Health Literacy and Accessibility
Health literacy is the ability to obtain, understand, and use information to make informed decisions.[1]
In optical care, low health literacy can undermine safe spectacle use, contact lens hygiene, or understanding of disease and referral.[7]
Recognising and adapting to varying literacy levels enables meaningful engagement and reduces risk.[5]
Recognising low health literacy
Patients rarely disclose literacy difficulties.[2]
Clues include incomplete forms, frequent missed appointments, or vague recall of prior instructions.[2]
During consultations, watch for nodding without questions, hesitation when asked to summarise, or avoidance of reading materials. Adjust communication proactively when these signs appear.[2]
Adapting communication in optical care
Clear, patient - centred communication prevents misunderstanding and supports safety:[1]
- Use plain language - e.g., "short - sightedness" instead of "myopia."[1]
- Break information into steps - teach insertion, removal, and cleaning of contact lenses one at a time.[1]
- Add visual supports - diagrams, models, or demonstrations to reinforce key messages.[4]
These techniques help patients engage with essential information without feeling overwhelmed.[1]
The teach - back method
Teach - back confirms understanding by asking patients to explain or show instructions in their own words. For example: "Just so I know I explained it clearly, can you show me how you would clean your lenses?"[3]
It corrects misunderstandings immediately and improves retention, especially for safety - critical tasks such as glaucoma medication adherence or safe spectacle wear in children.[3][7]
Accessible materials and inclusive practice
Provide written and digital resources in accessible formats: large print, plain text, or easy - read with illustrations. Offer audio or translated materials for sensory or language needs.[6]
Multiple formats increase participation, support autonomy, and reduce inequalities in outcomes.[4]
References (numbered in text)
- Health literacy — NHS England Find (opens in a new tab)
- How the stigma of low literacy can impair patient-professional spoken interactions and affect health: insights from a qualitative investigation — Phyllis Easton; Vikki A Entwistle; Brian Williams. BMC Health Services Research (2013) Find (opens in a new tab)
- Teach-back: A systematic review of implementation and impacts — Jason Talevski; Anna Wong Shee; Bodil Rasmussen; Georgie Kemp; Alison Beauchamp. PLoS One (2020) Find (opens in a new tab)
- The effectiveness of visual-based interventions on health literacy in health care: a systematic review and meta-analysis — Elisa Galmarini; Laura Marciano; Peter Johannes Schulz. BMC Health Services Research (2024) Find (opens in a new tab)
- Low health literacy and health outcomes: an updated systematic review — Nancy D. Berkman; Stacey L. Sheridan; Katrina E. Donahue; David J. Halpern; Karen Crotty. Annals of Internal Medicine (2011) Find (opens in a new tab)
- Accessible Information Standard (DAPB1605) — NHS England (2025) Find (opens in a new tab)
- Health literacy and ophthalmology: A scoping review — Mina Iskander; Galen Hu; Sara Coulon; Azizi A. Seixas; Richard McGowan; Lama A. Al-Aswad. Survey of Ophthalmology (2023) Find (opens in a new tab)
References are included to demonstrate that all the content in this course is rigorously evidence-based, and has been prepared using trusted and authoritative sources.
They also serve as starting points for further reading and deeper exploration at your own pace.
Ask Dr. Aiden
Rate this page
Sign up now for a free account
Course tools & details
