Half of people experiencing homelessness have worsening eyesight or hearing, Specsavers says

Nearly half of people experiencing homelessness are seeing their eyesight or hearing deteriorate, new research from Specsavers and Crisis has found.

Almost half (47%) of those surveyed said that their sight or hearing difficulties had worsened whilst experiencing homelessness, whilst 21% said that they had developed sight or hearing problems for the first time.

People forced to sleep rough were most affected, the research noted.

Nearly one in five (18%) of those surveyed said that sight or hearing difficulties made it harder to access homelessness services, whilst 17% said it made it harder to find secure housing or employment.

More than a third (36%) said that cost was the biggest barrier to receiving eye and hearing care. Other difficulties included competing priorities, transport challenges, and a lack of accessible services.

Half of survey respondents who were sleeping rough said that they felt at greater risk of accidents and 33% said that they felt more vulnerable to violence or exploitation.

Four in five (80%) said that free or low-cost glasses and hearing devices would have helped them, whilst 65% said support delivered through accommodation or homelessness services would have made access to care easier.

The survey of 292 people currently experiencing homelessness or who had experienced it in the past year was carried out in the UK and the Republic of Ireland in August and September 2026.

The criteria for homelessness included those who were rough sleeping, living in temporary accommodation, sofa surfing, staying in hostels or refuges, or sleeping in indoor public spaces, in cars, on public transport, in garages, or in abandoned buildings.

The initial research was followed up with five in depth interviews with people experiencing homelessness, in order to generate further lived experience insights.

The research found that access to eye and ear care remains limited for people experiencing homelessness, and that the main barriers to care are cost, competing priorities, transport challenges, and a lack of accessible services.

The research highlighted stories including that of an ongoing ear infection that took a longer than it should have to heal whilst the interviewee was sleeping rough.

Another interviewee explained that they had worn daily disposable contact lenses for multiple days due to fears that their glasses would be broken or stolen.

“No single experience of homelessness”

Specsavers provides free eye and hearing care to anyone experiencing homelessness through its Charity VIP scheme, which is available across all practices in the UK and Ireland. The scheme has supported more than 7000 people since it began in 2023.

Jo Osborne, social impact lead at Specsavers, said: “We’ve learned through our homelessness programme that there is no single experience of homelessness, so there cannot be a single route to care.

“Some people are comfortable accessing support on the High Street when it is free and delivered with dignity, while others need services to reach them through trusted community and homelessness settings.”

Osborne emphasised that Specsavers is unable to solve the issue of access to care for those experiencing homelessness alone.

“We need government, healthcare providers and the wider optical and audiology sectors to work together so that everyone can access essential eye and hearing care, regardless of their housing circumstances,” she emphasised.

Specsavers partners with homelessness charity Crisis to offer free sight and hearing tests, including through their Crisis at Christmas campaign.

Matt Downie, chief executive of Crisis, said: “Through our frontline services we know just how difficult it can be to access healthcare, like eye and ear care, when experiencing homelessness. There are many barriers people face, from worries about the cost of tests and travel to appointments, to fears about stigma or being turned away due to not having a fixed address.

“Not being able to see or hear clearly can have a detrimental impact on someone’s confidence and dignity, making everyday tasks even more challenging. This makes our partnership with Specsavers so crucial, offering quality care to people experiencing homelessness to help them improve their health and regain their independence.”

Downie added: “Together with Specsavers, we’re determined to keep breaking down barriers to healthcare so that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, can take their first steps to a life out of homelessness.”