Learning Disabilities Easy Eye Care

Ensuring Access To Sight Tests for All

The Easy Eye Care Learning Disability service is for adults and children with moderate to severe learning disabilities or autism who need more time or extra support when having an eye health check and sight examination. To be eligible for referral into the service, patients must be known to their GP or local disability team.

About the Easy Eye Care Sight Test

Adults and children with learning disabilities or autism are much more likely to have problems with their vision than the general population. However, they are less likely to recognise that they have a sight problem and tell others about it.

Regular sight tests are important to identify any problems and provide the right treatment. The Easy Eye Care sight test is designed to make it easier for people with additional needs to get the help they need.
Everyone should have regular eye tests, and no one is too disabled to have a test.

This is an NHS service that is provided by trained optometrists (also commonly known as opticians).

Find out more about eye care for people with learning disabilities on the SeeAbility website.

How Is the Easy Eye Care Sight Test Different From a Standard Eye Test?

This service recognises that children and adults with learning disabilities may need adjustments to make having an eye test more comfortable and successful. These include:

• Every appointment is with a trained optometrist who is experienced in testing and talking with people with additional needs
• The option for patients to visit the optical practice before the test to become familiar with the surroundings and equipment used in the test
• The choice of longer appointments, or a series of shorter appointments, so there is no time pressure.
• Before tests take place, easy-read forms are given to patients to complete to tell the optician all about your eye problems
• After tests have taken place, an easy-read report is given to patients, explaining the results of the eye test and recommended next steps

Where Is the Easy Eye Care Service Available?

At the moment, the service is on offer in five regions:

• Cheshire & Merseyside
• Greater Manchester
• Lancashire & South Cumbria
• County Durham

We continue to work to make the case for the Easy Eye Care programme to be introduced across the whole of England – please watch out for updates on this website.