As the world marks World Sight Day (9 October) and World Homelessness Day (10 October), national charity Vision Care (formerly Vision Care for Homeless People) has unveiled a new brand identity and strategy to strengthen its mission.
Championing the right to sight for all people affected by homelessness, the charity provides free, essential eyecare through clinics across the UK and works to remove barriers through advocacy, education and research.
Vision Care CEO, Hannah Telfer, said: “Our new identity as Vision Care reflects both continuity and change. Our mission remains grounded in providing direct eyecare services, but we are now broadening our focus to challenge the systemic barriers that deny people the right to sight. With a stronger, clearer identity, we can expand our reach, influence change, and ensure no-one is left behind because of their housing status.”
Founded in 2003, the charity’s volunteer-led clinics operate in partnership with leading optical organisations and homelessness services. In the past year, clinics have provided 1,107 free sight tests and 1399 pairs of glasses to people experiencing homelessness.
Alongside its rebrand, Vision Care is preparing to launch a new five-year strategy, built around three strategic aims:
1. To become the leading authority on eyecare for people experiencing homelessness
2. To remove barriers to eye care for people experiencing homelessness by influencing policy and research
3. To facilitate direct delivery of eyecare services
During this important week, Vision Care will also be welcoming MPs into its clinics, offering them the chance to meet patients and volunteers, and to see the life-changing impact of accessible eyecare.
Alongside these visits, Vision Care is calling for changes to the General Ophthalmic Services (GOS) contract to ensure that people experiencing homelessness can access the eyecare they need without unnecessary barriers. The charity is asking for three key policy changes:
1. Eligibility for free eye tests and glasses to be extended to include people experiencing homelessness
2. To be eligible to receive an NHS domiciliary service when attending a day centre or when staying in a shelter or hostel without the need for a pre-visit notification
3. To be eligible to receive free replacement NHS glasses if their current pair is broken, lost or stolen due to their homelessness
These changes would make eyecare more flexible, responsive, and truly accessible for one of the most marginalised groups in society — helping to prevent avoidable sight loss and improve wellbeing – the charity stated.