• vision Impairment
• deaf or hard of hearing
• intellectual disability
• acquired brain injury
• autism spectrum disorder
• physical disability

Eye tests are important and with the right support, they are possible for everyone.

Do people with special needs or disabilities need an eye examination?

My child doesn’t communicate verbally – how can they have an eye test?

There are many different tests in an eye examination. Most of the rest will require minor cooperation and to answer the test as accurately as possible. We are able to modify the test for matching symbols that will not require verbal responses.

The optometrist can judge how the person reacts and assess their vision that way. 

I am deaf – what can the optometrist do to make the eye test a good experience?

If you are deaf or hard of hearing, let the eye care professional know what you need. If you lip read, ask them not to turn the lights off during the eye test and face you when speaking. If you wear a hearing aid, ask the check with the dispenser to help you select a frame that will be comfortable and sit well beside the hearing aid.

I already have sight loss – do I still need an eye test?

Even if you are already blind or partially sighted, it is important to have your eyes checked. Just because you have one eye problem, unfortunately, it doesn’t rule out other problems developing. It is important to have regular tests to look after the vision that you have. 

My child has special needs and can’t tell me how well they can see – what should I look out for?

From a very early stage, children use their eyes to interact with the world around them. Even if they have disabilities or special needs, it is important to get their eyes checked. If your child seems to be struggling at school, rubs their eyes or complains of headaches, it is well worth getting their eyes examined, as children with special needs are more likely to have eye problems. Eye problems can sometimes make your child appear clumsy. An eye test can rule out eyesight problems as a cause of your child’s difficulties. Glasses may solve problems for some children. In a few cases, an eye examination may show that your child has a problem that needs to be checked by another eye specialist. 

How Do I Arrange Eye Test Appointments?