Page 24 - FODO-Strategy-Document-Full-2023

Elaine Styles “” Tanjit Dosanjh “”
Optometrist and trustee, Vision Care Optometrist, Prison Optician Trust & Company
for Homeless People
I established The Prison Optician Trust to help tackle
Homeless people and rough sleepers have more unmet eye care needs in the prison population. Today we
eye problems than the general population, with a provide more than 14,000 eye examinations each year for
high prevalence of uncorrected refractive error and women and men in prison.
undiagnosed cataracts, glaucoma and binocular vision
problems. They are also more exposed to risk factors such Our goal is to ensure eye health inequalities are tackled at
as poor nutrition, trauma, smoking, drug abuse all levels. If we can help people see, they will find it easier to
and infections. pick up new skills, turn their lives around, find opportunities
when they leave, and reduce the re-offending rate.
As a small charity, we have made real progress in meeting
needs, raising awareness and helping to improve lives. We We support FODO in helping to ensure everybody in
see first-hand how important NHS sight tests and vouchers the UK can access essential eye care services based on
are and why it is essential to do more to improve access for clinical need.
this population.
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Our success has been made possible by a community
of willing eye care professionals and eye care providers
who support our work and NHS commissioners who have
tried to work around bureaucratic systems and processes
to enable us to deliver this vital service. We will continue
to work with FODO and all sector partners to tackle the
barriers the homeless and other vulnerable people face
when accessing NHS eye care.

Over 17,500 Over 19,500
sight tests performed spectacles dispensed

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Audiology Primary Eye Care

Pharmacy
GP Dentist

24 FODO UK The future of primary eye care – principles and priorities 25