RNIB calls on eyecare practices to adopt simple operational changes for patient accessibility

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is calling on optometry practices and eyecare providers to implement straightforward accessibility adjustments to support blind and partially sighted patients.

Key recommendations emphasize providing appointment details, test results, and care instructions in accessible formats such as large print, digital text, audio, or Braille.

Additionally, the charity highlights the importance of clear physical navigation within practice spaces and ensuring electronic health record systems flag individual communication preferences automatically.

For optometry practice owners, clinical staff, and healthcare administrators, adopting these low-cost operational fixes helps fulfill legal compliance obligations while improving patient safety and autonomy.

By embedding simple inclusive practices into everyday clinical workflows, eyecare professionals can eliminate unnecessary barriers for patients navigating vision loss.

Implementing simple accessibility adjustments across optical practices ensures blind and partially sighted patients receive equitable healthcare and critical medical information in accessible formats.

Read the full story at Optician Online (opens in new tab) →

To see how healthcare accessibility challenges impact real patients, watch this RNIB Eyecare Access Video (opens in new tab) detailing first-hand community perspectives on accessing sight services.