When people with autism go to the optician, many of them don’t look through rose tinted glasses about their experience.

Now Kelly Appleby is helping to change all that and has been trained to work with those living with the condition as she visits their homes and advisers them on their eye wear.

Because autistic people see, hear and feel the world differently to others, Kelly has altered how she works to understand her new patients better.

And the Specsavers worker has completed a course developed with The National Autistic Society as they roll out the service across Tyne and Wear and Durham.

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how people perceive the world and interact with others. And having their eye’s tested can be a challenge.

But mobile eye care specialist Kelly, who works with an optician, is delighted to be on the forward-thinking team with the Specsavers’ home visiting service.

Kelly, 40, of Houghton-le-Spring, County Durham, said: “Autism affects more than one in 100 people, and it is vital that we are able to communicate and support someone with the condition in the most effective way possible.

“We are trained to recognise the different types of conditions, Asperger’s, ADHD and all the levels of the spectrum with autism.

“When we go to their home we have to respond by letting them know they are safe. With people with autism, meeting new people is a massive task and we give them the time to settle in with us.

“You have to speak to them softly and not talk too harsh and look at how they interact with their carer and copy that.

“I love doing domiciliary and get great satisfaction with working with a wide range of people.”

Foster mum Kelly took part in the training, which is currently being rolled out across the company.

It aims to build on knowledge about the lifelong developmental disability, while helping to improve the customer experience for people with autism and their carers.

The online learning modules cover understanding autism, communicating with people with autism, how autism can impact the senses and adjustments that people can make.

“We are very proud to be involved in supporting The National Autistic Society and we hope our training will help make the optical experience easier for people who are living with the condition.”

Autism is a spectrum condition. All autistic people share certain difficulties, but being autistic will affect them in different ways.

Some also have learning disabilities, mental health issues or other conditions, meaning people need different levels of support.

All people on the autism spectrum learn and develop. With the right sort of support, all can be helped to live a more fulfilling life.

The National Autistic Society’s business development manager, Sharlene Wright, said: “This has been a great opportunity for us to increase awareness of autism in partnership with an organisation that is proactively seeking to enable autistic people to have a positive experience in its stores.

“It has been an inspiring collaboration and The National Autistic Society welcomes the open attitudes and minds with which Specsavers is seeking to enhance the lives of people on the autism spectrum.”