Medical Background

There are many reasons for loss of sight. Some people are born with poor sight, some lose their sight later. This could be due to an accident or to disease. Some illnesses affecting other parts of the body can also cause problems in the eyes. Sight loss may be partial or total, and sudden or gradual. Some illnesses run in families, or are more common in people from a particular part of the world.

For example, there is a condition called Glaucoma, which affects sight due to increased pressure inside the eye. In Britain, this affects about 2% of people over the age of 40. It is more common in people suffering from diabetes, and in those who have close relatives with the same condition.

However your sight is affected, we may be able to provide some helpful information for you, so read on… (There is a list of useful addresses at the end.)

First port of call / Medical treatment

If you are worried about your sight, go to an ophthalmic optician, or speak to your GP. They will be able to direct you towards the treatment that you need. As there are so many different reasons for sight loss, there are many different treatments. The important thing is to follow the advice given, and to go for regular check-ups. If you notice a sudden change in your eyesight, seek medical attention promptly.

Free eye tests are available to people:

• aged over 60 or under 16, or under 19 if still in full-time education
• who are registered blind or partially-sighted
• who suffer from glaucoma and also for any of their close relatives who are aged over 40
• who are eligible for NHS complex lens vouchers
• on certain benefits (check with the RNIB to see if you are eligible)
• with an HC11 form

Registration

Your local Social Services Department has a register of blind and partially sighted people in your area. You don't have to register, but by registering you will become entitled to certain benefits and services. You can also get advice on rehabilitation services in your area.

Useful organisations

Deaf-Blind UK: information for those with both conditions.

International Glaucoma Association: provides information for those with glaucoma, promotes awareness of the condition, and supports research into it.

The Partially Sighted Society: provides information, advice, publications, aids, enlargement services and local support.

Royal National Institute for the Blind: provides over 60 different services to help anyone with impaired vision, e.g. easy-to-read watches, information, holidays. Write to them for a free copy of Your guide to RNIB services.

SENSE: advice and information for those who are deaf and blind.

Benefits and Allowances

There are many benefits and price reductions for those who are partially-sighted or blind. Some benefits require you to be registered; others are only available to people on low incomes, or to people of certain ages. You may be eligible for some of the following:

• Disability Living Allowance (DLA) Care and Mobility Components (if under 66 years old)
• Attendance Allowance (if over 65)
• Invalid Care Allowance (for carers)
• Incapacity Benefit
• Job Seekers Allowance
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• Disability Working Allowance
• Additional Income Support

Contact your local benefits agency or local neighbourhood office for details.

• Housing Benefit
• Council Tax Benefit

Contact your local neighbourhood office for details.

Tax Concessions: Contact your local tax office - you need proof of registration for this.

The Disability Alliance produces The Disability Rights Handbook - a comprehensive guide to benefits for disabled people. Cost: £12 (£8 to those on benefits).

The Family Fund is administered by the Joseph Rowntree Memorial Trust on behalf of the Government. It makes financial grants to families caring for children up to 16 years of age, who have special needs or severe handicap. The grants are intended to provide equipment or services related to day-to-day care e.g. washing machines and holidays.
The fund looks at each family situation individually and is pleased to consider a wide variety of requests for items or services, if these can be seen to assist family circumstances. If in doubt, it is always worth applying.

Employment and Training

Contact the Disability Employment Adviser at your local Job Centre for advice on employment issues, including equipment and training. Alternatively, phone the RNIB.

Advice and a job-matching scheme are also available from "Employment Opportunities for People with disabilities" who have a network of offices throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

Students with disabilities should contact Skill (National Bureau for Students with Disabilities) for information and support. Hereward College in Coventry welcomes disabled students from all over the world and offers a wide range of courses, with good facilities.

Children and Education

Your local Social Services may provide siblings' groups, nurseries and day care.

For concerns about schooling, contact your local Education Department or the special needs co-ordinator at the school (SENCO).

LOOK and the RNIB both provide advice, help and support for families.

Equipment

There are many aids to make life with sight loss easier. For example, book magnifiers, bread cutting guides and braille labels. Contact your local Social Services Area Office, or the RNIB for details.

LEXEQUIP buys and sells second-hand specialist equipment.

REMAP is a small charity which helps design or adjust aids specifically for your needs.

Help for carers

Focus provides day care services for those with multiple disabilities.

The Gift of Thomas Pocklington also has a day centre. Working parents of disabled children can contact Parents at Work for support.

Contact your local social services for information on respite care, or speak to the Carers National Association who can also help with other issues. If you have access to the internet, look at the Department of Health's carers' website.

Getting about

For advice on how your visual impairment affects your driving licence, contact the DVLA Drivers Medical Branch. For information on Car Parking Badges, contact your local Social Services Department. Please note that in the past the badges were orange. These have now been replaced by Blue Badges and time clocks, which can be used throughout Europe. These cost £2 for 3 years, but are dependent on a medical report.

Railcards, and information on their use can be obtained from any mainline station or phone the Disabled Persons Railcard Office.

Your local social services department can advise you about concessionary bus passes for your area.

If you are over 16 and feel that having a guide dog might help you, contact the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association

Communication

Telephones - You are entitled to free Directory Enquiries - dial 195 during office hours and ask to register for this service. For telephone equipment (e.g. large button phones) dial 150 and ask for the local Action for Disabled Customers. You could also look in any local shop that sells telephones.

Postage - Certain items, such as braille papers or talking book cassettes can be posted free of charge, as long as they bear the correct label. Contact the RNIB for details.

Socialising and Entertainment

Don't let your sight loss stop you from enjoying your social life! Contact Customer Care at TV licensing for a 50% reduction in your TV licence fee - you need proof of registration for this.

Large print books, and tapes, are available from local libraries, and from the Library Services at Home, if this runs in your area. Contact the RNIB for details of the Talking Book Service.

The Talking Newspaper Association of the UK (TNAUK) is a registered charity which provides national and local newspapers and magazines on audio tape, computer disk, e-mail and CD-ROM for visually impaired and disabled people who find reading a strain. The national service is provided by the TNAUK headquarters in Heathfield, East Sussex. For a nominal fee of £25, subscribers have a choice of 10 publications from over 200 titles. A 'Guide to Tape Services for Visually Impaired and Disabled People' is available from TNAUK in print and on disk for £7 and contains details of local talking newspaper groups, other information available on tape and organisations for visually impaired and disabled people. Local newspapers and magazines are supplied free of charge by over 520 groups of volunteers.

The Big Print Weekly Newspaper contains TV listings, and costs just over £1/ week (by subscription).

The RNIB will provide some newspapers and magazines in Braille - contact them for details.

Other information

Campaigning - The Disabled Rights Commission has recently been set up, with the aims of eliminating discrimination against disabled people, and securing equal opportunities for them. They provide a helpline and legal advice, and also welcome your opinion on the work they are doing.

Charitable Grants - Contact your local Social Services. Alternatively, if you are an ex-service person, contact St Dunstans, a charity which provides training, support and holidays for blind ex-servicemen and women. You will need to be assessed by them first: phone their "Pensions and Admissions Department" for details.

Housing -The Gift of Thomas Pocklington offers residential accommodation and sheltered housing in various locations throughout the country. Alternatively, speak to the RNIB or your local Social Services.

Voting - If you are registered then you are entitled to a postal vote. Alternatively, you can take someone with you to fill in your ballot paper for you, as long as the returning officer at the polling station is informed. Recent legislation means that you can ask for Voter Assistance at the Polling Station (eg, large print voting slip) but you will need to contact your Polling Station in advance (details should be on your Polling Card, or contact your political party's local branch).

Useful Addresses

Benefit Enquiry Line (for people with disabilities)
Tel: 0800 44 11 44

Big Print Weekly Newspaper
Tel: 0800 124 007

Carers National Association
20-25 Glasshouse Yard
London EC1A 4JS
Tel: 0808 808 7777

Children's Legal Centre
20 Compton Terrace
London N1 2UN
Tel: 0207 359 6251

Council for Disabled Children
8 Wakley Street
London EC1V 7QE
Tel: 0207 843 6061

Deaf-Blind UK
Tel: 01733 358 100

Disability Alliance
Universal House
88-94 Wentworth Street
London E1 7SA
Tel: 0207 247 8763

Disability Discrimination Act Information Line
Tel: 0345 622 633 or 0345 622 644
Fax: 0345 622 644

Disabled Living Foundation
380-384 Harrow Road
London W9 2HU
Tel: 0207 289 6111

Disabled Persons Railcard Office
Tel: 0191 269 0303

Disablement Information and Advice Line (DIAL UK)
Tel: 01302 310 123

DVLA Drivers Medical Branch
Swansea SA99 1TU

Employers' Forum on Disability
Nutmeg House
60 Gainsford Street
London SE1 2NY
Tel / Minicom: 0207 403 3020
Fax: 0207 403 0404

Employment Opportunities for people with disabilities
Tel / Fax: 0207 726 4961
Minicom: 0207 726 4963

Family Fund (Joseph Rowntree Memorial Trust)
PO Box 50
York YO1 2ZX
Tel: 01904 621 115

The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association
Tel: 01926 337 244

Health Information Service
Tel: 0800 66 55 44

Hereward College
Bramston Crescent
Tile Hill Lane
Coventry CV4 9SW
Tel / Minicom: 024 7646 1231
Fax: 024 7669 4305

International Glaucoma Association
108c Warner Road
Camberwell
London SE5 9HQ
Tel: 0207 737 3265
Fax: 0207 346 5929

LEXEQUIP
Harnhill Cottage
Waterton Lane
Amprey Crucis
Cirencester GL7 5RX
Tel / Fax: 01285 850 816

LOOK: National Federation of Families with Visually Impaired Children
C/o Queen Alexandra College
49 Court Oak Road
Harborne
Birmingham B17 9TG
Tel: 0121 428 5038

National Association of Toy and Leisure Libraries
68 Churchway
London NW1 1LT

National Disability Council
Department of Social Security
6th floor, Adelphi
1-11 John Adam Street
London WC2N 6HT
Tel: 0207 712 2099

Parents at Work
45 Beech Street
London EC2Y 8AD
Tel: 0207 588 0802

The Partially Sighted Society
Queen's Road
Doncaster DN1 2NX
Tel: 01302 323 132

REMAP
Hazeldene
Ightham
Sevenoaks,
Kent TN15 9AD
Tel: 01732 883818

Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation (RADAR)
12 City Forum
250 City Road
London EC1V 8AF
Tel: 0207 250 3222

Royal National Institute for the Blind
224 Great Portland Street
London W1N 6AA
Tel: 0345 669 999
For advice on equipment, education or training, Tel: 0345 023 153

SENSE (The National Deaf-Blind and Rubella Association)
11-12 Clifton Terrace
London N4 3SR
Tel: 0207 272 7774

Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities
336 Brixton Road
London SW9 7AA
Tel: 0207 274 0565 / 0207 978 9890
Fax: 0207 737 7477
Minicom: 0207 738 7722

St Dunstans
12-14 Harcourt Road
London W1H 4HD
Tel: 0207 723 5021

Talking Newspaper Association for the UK
Tel: 01435 866 102

Tax Credit Helpline
Tel: 0845 608 8844

TV Licensing
Bristol BS 98 1TL
Tel: 08705-763763
Minicom: 08705 758 604

War Pension Helpline
Tel: 01253 858 858