40,000 children with special educational needs across the South East to benefit from life-changing eye care

Thousands of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across Sussex, Hampshire and the wider South East are set to benefit from improved eye care, following the award of a major NHS contract to disability charity SeeAbility.

The charity will begin delivering its award-winning Special Schools Eye Care Service across the region from November, potentially reaching up to 40,000 children and young people.

The service will cover West Sussex, East Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Surrey, Kent, Medway and the Thames Valley, bringing specialist eye tests, glasses and ongoing clinical support directly into special schools.

Research carried out by SeeAbility has revealed that children with learning disabilities are 28 times more likely to experience sight problems, yet more than four in ten have no history of receiving eye care.

Since 2013, the charity has worked to address this inequality by providing specialist eye care within schools, helping children who might otherwise struggle to access conventional optician appointments.

According to SeeAbility, half of the children it has supported have been found to have problems with their vision, with many requiring nothing more than a pair of glasses to make a significant difference.

One remarkable example is Terence, who received his first ever eye examination through the charity at the age of 20.

Specialists discovered he had an extremely strong prescription of minus 19, leaving him unable to see clearly beyond approximately two inches from his face.

After receiving his first pair of glasses, his vision was fully corrected, transforming his ability to see the world around him.

The experience was captured on film, demonstrating the life-changing impact that access to appropriate eye care can have.

Following more than a decade of campaigning by SeeAbility, the NHS is now preparing to roll out specialist eye care services to every special school across the country.

SeeAbility has been selected to deliver the programme throughout South East England.

The charity's service goes beyond traditional eye examinations, providing comprehensive assessments and written reports explaining each child's visual needs and how they can best be supported at school and at home.

Children and young people attending special education settings are eligible for NHS optical vouchers towards the cost of glasses, which can be used at any optician.

SeeAbility has also committed to providing glasses free of charge to families, with spectacles fitted by qualified dispensing opticians and follow-up support to help ensure children can wear them successfully.

Lisa Donaldson, SeeAbility's Director of Eye Care and Vision, welcomed the expansion.

She said: "We are absolutely delighted that so many special schools across the South East will be able to benefit from SeeAbility's eye care and glasses provision, optimally supporting every student to achieve their visual potential.

"This development follows over a decade of campaigning, research evidencing unmet need, refining models of care and developing a solid evidence base.

"No child should have to experience avoidable or undiagnosed visual impairment. With the appropriate adjustments and setting, it is possible for everyone to access eye care.

"That includes young people with complex needs and disabilities and those who are not able to express themselves verbally. We can get so much information, and can prescribe glasses if needed, just from shining a light into someone's eyes."

The charity's Special Schools Eye Care Service has previously received national recognition, including the nasen Award for Provision of the Year in 2019 and the Overall Excellence Award at the Charity Awards in 2021.

Schools across Sussex, Hampshire and the wider South East wishing to access the service must individually register their interest with SeeAbility.

The programme is expected to begin rolling out across the region from November.

Further information is available at www.seeability.org/eye-care/special-school-eye-care-services.

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