1:30min
By Rhiannon Riches
Assistant Editor
South Australian optometrist Dr Paul Constable from Flinders Vision has developed an information sheet to assist optometrists to communicate with people on the autism spectrum.
Dr Constable lectured and managed the undergraduate program at City University London. He conducted vision screenings on children with autism in schools in the United Kingdom and found that many children under the age of eight years had not had an eye examination.
Since joining the Flinders University optometry team in 2015, he has helped establish an optometry clinic for children and adults on the autism spectrum, the first in Australia. It is expected to open in Adelaide in March, under his leadership.
‘This will help reduce anxiety and allow the child to familiarise themselves with the environment, sounds and staff so it won’t be so stressful or scary when they come in,’ Dr Constable told Australian Optometry.
Read more about the new clinic and Dr Constable’s top 10 tips for treating patients with an autism spectrum disorder.