Reaching out to patients with intellectual disabilities

Worldwide, 1.04% of the population is estimated to have an intellectual disability; however, this proportion has been found to be higher in lowand middle-income countries.1 According to the WHO, ‘intellectual disability’ is defi ned as ‘a signifi cantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information and to learn and apply new skills’. This results in a reduced ability to cope independently, which begins before adulthood and has a lasting effect on development. In many poor or remote communities, people with intellectual disabilities are stigmatised and their families may become isolated. Outreach and community services have an important role to play in ensuring that people with intellectual disabilities get access to the eye care they need. People with intellectual impairments may have a higher than average prevalence of visual impairment. Sight problems may also result from brain damage, cerebral visual impairment, or may be associated with other causes of intellectual impairment.2 Individuals with intellectual impairments may have to be reminded about how to take care of their spectacles and about the importance of eye tests, and they may need support in order to attend for tests. People with intellectual impairments may struggle to get the same quality of care when they do come forward for medical treatment. In the UK, the health outcomes of people with intellectual disabilities are poor, and some have died unnecessarily in hospital because of failures to understand and address their particular needs.3