Enhanced eye services for people with a learning disability

September 2010

In parts of the UK, enhanced eye examination services are ensuring that people with a learning disability receive the eye care they require. These services offer longer appointments which are carried out by an optometrist with specialist training and equipment. This helps to overcome some of the eye care barriers faced by people with a learning disability such as communication difficulties and inaccessible testing methods. Improved access to appropriate eye care will lead to an increase in the quality of life for people with a learning disability and reduce future health and social care costs.

An enhanced eye examination scheme can fit in with the Directed Enhanced Service, a national scheme that rewards GPs for offering annual health checks to their patients who have a learning disability and are known to the local Learning Disability Team. When a person with a learning disability has their annual health check, the GP or nurse will ask specific questions about their eye care but won’t provide a comprehensive eye test. People who are not getting regular eye care can be referred on to the local enhanced service to see their optometrist, as part of their Health Action Plan.

For more information, including how this sort of service can be taken forward in your area, read the Seeability press release.