Visual impairment or low vision is a severe reduction in vision that cannot be corrected with standard glasses or contact lenses and reduces a person’s ability to function at certain or all tasks.
A person can be registered partially sighted or severely sight impaired (blind).
Visual impairment or low vision can be caused by a variety of conditions such as:
- cataracts
- diabetes
- glaucoma
- genetic defects or an injury
- macular degeneration
- visual cortex disorder.
Many people who live with sight impairment experience different levels of sight loss. Some people are only able to determine lights or shapes, while others may experience blurred vision.
Sight impairment can cause loss of sight in the centre of the eye or no side vision. It can also cause difficulty seeing at night. It is uncommon for someone to have no vision at all even if the person is registered blind.
Eye strain and headaches are also a common side effect of living with sight impairment.
Find out more about blindness and vision loss on the NHS website.
Ways to treat and manage your sight loss
If you have any concerns about your eye sight, or feel that your sight has deteriorated, you should always consult your GP or an optician.
You may be referred to an eye clinic or ophthalmologist (a specialist in eyes). They examine your eyes and determine if there are any possible treatments for your condition.
In a lot of cases your sight could be improved simply by different glasses or cataract surgery.
Equipment options for people with sight loss
There are many pieces of equipment available to assist you to overcome the problems presented by your sight loss, and to enable you to adapt your environment so that it is better suited to your needs.
Many people will be familiar with the white canes which people use, both to tell those around them that they have a sight loss, and to allow them to navigate round potential obstacles more safely.
Other equipment options include:
- talking books
- liquid level indicators
- writing frames
- symbol canes
- large button telephones
- talking clocks and watches.
The RNIB Online Shop offers all kinds of supportive equipment, as well as specially adapted toys, games and other leisure items.
Visual impairment and computing
Choosing the right kind of assistive technology can transform the abilities of visually impaired people to perform everyday computing tasks like:
- reading documents
- producing letters and reports
- sending and receiving emails
- browsing the web
- communicating through social media
- working with spreadsheets and data entry.
Find out more about using assistive technology on your computer.
Guide dogs and sighted guides
Guide dogs
There are over 4,700 guide dog owners in the UK. If you are blind or partially sighted, a guide dog could change your life by enabling you to be independently mobile when out and about.
The Guide Dog charity provides both dogs to people who are blind or partially sighted, and training on how to use them.
Sighted guides
The Guide Dog charity also arrange for volunteers to act as guides and to support people with sight loss as they get out about and about.
The My Guide scheme offers training to the volunteers, and also offers training to businesses to help them to meet the needs of customers with sight loss.
Help from us
Who can get help from us?
Visually impaired residents of Hammersmith & Fulham, irrespective of their age or whether they are registered as blind or partially sighted can get help from us.
What help is available?
There are different degrees of sight loss, so the type and amount of help needed varies. For this reason, we carry out an assessment before we arrange services.
This is an opportunity to talk to you about your needs and to make sure we provide the right level of support for you.
Examples of some of the services we may provide following your assessment are:
- information about the services and activities available locally for blind or partially sighted people
- support to learn the skills to manage practical tasks around the home
- training and advice on mobility, to increase confidence and safety out and about and at home.
- tuition in using a white cane, crossing roads, shopping and using public transport
- help with communication difficulties such as reading, writing and using the telephone and help telling the time
- equipment to help you manage in your own home
- referral to a social worker to help with practical and social problems or to other services such as Meals on Wheels or home help
- referral to voluntary agencies such as BlindAid or Guide Dogs.
Do I have to be registered?
Registration helps us know how many people with sight loss live in the borough. This helps us plan our services. If you choose not to register, it will not affect your assessment for services.
Find out more about registering as vision impaired.
Contact us about getting help
Contact us if you would like to know more about how we can help you and our services.
If you would like to request an assessment please visit our assessments for care page.