Our three year strategy

Vision Care envisions a future where no one is denied the right to sight because of their housing status.

In 2025, Vision Care launched a bold and ambitious three-year strategy to expand access to eye care for people experiencing homelessness. Building on more than two decades of experience, this strategy sets out how we will strengthen partnerships, remove barriers to care, and reach more people than ever before.

Together, this work will help transform lives by improving vision, independence, confidence, and overall wellbeing.

Our strategic vision

Our strategic vision is to eliminate avoidable sight loss and support health equity by making eye care accessible, inclusive, and impactful for the UK’s most marginalised communities.

We will achieve this through three core strategic aims:

Become the leading advocate for eye care for people experiencing homelessness

Remove barriers to eye care by influencing policy and research

Facilitate direct deliver high-quality, person-centred eye care services

Key challenges

Accessibility

Traditional eye care services are not designed to reach people living in hostels, rough sleeping, or without identification. Flexible, outreach-based services are essential to ensuring that eye care is accessible to those most in need.

Awareness

Many health professionals, optical providers, and support staff are unaware of the specific eye care needs of people experiencing homelessness. Increasing understanding across sectors is vital to improving early intervention and support.

Funding

Current funding models do not fully support outreach and flexible delivery models required to reach vulnerable communities. Sustainable investment is needed to expand services and ensure long-term access to care.

Patient stories

Every person we support has their own journey — and their own experience of how better vision can change daily life.

These stories share the real impact of accessible eye care, told in the words of the people we’ve worked with.

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York patient
In York, one patient was so positive about the service that he encouraged a nervous young woman to have an eye test. By sharing a real-life example of how routine eye care can detect wider health issues, he helped reassure her. With his support, she felt confident enough to have her first eye test since childhood. She was amazed by the difference some glasses could make to her distance vision. 
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London Patient
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Del
“I can only say how grateful I am to Jane and Richard for volunteering onto the service. The thought of receiving my glasses has boosted my confidence no end. Also the procedures were well explained to me, which makes me more appreciative. Thank you so much. - Del.”

Turning strategy into action

Over the next three years, Vision Care will work with partners, health services, and communities to make eye care easier to access for people experiencing homelessness. Our strategy focuses on practical change: reaching more people, removing barriers, and showing the difference that good vision can make to someone’s health, independence, and daily life.

Our impact

See how accessible eye care changes lives — from clearer sight and better health to greater confidence, independence, and connection. 

Our mission

Learn why Vision Care exists, who we support, and how we are working to make eye care fairer for people facing homelessness.

Donate

Help someone see clearly again.

Your donation helps us provide vital eye care and glasses for people experiencing homelessness.

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