New Mills opticians honoured for autism-friendly approach

Morans Opticians has been accredited with an autism friendly award by the National Autistic Society.

Changes at the Market Street practice include the ability to request appointments at quieter times or during periods when it is normally closed to help put them most at ease.

Patients can also attend for a pre-test visit before their scheduled appointment, to meet the team and look around the testing room to familiarise themselves. Appointments can be split over multiple visits if required.

Dispensing optician Hannah Coram, whose 11-year-old son has autism, has been leading the changes.

She said: “I’ve been able to look at it from a parent’s perspective as I’ve had personal experience of the challenges that can arise.

“People with autism struggle with new experiences, so that’s why we want to make these adjustments available. Everyone is different so it’s really on a case-by-case basis.

“The appointment itself is also really important; anything that is out of an autistic person’s routine can be challenging, so we will ensure that everything runs smoothly for them.

“This is all about making the experience as comfortable and ordered as possible; we want to make life for families that little bit easier and, if we can do that, it will definitely be worth it.”

Morans Opticians’ website also has a section which describes a typical appointment with photographs of the different steps of an eye examination, along with details of how the practice can help to create a more comfortable sensory environment.

For further information, visit www.moransopticians.co.uk/autism-awareness or call the practice on 01663 742 338.