometrist at a community opticians and vouchers will be made available to purchase glasses for those who need them. You can arrange this yourself and do not need to be referred. This test will include checking how well your child can see, how the eyes work as a pair, how the eyes are focused (to see if glasses are needed) and the health of the eyes inside and outside.

Children can also be referred by their GP, paediatrician or optometrist to a community vision clinic or hospital eye clinic where necessary.

SeeAbility’s Special School Eye Care Services

Since 2013, SeeAbility has provided over 4,000 eye care appointments and over 2,000 pairs of glasses to children in London, Manchester and Durham. You can read more about SeeAbility’s work in special schools and our latest report A Change in Sight on our reports and research page.  

As part of the NHS Special Schools Eye Care Service, SeeAbility currently provide eye care services in seven special schools in London.

Our team of experienced optometrists, orthoptists and dispensing opticians are also providing training, with support from NHS England, for colleagues who will be providing new Special Schools Eye Care Services.

If you are an eye care professional and want to keep up to date on the area of learning disability eye care and special schools eye care services, please follow our LinkedIn group.

Read the Eye Care and Vision Strategy 2021-2023

The Bradford Visual Function Box

Professor Rachel Pilling, one of SeeAbility’s trustees, has developed, with the Bradford Teaching Hospital Trust, this visual assessment tool and published a peer reviewed paper on its use. The Box, a series of different size balls and beads, is an invaluable tool in assessing a child’s level of vision when significant disability makes other vision tests impossible. Please contact us  [email protected] if you would like to purchase a Bradford Visual Function Box.

NASEN Guide to Eye Care for Teachers

SeeAbility have worked with the National Association of Special Educational Needs to produce a guide for teaching staff on eye care and its importance.

SeeAbility awards

In 2017, our Dispensing Optician Ned Saunders was awarded the Optician Magazine Dispensing Optician of the Year Award for his work in special schools.

In 2019, our research was awarded the College of Optometrists Giles Van Colle Memorial Award for Excellence in Paediatric Clinical Research.

In 2020, in partnership with the schools where we provide eye care, we won the NASEN (National Association of Special Schools) Provision of the Year Award 2019.

SeeAbility Contacts

For more information on our work in special schools, contact:

Lisa Donaldson (Head of Eye Health) on  07899 975 143 or email:  [email protected]

Or Noopur Patel (Optometry Clinic Manager) on  01372 755 068 or  [email protected]                      

NHS England Contact

For more information on the NHS England national Special Schools Eye Care Service contact:

 [email protected]