Opticians helping the homeless in Plymouth

A MOTHER-of-two who was homeless has praised Plymouth opticians for coming to her aid when she was worried about her sight.

With one in three people who are experiencing homelessness needing glasses, staff at the Specsavers Plymouth store are keen to improve access to eyecare for those without a place to sleep or a fixed address.

The latest person to benefit is Mihaela Postaru, a Big Issue vendor outside the Marsh Mills Sainsbury’s store.

Mihaela and her two young boys were homeless for months after she split from her boyfriend.

While outside the Marsh Mills store, she was approached by Specsavers Plymouth director Dr Josie Forte, who asked if Mihaela would like to visit the store for a free eye test.

Mihaela, who has since found accommodation, says: ‘Josie said she wanted to help me. I was ever so grateful. I had swollen eyes and I was worried I had an eye infection.

‘They were so kind and professional at Specsavers. They gave me a thorough eye test and found that there are no issues with my eyes, so now I know I’m okay and that my eyes are healthy, which is a big relief.

‘There are many homeless people who have eye problems but can’t get professional help, so what they do at Specsavers is fantastic.

‘Being homeless was the hardest time for me. I really struggled. Selling the Big Issue has been great in helping me out of my situation.

‘You meet a lot of kind people like Josie – but there are others who do judge you, and that’s not so nice.’

Plymouth’s Armada Way Specsavers store is now running clinics once a month for people experiencing homelessness, and appointments are booked in advance. To make an appointment, call 01752 253434.

Free eye tests will involve all the high-tech services the store has on offer, including the hospital-grade OCT technology to detect early signs of conditions such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration.

Any glasses provided will also be free of charge, regardless of the person’s NHS status.

Dr Forte says: ‘We’re delighted to be able to help people such as Mihaela, who through no fault of their own find themselves in a challenging situation.

‘Every day at our stores we improve people’s quality of life by helping them achieve better sight and hearing.

‘Unfortunately, for those experiencing homelessness, it can be incredibly difficult to get access to this care.

‘That is why we strive to make expert care accessible to everyone, regardless of the circumstances they might find themselves in.’

Specsavers is now collaborating with the charity Vision Care for Homeless People, the Big Issue and other homelessness services to create long-term solutions to tackle homelessness.

Specsavers is also calling for changes to government policy to remove unnecessary barriers that make it difficult for people experiencing homelessness to access the eye care they need.

Long-term plans include influencing policy and systems so people experiencing homelessness have access to free eye tests and glasses, home-visiting optical services and replacement glasses if broken, lost or stolen.