A WALK-IN clinic is being held tomorrow for people experiencing homelessness in York.

A team from Specsavers Acomb will be heading to the Changing Lives accommodation project on Union Terrace to offer eye tests.

Equipment is being loaned by the local Specsavers home visiting team to carry out the tests and those who require glasses will then be fitted with new prescription glasses.

Kelly Cunningham, Service Manager, Changing Lives York, said: "Changing Lives is delighted that Specsavers Acomb have offered to provide eye tests and glasses to our residents. We provide accommodation for 39 individuals at our Union Terrace site, emergency accommodation via hospital discharge and a wide range of support services. Individuals who have experienced homelessness often in turn experience ill health because they haven’t been able to access appropriate healthcare for a variety of reasons and eye care is often forgotten.

"By providing an eye clinic on site and glasses free of charge, Specsavers is helping the most vulnerable members of the community to protect and improve their sight, which is absolutely fantastic."

Alexandra Brightwell, manager of Acomb Specsavers, said: "As a team, we want to support those in the local community who are less fortunate than us. No matter what their reason is for being homeless, it’s important that they receive assistance whilst they’re trying to get themselves back onto their feet.

"For them to have every opportunity to find a job, they need to be in good health and have a network they can access which encourages them to stay positive. It’s also worth saying that an eye test is about more than getting a prescription for glasses, a routine eye check can detect signs of a number of common health conditions such as glaucoma, diabetes and high blood pressure.

"If we do find that any of the patients show signs of these sorts of conditions, then we will look at getting them referred for treatment.’

The Specsavers Home Visits team travel across Yorkshire visit homes and care homes to provide a comprehensive eyecare service to those who cannot get to their local store unaccompanied.