What’s the best way to choose glasses and get them fitted if you have a learning disability?

Choosing glasses is very important. The person with learning disabilities should be involved, as they are more likely to wear glasses they are happy with.

It’s important to choose glasses that fit well and best meet the person’s needs. A dispensing optician is the best person to help and advise on the most appropriate glasses. Some glasses can be adjusted for all fascial shapes, for example frames designed for people who have Down’s Syndrome who often have a very low nose bridge and glasses which come with curl sides or head straps. There are also ranges of very flexible and strong frames for people who may take off and throw glasses regularly.

Often larger frames are good as they don’t restrict vision, but in the case of some higher prescriptions this might make glasses uncomfortably heavy. Special consideration also needs to be made when choosing glasses for people with specific posture needs to ensure they are looking through the centre of their glasses lens, people who wear hearing aids, sometimes wear a helmet or who have head rests on their wheelchair. Your optician should be able to order specialist frames.

Thinner lenses are available for strong prescriptions but can be more expensive. It is important to protect eyes from the sun as all glasses absorb harmful UV light. Prescription sunglasses may be the most comfortable option in bright sunlight but are not usually available on the NHS. Wearing a peaked sunhat can help.

Remember to tell the person the glasses they are trying on do not have the prescribed lens!

Further information including easy read guides can be found on the SeeAbility website.

You can find out if you can get help towards the cost of the glasses on the Free NHS eye tests and optical vouchers website.

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