Keeler and Birmingham Optical partner for VCHP donation

Manufacturer, Keeler, and optical supplier, Birmingham Optical, have donated an £18000 slit lamp to the Brighton Vision Care for Homeless People clinic.

The new model, which was manufactured at Keeler’s Windsor laboratory, will replace a 30-year-old slit lamp.

The VCHP highlighted that the donation will help enhance the work of volunteer optometrists.

Nicola Bennett, Keeler clinical product training manager, said: “This slit lamp will help to provide better monitoring, help with referrals and enable the clinician to talk through the findings with the captured images.”

Data storage capabilities will be helpful if patients return for further checks, Bennett added.

“The impact of this enhanced care can be enormous in moving people along the right pathways at the VCHP clinic within this homeless centre. Not being able to see can be a barrier to literacy and provides screening for some of the wider health concerns,” she continued.

Amanda Higginbotham, chief operating officer for Birmingham Optical, also commented: “Our joint collaboration to provide the Keeler Digital Symphony slit lamp and IT requirements shows the strength of our partnership to support such a worthy charity.”

The slit lamp was calibrated on site at the Brighton clinic by Keeler business development manager, Nick Hamlett (pictured right).

VCHP noted that it is seeking additional volunteers across all its clinics. Those interested in applying should contact Helen Harms.