Disability charity SeeAbility has been awarded an NHS contract to offer eyecare to most special schools in London and large areas of South East England.
The rollout of the charity’s expanded Special School Eye Care Service, starting from September 2026 has the potential to reach almost 30,000 children across the capital alone, many of whom will have never had a sight test before, despite being 28 times more likely to have a sight problem.
While in the South East, the service will be introduced in Thames Valley, Hampshire and Isle of Wight, Surrey, Sussex, Kent and Medway, where it is estimated that 40,000 children could benefit.
SeeAbility has been delivering eyecare in London special schools for over a decade, as part of their research and campaign for the NHS to provide eyecare in all special schools and NHS pilot services.
In the last year, they have reached over 3,000 children in 57 London schools and colleges with the service. The model provides much more than a vision screening service, giving comprehensive eyecare, glasses that are always at no cost to families, and support to wear them and a written report explaining their eyecare abilities and needs.
Since their first visit, which was to Perseid School in South London in 2013, the data from SeeAbility’s project has shown that tens of thousands of children with learning disabilities in special schools across the country have been missing out on the eyecare they need.
Over four in ten pupils had no history of any eyecare, and yet half of the children had a problem with their eyes or vision. At least a third needed glasses. Many were also under hospital eyecare but struggling to attend their routine appointments.
It’s been a long road to reach today’s announcement. In 2023, as a result of SeeAbility’s campaigning, and thanks to endorsement of this ‘one stop shop’ model of eyecare by professional bodies, charities and SEND professionals, the government committed to roll out eyecare to special schools in England.
By 2025, a service model, contract specification and dedicated funding had been issued under the new government to enable the commissioning of the service to begin through Integrated Care Boards.
Lisa Donaldson, SeeAbility’s Director of Eye Care and Vision, says: “We are absolutely delighted that most special schools in London and much of the South East will now be able to benefit from SeeAbility’s eye care and glasses provision to optimally support every student to achieve their visual potential.
“This development follows over a decade of campaigning, research evidencing unmet need, refining models of care and developing a solid evidence base.
“We are very grateful to our wonderful partner schools, especially those we have now been visiting for a whole generation of students: Perseid School, The Village School, Willow Dene School, Charlton Park Academy and the Eden Academy schools.
“No child should have to experience avoidable or undiagnosed visual impairment. With the appropriate adjustments and setting, it is possible for everyone to access eyecare and that includes young people with complex needs and disabilities and those who are not able to express themselves verbally. We can get so much information, and can prescribe glasses if needed, just from shining a light into someone’s eyes.”
To access SeeAbility’s Eye Care Service in London and the South East, each school must opt into the service individually by contacting SeeAbility.
SeeAbility would like to hear from clinicians who are interested in joining the Eye Care Team to deliver the service.
The charity would also welcome the support of professionals working in hospital eye departments, community paediatrics, habilitation, or visual impairment services who would like to help SeeAbility to reach special school students who are on their caseload.
For more information, please visit: https://www.seeability.org/eye-care/special-school-eye-care-services
