Parental satisfaction with a special schools eyecare and spectacle dispensing service

We present the findings of an annual parent/carer satisfaction survey for an opt-out, NHS-funded special schools eye care service provided by SeeAbility at 31 London special school and college sites between April 2022 and March 2023. The survey was anonymous with an option to provide a name to allow follow-up to free-text comments. During this period, 2799 eye examinations were completed, and 1800 pairs of glasses were provided through the service. This service offers eye care, spectacle dispensing, and ongoing support with spectacle use. Each child receives a plain English report that explains their visual abilities, needs, and limitations to help families and educators understand how best to support them. The response rate to the survey was 19.2%. Of the respondents, 96% were satisfied with the service, and 91.6% reported a better understanding of their child’s visual abilities, needs, and limitations ( n = 417). School was the preferred setting for eye care delivery among 84% of parents, with 80% also preferring it as the place for their child’s glasses to be dispensed and fitted. Thematic analysis of open-text responses to service feedback requests (using NVivo 14) revealed positive responses and favourable outcomes associated with the service, specifically the successful completion of eye examinations and visual correction with spectacles, leading to improved visual outcomes.