Supporting non verbal communicators with ASD visit the optician

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Dear Network members
It would be interesting and helpful to hear your experiences and advice for supporting young people with Autism and are non verbal to access their annual eye checks. Are there any websites that i could direct parents to, is there a group of specialist trained opticians who can advise and how this could happen? Grateful for your thoughts

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Yes, the SeeAbility charity is what you’re looking for.
SeeAbilitywww.seeability.org

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Hi, Seeability have very skilled staff who can help with this.It is a registered charity.

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Thanks so much for the steer

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Hi, thanks to everyone who has mentioned SeeAbility here! :slight_smile:
You can search for an optometrist in your area to test someone with learning disabilities or autism - https://www.seeability.org/find-an-optometrist
We also have a wealth of factsheets about eye tests, glasses and eye conditions, mainly in easy read - https://www.seeability.org/eye-care-factsheets
Please do contact me if i can help - s.kill@seeability.org - Stephen Kill.

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My son is also autistic and non verbal and lives in a supported living environment. Over the past few years he’s had a two yearly eye test with a local opticians who come to his apartment and have built up an excellent relationship with my son and his support staff. Support Staff spend time beforehand use relaxation techniques which helps calm him and the opticians have developed their own calm methods of testing his eyes. Up to now it’s worked very effectively.