2 weeks Ago
A TEAM of opticians brought clear vision to the lives of 231 homeless people by providing vision care and glasses via a successful pilot delivered in Bradford and across Yorkshire. Between March 2024 and March 2025, Specsavers partnered with Vision Care for Homeless People (VCHP) to ensure people affected by homelessness have access to the care they need. Optometrists from Specsavers’ Bradford and York home visits team provided access to much-needed eye care to 271 people across 16 Yorkshire homelessness support centres including Bradford.
The pop-up clinics focused on maintaining visitors’ eye health and vision, as well as detecting any broader eye issues. Almost 10 per cent of visitors required a referral for further treatment. During the pilot scheme, the team surveyed those they were supporting with their vision care and discovered that 13 per cent of people seen had never had an eye test, and for 31 per cent, it had been over five years since their last test.
Bradford has been part of a pilot scheme to help the homeless receive glasses (Image: UGC) Hannah Telfer, CEO of VCHP, said: “Our aim is to bring essential eye care to people affected by homelessness. “We are taking an innovative approach to delivering care, which has provided more people with vital care in just 10 months compared to our larger, static city clinics, highlighting the importance of this flexible model to the community. “Over the past year, we’ve seen just how life-changing this can be.
A staggering 85 per cent of the individuals we supported received glasses, providing them not only with clearer vision but also a renewed sense of confidence and safety. “Everyone deserves the ability to see the world around them, to feel seen and to be given the opportunity to move forward in life. “Thanks to this partnership, we are slowly breaking down barriers and ensuring that those affected by homelessness are not left behind.
” Heather Dalton, optometry director of the Bradford 2 Home Visits team, added: “The past 12 months have been incredibly moving, and it has been a privilege to assist VCHP. “We all have the same vision: that everyone deserves access to essential care—especially those in our community who have been pushed into homelessness. “As optometrists, our role is to improve lives through better vision.
We understand the impact that untreated vision or undetected eye conditions can have on a person’s well-being. “Having the opportunity to be part of the solution for people experiencing homelessness across Yorkshire has been inspiring, as we’ve seen people regain their confidence and witnessed the immediate impact something so simple as a pair of glasses can have on a person’s life.”.
