People with learning disabilities are ten times more likely to have serious sight problems
The All Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) on Eye Health and Visual Impairment and Learning Disability held a joint meeting on Tuesday 17 January to discuss recent research by leading sight loss charities SeeAbility and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).
The APPG meeting aimed to raise awareness among Parliamentarians of the research's key findings:-
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There are one million adults with a learning disability in the UK.
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People with learning disabilities are ten times more likely to have serious sight problems than other people. People with severe or profound learning disabilities are most likely to have sight problems.
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Six in ten people with learning disabilities need glasses and often need support to get used to them.
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There will be a ten per cent increase in people with learning disabilities and sight loss over the next 20 years.
The meeting was chaired by the Rt. Hon. Tom Clarke CBE MP - Co-Chair of the APPG on Learning Disability - and heard speeches from David Scott-Ralphs, Chief Executive of SeeAbility, Dr Margaret Woodhouse of Cardiff University, Gordon Ilett, an optometrist and Scott Watkin, SeeAbility's eye 2 eye ambassador.
Eye health and learning disability
The speakers highlighted eye health in people with learning disabilities as a key public health issue and emphasised that everyone with a learning disability should have a sight test at least every two years, or more frequently if advised by an optometrist. People with learning disabilities may not know they have a sight problem and changes in behaviour may be the only way to communicate that they have problems. Often this behaviour is misinterpreted by families and supporters.
The speakers also called on local health planners to set up enhanced sight testing schemes, with more training for optometrists and longer appointment times. A new sight testing pathway being developed by the Local Optical Committee Support Unit (LOCSU) will promote best practice.
"A valuable opportunity"
The Rt. Hon. Tom Clarke CBE MP said: "The meeting of the APPGs was a valuable opportunity to raise the importance of people with a learning disability having access to eye care services. People with a learning disability are more likely to face eye health problems, but find it more difficult to access the services they need. It is important for the NHS, eye health professionals and other local agencies to work more effectively, to help improve the eye health services of people with a learning disability."
Scott Watkin, previously Co-National Director for Learning Disabilities at the DoH, who has a learning disability said: "I am a great example of how having the right eye health care can change your life. Sight tests detected major problems with my vision and through eye surgery I have regained vision, which has opened up all sorts of possibilities for me. If you get the chance to improve your sight - go for it."
"Championing people with learning disabilities"
David Scott-Ralphs, Chief Executive of SeeAbility said, "We know that people with learning disabilities are ten times more likely to have sight problems than other people in the population and yet least likely to get the right help and support with their eye care. This event was an important opportunity to raise awareness and to suggest realistic ways to improve practice nationally with policy and decision makers. Through SeeAbility's eye 2 eye Campaign we will be continuing to champion this issue for people with learning disabilities."
ENDS
Notes to Editor
For media enquiries, please contact Rachel Cafferty in RNIB's Public Relations Team on 020 7391 2043, email rachel.cafferty@rnib.org.uk
Leading vision charities RNIB and SeeAbility jointly commissioned Professor Eric Emerson and Dr Janet Robertson of the Centre for Disability Research (CeDR) at Lancaster University to estimate the number of people with a learning disability and visual impairment in the UK using prevalence rates from a major study in the Netherlands. The research findings have been endorsed by Mencap, Vision 2020 and the Department of Health
About RNIB
Every day around 100 people in the UK start to lose their sight. There are around two million people in the UK with sight problems. RNIB is the leading charity working in the UK offering practical support, advice and information for anyone with sight difficulties. If you, or someone you know, has a sight problem RNIB can help. Call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit www.rnib.org.uk
SeeAbility
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SeeAbility is the operating name for The Royal School for the Blind, a national charity which has for over 200 years, provided support for people who are blind or partially sighted and have additional disabilities.
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SeeAbility offers a wide range of specialised person-centred services which develop and maintain independent living skills.
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SeeAbility currently provides services in; Bristol, Devon, East and West Sussex , Hampshire, Humberside, London, Somerset, Surrey.
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SeeAbility's eye 2 eye Campaign, a community-based initiative, is improving eye care and vision for people with a learning disability throughout the UK.
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Look-Up www.lookupinfo.org provides information and advice on eye care and vision for people with learning disabilities