Sight on equity: understanding the barriers faced by Black and Asian minoritised communities when accessing sight tests
Download (PDF 1.3 MB)Summary of report content
Healthwatch Surrey undertook research on Black and Asian people's engagement with preventative eye care, as these groups are at increased risk of developing serious eye conditions, but are less likely to access opticians. They spoke to 200 people.
Healthwatch found a lack of consistency in how often people from Surrey’s black and Asian communities have sight tests, with some not having them as regularly as recommended. There is also a reliance on opticians to instigate appointment booking.
Sight tests are usually prompted by a deterioration in vision around the age of 40; preventative eye health (and the link between sight tests, eye health and general health) was neither widely understood nor prioritised.
The cost of sight tests, as well as fear of the costs of glasses or contact lenses, was identified as the key barrier preventing people from having a sight test. Healthwatch asked how aware people were of NHS entitlements and identified widespread uncertainty, with only half of surveyed participants correctly identifying eligibility criteria and focus group discussions revealing further confusion. The report concludes that improved awareness could meaningfully increase uptake.
Another significant barrier people identified was a concern about language; a particular issue for the older cohort who are reliant on family and friends to support them throughout the sight test process. Awareness of the right to a translator was low, but an appealing prospect which the research concludes would improve uptake.
For those who make the decision to have a sight test, the experience is generally positive; having translators available, flexible appointment times and more guidance and explanations would improve people’s experiences further.
The report recommendations are to providers and commissioners of eye care services. These primarily relate to education – specifically tailored to black and Asian minoritised communities – around the role of sight tests for supporting overall health, the importance of prevention, what a sight test entails, rights related to translators and eligibility for NHS entitlements.