Essential eye clinic changes lives for people in crisis

First-class eyecare was delivered at a free clinic for Exeter people experiencing homelessness.

Leading professionals from the Specsavers Exeter store volunteered their time and expertise in partnership with Vision Care, a charity set up to provide eyecare services to people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

Seven opticians from the locally owned and run store based themselves at the CoLab Exeter on King William Street to offer free eye tests, glasses and support.

It was part of a nationwide campaign for World Homeless Day, which took place on 10 October.

Emma Ginger, optometrist director at Specsavers Exeter, says: ‘To mark World Homeless Day, we were pleased to host our first clinic to offer our services to people experiencing homelessness.

‘I am incredibly proud of the team and to Vision Care who helped make this possible. It is our long-term aim to ensure that everyone can access free, appropriate eye and hearing care which ultimately will help improve quality of life.

‘At the clinic we had one lady who’d lost her glasses eight months ago. She said she’d felt so vulnerable without them, and she got quite emotional when she looked out the window with her new glasses on and was able to see the leaves on the trees.

‘It was a really successful day and very humbling to be part of it. Our team have been blown away by the experience, and there's already commitment from within our resident optometrist group to volunteer in future, which is what we hoped would happen.

‘As a local team within the Exeter community, we are committed to making healthcare accessible to everyone, so I really hope that this clinic helped to raise awareness of homelessness and the current barriers people are facing.

‘The stories we heard during the clinic have particularly struck a chord with all of our team, showing that today has really changed lives.’

The clinic was part of Specsavers’ awareness-raising about homelessness, with the company calling for changes to government policy to remove unnecessary barriers that make it difficult for people experiencing homelessness to access the eye and ear care they need.

Long-term plans include influencing policy and systems so that people affected have access to free ear checks, eye tests and glasses, and replacement glasses if broken, lost or stolen.

Alison Gordon, Community and Corporate Fundraiser at Vision Care, says: ‘It was great to have staff from the Exeter Specsavers store join us to test and dispense, meaning we could run an extended clinic session in the lead-up to World Homeless Day.

‘We were so busy. Lots of happy smiles from patients – and from all those who volunteered, seeing how they helped change people’s lives.

‘Thank you to all for giving patients the time they needed and rolling with the day – from communicating through a phone translation app with an asylum-seeker with no English, to listening and encouraging patients who hadn’t had sight tests previously.

‘It was great to work together to reach more people experiencing homelessness, and we are delighted that the Specsavers Exeter team are planning further volunteering with us.

‘We’d also love to hear from other optical staff in the Exeter area who might have some time spare to use their skills in our clinics. Please contact me to discuss.’

The Specsavers Exeter store is open seven days a week at 248 High Street, or customers can call 01392 210604.

For further information about Vision Care, email alison.gordon@vchp.org.uk or go online at www.visioncarecharity.org