Specsavers to offer free eye checks and glasses to homeless people in Edinburgh over the festive period

Specsavers will offer free eye checks and glasses to homeless people in Edinburgh over the festive period.

Special clinics will take place at the Vision Care for Homeless People clinic, based at the Edinburgh Crisis Skylight facility on Cannongate, on Monday 16 December and Monday 6 January.

Opticians have pledged to support homeless people by offering free eye tests and glasses to Big Issue sellers and others in need.

It comes after the number of homeless cases hit a record high and figures revealed more than 240 rough sleepers died in Scotland last year.

According to the National Records of Scotland (NRS), around 242 people died in 2023, just two fewer than the 244 who died in 2022.

Michael O’Kane, volunteer and clinical director at Specsavers in Cameron Toll and Morningside, said: “Every day we witness the life-changing power of better insight into people’s quality of life.

“A simple pair of glasses or timely eye care can make the difference between confidently navigating the world or completing everyday tasks.

“For homeless people here in Edinburgh and across the UK, accessing this basic but life-changing care often faces barriers – whether due to cost, social reasons , lack of documents or access to facilities.

“By partnering with Crisis at Christmas again this year, we are taking a significant step toward eliminating these barriers.

“Last year’s clinics were hugely successful and so I’m calling on my fellow optometrists and opticians to give up their time to help make a real difference this Christmas.

Specsavers is working with Vision Care for Homeless People to create long-term solutions to remove barriers to healthcare for homeless people across Scotland.

Matt Downie, Crisis Managing Director, added: “We know that homeless people face significant barriers when trying to access the healthcare they need and can go years without taking a health screening. vision, putting them at risk of developing serious eye health problems.

“Being able to connect the people we support at Christmas to vital health services plays an important role in the first step out of homelessness. That’s why we’re incredibly grateful to be working with Specsavers to provide much-needed vision tests and advice.