NHS special school eyecare services trialed

The NHS worked with the SeeAbility charity to trial an eyecare service at special schools, enabling sight tests and glasses to be dispensed in familiar environments.

Around 90 special schools, with children with learning disabilities and autism, have run the scheme, including in London, the north west and north east & Yorkshire NHS regions.

SeeAbility highlighted the need for increased child services as its research revealed over four in ten have never had an eye tests, despite half of children in these schools having vision problems.

Deputy headteacher, Jessica Baldwin, at the Sherwood Park special school in Wallington, Surrey, said: ‘The SeeAbility Eye Clinics have been such a beneficial service within our school. It has enabled our pupils to have their eyes tested by an optometrist that has expertise in working with children with a learning disability, in the familiar environment of school and with a familiar adult supporting them.’