Improving eye care access for autistic people: applying the autistic SPACE framework

Chris Edwards; Abigail M. A.  Love; Ru Ying Cai; Paul A. Constable; Daniel C. Love; Ketan Parmer; Emma Gowen; Mary Doherty; Vicki Gibbs

doi:10.1080/08164622.2025.2606937

Improving eye care access for autistic people: applying the autistic SPACE framework

Chris Edwards, Abigail M. A. Love, Ru Ying Cai, Paul A. Constable, Daniel C. Love, Ketan Parmer, Emma Gowen, Mary Doherty, Vicki Gibbs

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate

Abstract

Autistic people, who represent approximately 3% of the population,Citation1 frequently encounter barriers to healthcare due to a mismatch between their needs and conventional healthcare environments. These barriers include a lack of accommodations for sensory sensitivities, communication differences, gaps in the knowledge of providers, inflexible systems, and difficulties in navigating care pathways. Each of these factors can increase anxiety and uncertainty, and negatively affect access to care, comfort during appointments, and clinical outcomes.

Original language	English
Number of pages	4
Journal	Clinical and Experimental Optometry
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/08164622.2025.2606937
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 11 Jan 2026

Keywords

Accessibility
autism
autistic SPACE
eye care
sensory needs

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1080/08164622.2025.2606937Licence: In Copyright

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title = "Improving eye care access for autistic people: applying the autistic SPACE framework",

abstract = "Autistic people, who represent approximately 3% of the population,Citation1 frequently encounter barriers to healthcare due to a mismatch between their needs and conventional healthcare environments. These barriers include a lack of accommodations for sensory sensitivities, communication differences, gaps in the knowledge of providers, inflexible systems, and difficulties in navigating care pathways. Each of these factors can increase anxiety and uncertainty, and negatively affect access to care, comfort during appointments, and clinical outcomes.",

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T2 - applying the autistic SPACE framework

AU - Edwards, Chris

AU - Love, Abigail M. A.

AU - Cai, Ru Ying

AU - Constable, Paul A.

AU - Love, Daniel C.

AU - Parmer, Ketan

AU - Gowen, Emma

AU - Doherty, Mary

AU - Gibbs, Vicki

PY - 2026/1/11

Y1 - 2026/1/11

N2 - Autistic people, who represent approximately 3% of the population,Citation1 frequently encounter barriers to healthcare due to a mismatch between their needs and conventional healthcare environments. These barriers include a lack of accommodations for sensory sensitivities, communication differences, gaps in the knowledge of providers, inflexible systems, and difficulties in navigating care pathways. Each of these factors can increase anxiety and uncertainty, and negatively affect access to care, comfort during appointments, and clinical outcomes.

AB - Autistic people, who represent approximately 3% of the population,Citation1 frequently encounter barriers to healthcare due to a mismatch between their needs and conventional healthcare environments. These barriers include a lack of accommodations for sensory sensitivities, communication differences, gaps in the knowledge of providers, inflexible systems, and difficulties in navigating care pathways. Each of these factors can increase anxiety and uncertainty, and negatively affect access to care, comfort during appointments, and clinical outcomes.

KW - Accessibility

KW - autism

KW - autistic SPACE

KW - eye care

KW - sensory needs

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105027973918&partnerID=8YFLogxK

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DO - 10.1080/08164622.2025.2606937

M3 - Comment/debate

AN - SCOPUS:105027973918

SN - 0816-4622

JO - Clinical and Experimental Optometry

JF - Clinical and Experimental Optometry

ER -

Improving eye care access for autistic people: applying the autistic SPACE framework

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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