RNIB 'very concerned' by response to disability Act

The head of the Royal National Institute for the Blind has said the influential charity is very worried over the optical profession's lack of effort regarding access for disabled patients. Speaking at last week's Federation of Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians annual general meeting, Professor Ian Bruce called on the optical profession to work with the charity to improve access to eye healthcare services, ensure there was not discrimination against disabled people, as well as raising awareness of the importance of eye examinations. Speaking after it was announced that the RNIB and FODO would work together so that practitioners could meet the regulations of the Disability Discrimination Act (News, May 19), Professor Bruce claimed the success of the RNIB's eye health campaign was underlined by the way that some FODO members' advertising had started to highlight the health aspects of the eye examination. But Professor Bruce warned that the RNIB was 'very concerned that the optical industry has made little or no changes to practices, policies or procedures' in order to meet their obligations for future Disability Discrimination Act regulations. Haine & Smith check drivers' vision Regional optical group Haine & Smith helped police to carry out roadside vision checks this month as part of Road Safety Week. More than 100 drivers were stopped and asked to read a number plate at the minimum legal distance of 20.5m. The drivers, all of whom received the all-clear, were offered a vision check. Wiltshire Police invited the business to assist in the roadside check near Warminster to publicise the dangers of driving with poor vision or without prescribed spectacles.