140 likes | 573 Views
The need for inclusive high street optometry services for people with learning disabilities. Population
E N D
The need for inclusive high street optometry services for people with learning disabilities. SeeAbility Copyright 2009
Population • There are over one million people with learning disabilities living in the uk. The NHS Executive suggests 30% of people with learning disabilities have a significant impairment of vision. There is a high rate of under-detection amongst people with learning disabilities of sensory impairments, most of which can be treated. • The incidence of serious sight problems is higher amongst people with conditions such as cerebral Palsy, Downs Syndrome.
Learning Disabilities • People with learning disabilities have the same rights as every one else to use commonly available services, such as high street eye care and optometry services. • People with learning disabilities are at risk of social exclusion; people often receive poor health services, including eye care services, and are very likely to be victims of bullying and discrimination.
Undetected Sight Problems • Undetected sighted problems lead to people with learning disabilities being unable to acquire or maintain skills in education, daily living, leisure and recreation and relationships with others • People with learning disabilities often have communication problems and are unable to tell others of changes to their sight.
Undetected Sight Problems • Deterioration or worsening sight can lead to people becoming distressed, anxious, angry, withdrawn and deskilled. These behaviours are often misdiagnosed by others as psychiatric or behavioural disorders. • These behaviours put people at risk of harm from abuse or punitive responses for what might be deemed as ‘challenging’ behaviour • The effects of Presbyopia and senile cataract can be misinterpreted as early onset dementia
Undetected Sight Problems • People may have had negative experience of medical services and are fearful of attending what they may perceive to a medical procedure at the optometrist. • Poor awareness of eye care & hygiene can lead to re-currant eye problems that might go undetected – such styes, cysts conjunctivitis, blepharitis.
Undetected Sight Problems • Supporters and carers of people with learning disabilities are often unaware of the need for regular eye examinations and eye health checks. • Supporters of people with learning disabilities are often unaware of basic eye care needs and signs of sight problems and impairment.
Meeting Need • The high prevalence of refractive errors require people with learning disabilities to need spectacles and accessories. • The high incidence of literacy difficulties require optometrists to undertake alternative, yet relatively cost effective eye examinations using Cardiff Cards / Kay picture cards.
Meeting Need • It is often assumed that domiciliary services work with people with complex and multiple disabilities. However people from across the wide range of learning disabilities have a right to receive individualised services from high street providers. • Optometrist’s working with LOC’ s and PCT’s can pro-actively encourage people with learning disabilities and the agencies that support them to visit optometrists. • High street optometry services can play their part in integrating people into communities.
Overcoming Challenges • Training receptionists, assistants and technicians in meeting, greeting, and communicating effectively with people with Learning Disabilities. • Meeting the DDA – Making reasonable adjustments • Advocate for LOC’s and PCT’s to make extended appointments available as part of a local and national strategy for meeting the Health for All agenda. • Sharing information with people with learning disabilities and their supporters and carers
Doing More • Advocate for the use of Look Up’s ‘Telling the optometrist about me’ form and ‘Feedback from the optometrist about my eye examination’ form available from www.lookupinfo.org • Optometrists can register their interest in working with people with learning disabilities on www.lookupinfo.org • For information about enhanced services, training and learning disabilities contact SeeAbility's eye 2 eye campaignteam for eye care for people with learning disabilities http://www.seeability.org SeeAbility copyright 2009
Thank You! Your support will transform lives.