As the world marks World Sight Day (9 October) and World Homelessness Day (10 October), Vision Care (formerly Vision Care for Homeless People) has unveiled a new brand identity and strategy to strengthen our mission.
Vision Care champions the right to sight for all people affected by homelessness. We provide free, essential eye care through clinics across the UK and work to remove barriers through advocacy, education, and research.
“Our new identity as Vision Care reflects both continuity and change. Our mission remains grounded in providing direct eye care 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.” – Hannah Telfer – CEO
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 1107 free sight tests and 1399 pairs of glasses to people experiencing homelessness.
A new strategy for impact
Alongside its rebrand, Vision Care is preparing to launch a new five-year strategy, built around three strategic aims:
- To become the leading authority on eye care for people experiencing homelessness.
- To remove barriers to eye care for people experiencing homelessness by influencing policy and research.
- To facilitate direct delivery of eye care services.
During this important week, Vision Care will also be welcoming Members of Parliament into its clinics, offering them the chance to meet patients and volunteers, and to see the life-changing impact of accessible eye care.
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 eye care they need without unnecessary barriers. The charity is asking for three key policy changes:
- Eligibility for free eye tests and glasses to be extended to include people experiencing homelessness.
- 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.
- 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 eye care more flexible, responsive, and truly accessible for one of the most marginalised groups in society — helping to prevent avoidable sight loss and improve wellbeing.
Envisioning the future
Vision Care’s vision is simple yet powerful:
A future where no one is denied the right to sight because of their housing status.
