SightAtlasUK
A free UK resource

Everything you need,
in one place.

Clear, accessible information for people living with sight conditions, their family and friends, the people who support them — in fact, for anyone.

July 2026 · Reviewed monthly

Something not quite right?

💛 Why this site exists

When my daughter was diagnosed with Stargardt's, I had so many questions. I couldn't find anywhere that had everything in one place.

Find your condition

Search 25 eye conditions — get research, practical guides, benefits help & support

Type your condition then tap Search (or press Enter)

Or search topics (benefits, daily life, support...)

Just diagnosed?

Start here.

You don't need to figure everything out today. Here are five things that actually matter in the first weeks.

Recent Updates July 2026
Research

Stargardt: SpliceBio's dual-vector ABCA4 gene therapy (SB-007) has progressed to the Part B dose-expansion stage of its Phase 1/2 ASTRA trial, which is enrolling people aged 12 to 65 across several international sites. AAVantgarde Bio's CELESTE trial is also recruiting adults with ABCA4 mutations.

Research

Retinitis Pigmentosa: MeiraGTx RPGR gene therapy Phase 2/3 trial reports significant preservation of visual field in X-linked RP patients at 12-month follow-up.

Research

Usher Syndrome: Ultevursen (formerly QR-421a, now owned by Laboratoires Théa) — Phase 2/3 LUNA trial recruiting since December 2024, primary completion expected December 2027.

Benefits

PIP & DLA rates updated April 2026 (3.8% rise): Daily Living enhanced rate £114.60/week. Mobility enhanced rate £80.00/week. Attendance Allowance higher rate £114.60/week. Carer's Allowance £86.45/week.

Technology

All conditions: Apple's 2026 accessibility update (previewed May 2026, arriving later this year) brings Apple Intelligence-powered enhancements to VoiceOver, Magnifier and Accessibility Reader — including detailed image descriptions and natural language questions about what your camera sees.

Updates are verified and added each month. Information is for guidance only — always discuss research and treatment options with your ophthalmologist.

Daily Life

Everyday Guide

Practical tips to make daily life easier — covering the things that matter beyond the clinic. Tap any topic to expand it, or open them all at once.

You are not alone. Every tip here comes from the community — people with sight conditions who have found what works. If you have something to add, .

Cooking & Kitchen

Organisation

A place for everything

Keep everything in consistent, predictable locations. Use tactile markers (rubber bands, bump dots, or textured tape) on dials, appliances, and containers. If something moves, announce it to household members.

Safety

Hob and oven safety

  • Induction hobs are significantly safer — the surface doesn't heat directly
  • Use oven gloves that extend to the elbow
  • Long-handled silicone tools keep hands away from heat
  • A talking thermometer removes guesswork on meat temperatures
  • Consider a slow cooker for safer, hands-off cooking
Gadgets

Helpful kitchen technology

  • Talking scales and measuring jugs — available from RNIB Shop and Amazon from around £15
  • Talking microwave — fully voiced controls, available via RNIB Shop
  • Liquid level indicator — clips to a cup and beeps when liquid reaches the top, around £8
  • Large print or braille labels — for tins, packets, and bottles
  • Bump dots — adhesive tactile dots to mark key settings on any dial or remote, around £6
Technique

Chopping and preparation

Use a contrasting chopping board — light board for dark foods, dark board for light. A non-slip mat under the board prevents sliding. Keep fingers in the 'claw' grip when cutting. An apple slicer or egg slicer removes the need for knife skills for many common tasks.

Support

RNIB and rehab support

A Vision Rehabilitation Specialist (VRS) can visit your home and give personalised kitchen training — completely free. Ask your ophthalmologist or local authority sensory team for a referral. rnib.org.uk

Eating well

Balance

Balance, not counting

You don’t need to weigh food or count calories. The NHS Eatwell Guide keeps it simple: make vegetables and fruit the biggest part of your plate (aim for five a day), base meals on higher-fibre starchy foods like potatoes, wholemeal bread, rice or pasta, add some protein (beans, pulses, fish, eggs or meat) and a little dairy or a fortified alternative, and go easy on sugar, salt and fatty foods. Drink plenty through the day — six to eight glasses.

Food and your eyes

Food that supports your sight

Food can’t cure an eye condition, but a colourful, Mediterranean-style way of eating is linked with better eye health — and, for people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), with slower progression. The useful staples:

  • Leafy greens and bright veg: kale, spinach, broccoli, peas, sweetcorn and orange or red peppers are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin — pigments that gather in the macula. Eggs are a good source too.
  • Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines or trout about once a week gives you omega-3, linked with a lower risk of diabetic eye disease.
  • Colourful fruit — berries, oranges and other bright produce — adds vitamins C and E and other antioxidants.
  • Steady blood sugar: wholegrains, pulses and vegetables help avoid the spikes that, over time, aren’t good for the retina.

Supplements: for some people with a particular stage of AMD, a specific formula (known as AREDS2) may slow it down. It isn’t right for everyone, and isn’t a substitute for a good diet — so only take it, or any supplement, on the advice of your eye specialist or GP, especially if you take other medicines.

Macular Society — nutrition and eye health

Diabetes

Diabetes and your sight

Diabetes is one of the biggest causes of sight loss in the UK, through diabetic retinopathy. Keeping your blood sugar, blood pressure and weight in a steady range is one of the best things you can do to protect your sight.

  • There’s no single “diabetes diet” — the same colourful, balanced eating suits most people.
  • Higher-fibre foods, pulses, vegetables and wholegrains help avoid sugar spikes; oily fish about once a week helps too.
  • Your GP, diabetes nurse or a dietitian can tailor this to you — ask for a referral.
  • Never miss your free annual diabetic eye screening.

Diabetes UK

Shopping

Reading labels and shopping

A phone app with a screen reader can read out ingredients, cooking instructions and use-by dates from packaging. Apps like Seeing AI, Google Lookout and Be My Eyes (which connects you to a sighted volunteer through your camera) make label-reading and shopping far easier. Online shopping with a screen reader can re-order your usual basket in seconds, and in store most supermarkets will help you get round if you ask at customer services.

Easy meals

Simple, nourishing meals

You don’t need complicated recipes. One-pot meals, batch cooking, and assembling rather than cooking all make balanced eating easy — wholemeal toast with beans, yoghurt with fruit and oats, or a tray bake of chicken and vegetables. Frozen and tinned vegetables, pulses and fish count just as much, keep for ages, and save effort on a tired day.

NHS — the Eatwell Guide

Parenting with Sight Loss

Newborns

Caring for a baby

  • Use a consistent changing station — always in the same place, everything within reach
  • Wrist rattles on babies help you locate and track them by sound
  • Bright, contrasting clothing on young babies helps with any remaining vision
  • A baby monitor with a vibrating receiver means you don't need to rely on hearing or sight alone
  • Sling-style baby carriers keep the baby close and in contact — very effective for blind and partially sighted parents
Day to day

Routines and structure

Consistent routines are a gift to both parent and child — everyone knows what comes next. Colour-coded belongings (child's bag always this colour, coat always on this hook) create system and independence for the child too.

Schools

School and activities

Let the school know about your sight loss and ask for printed communications also by email. For trips and events, don't hesitate to ask another parent to guide you — most people are delighted to help when asked directly.

Emotional

You are a good parent

Sight loss does not determine the quality of your parenting. Research consistently shows that children of disabled parents develop exceptional empathy, independence, and resilience. RNIB has a dedicated parents' community and information at rnib.org.uk . Look Up UK also provides peer support specifically for parents with sight loss.

Support

Practical help available

Local authorities can provide a carer or support worker to assist with childcare tasks if needed — request a social care assessment. This is separate from any benefits you claim. Sense and RNIB both have family support services.

Sport & Fitness

Running

Guide running

Guide running (running with a sighted guide connected by a tether or holding a rope) is one of the most popular sports for people with sight loss. UK Athletics has a guide runner network. The Blind Veterans UK and British Blind Sport can also match you with a local guide runner.

Para Sport

Classified para sports

  • Goalball — a team sport designed specifically for people with visual impairment. All players wear blackout masks. Hugely sociable and competitive. British Blind Sport
  • Tandem cycling — cycling on a tandem bicycle with a sighted pilot. Active communities across the UK
  • Blind football — 5-a-side with a ball containing a bell
  • Showdown — a table-top sport similar to table tennis for visually impaired players
  • Visually impaired skiing — guided skiing is accessible across many UK and European resorts
Gym

Using a gym with sight loss

Ask the gym for an induction specifically focused on your needs — under the Equality Act they must provide this. Request a consistent machine layout and ask staff to guide you initially. Most gym equipment is accessible by touch once you know where it is.

At home

Home exercise

Audio-described yoga and fitness classes are increasingly available. Yoga with Adriene on YouTube is highly accessible by audio alone. Many blind and partially sighted people find swimming excellent — lanes provide natural guidance and lifeguards are trained to assist.

Organisation

British Blind Sport

The national organisation for sport for people with sight loss. Find local clubs, events, and activity programmes at britishblindsport.org.uk .

Makeup & Grooming

Getting started

Organise your products

Use tactile labelling (bump dots, rubber bands, braille labels, or different-shaped containers) to distinguish products by touch. Group products in a consistent order — left to right or by product type — and return everything to exactly the same place every time.

Foundation

Foundation and base

  • Tinted moisturiser or BB cream is more forgiving than foundation for blending without full sight
  • A beauty blender or sponge blends more evenly than a brush and is easier to control
  • Applying with fingertips and blending outward in consistent strokes works very well
  • A lighted magnifying mirror maximises any remaining vision
Eyes

Eye makeup

  • Pencil eyeliner is easier to control than liquid
  • Use your fingertip to feel the lash line, then apply liner along the upper lid only — less precision needed
  • A lash comb separates mascara — run it through from root to tip using touch to guide
  • Eyeshadow sticks are much easier than palettes and brushes — blend with fingertips
  • Guide dots (tiny raised stickers at the corners of the eye) can help with liner application
YouTube

Watch and learn

Several blind and partially sighted beauty YouTubers share detailed audio-described tutorials. Molly Burke and Lucy Edwards both cover makeup with low vision in accessible, practical videos worth searching for.

Grooming

Shaving and grooming

Electric shavers are significantly safer than wet razors. Consistent routines in a consistent order make grooming confident and independent. A tactile mirror (handheld with tactile border) helps orient any remaining vision.

Listening & Audiobooks

Free · Best first

RNIB Talking Books — free

RNIB's Talking Books service is completely free for anyone with a sight condition and offers over 40,000 titles available for download or by post. This is specifically designed for people with sight loss and should be the first service you sign up for. Sign up at rnib.org.uk

Free under 25 · £30/year adult

Calibre Audio Library

Calibre is a UK lending library of over 20,000 audiobooks. Free for under-25s and those in full-time education; a subsidised membership of £30/year (or £3/month) applies for adults using digital streaming or download. The postal USB-stick service is free for everyone. calibreaudio.org.uk

Free

Libby / OverDrive — free with library card

Download the free Libby app, connect your local library card, and access thousands of audiobooks and ebooks for free. Most UK councils are members. libbyapp.com

Free

BBC Sounds & podcasts

BBC Sounds is fully accessible via VoiceOver and TalkBack and includes radio programmes, audiobooks, and thousands of podcasts — entirely free. Podcasts on all subjects are a fantastic alternative to reading for people with sight loss.

Paid

Audible — the best-known paid service

Audible (Amazon) has the largest library of commercial audiobooks and is fully accessible. It costs around £7.99/month with one credit per month, or individual titles can be purchased. A free trial is available. Note: RNIB Talking Books is free for anyone with sight loss — try that first before subscribing. audible.co.uk

Hardware

Listening devices

  • Victor Reader Stream — a dedicated DAISY audiobook player, very accessible, used by many RNIB members
  • Amazon Echo / Alexa — can play Audible books by voice command, no screen needed
  • Bluetooth headphones — wireless headphones with long battery life remove the need to manage cables

Travel & Getting Around

Rail

Passenger Assist (trains)

Passenger Assist is a free service allowing you to book assistance at train stations across the UK. You can book by phone or via the Passenger Assist app. Staff will meet you at the station, guide you to your platform, and ensure you board safely. Book at least 2 hours in advance where possible. nationalrail.co.uk

Bus

Buses and local transport

All modern UK buses announce stops via audio — if your local bus doesn't, report it to the bus operator. Ask the driver to let you know when your stop is coming. The TfL Taxi Card (London) and local authority taxi schemes provide subsidised taxis for disabled people — check with your council.

Train

Cheaper train travel

The Disabled Persons Railcard gives a third off most rail fares across Great Britain for you and an adult companion travelling with you. It costs around £20 for one year or £54 for three years — many people save that back within a few journeys. You can qualify with a CVI/BP1/BD8 certificate, or with disability benefits such as PIP, DLA or Attendance Allowance.

If you are registered blind or partially sighted, you and a companion can also get discounts on certain anytime fares without buying a railcard — you just show your certificate (CVI/BP1/BD8) when buying tickets at a staffed station ticket office. Check the current details and apply at disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk.

Tip: when booking, also look up Passenger Assist — free help at stations with boarding, changing trains and luggage, ideally booked ahead but also available on the day.

Apps

Navigation apps

  • VoiceVista — free iOS app, the open-source successor to Microsoft Soundscape (which was discontinued in 2023). Uses 3D audio to describe your surroundings, landmarks, and junctions as you walk
  • Be My Eyes — free app connecting you to a sighted volunteer via video call for real-time visual assistance anywhere
  • Google Maps — turn-by-turn navigation works excellently with VoiceOver and TalkBack
  • Seeing AI — reads signs, menus, and text in real time using your phone camera
Training

Orientation and mobility training

Free specialist training to help you travel safely and independently is available via your local authority rehabilitation service. This includes long cane training and route learning. Ask your ophthalmologist or council sensory team for a referral. Guide Dogs UK also provides free travel training. guidedogs.org.uk

Holidays

Accessible travel and holidays

Always notify airlines and hotels of your sight loss when booking — assistance is free and legally required. Disability Holidays Guide and Enabled Holidays specialise in accessible UK and international breaks. ABTA members are required to provide assistance on request.

Days Out & Entertainment

Theatre

ATG Access Membership

If you visit theatres run by the Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG), their free Access Membership lets you book the best accessible seats and get a free ticket for an essential companion accompanying you, plus access to audio-described performances and touch tours. What you get: best available accessible seats, a free companion/carer ticket, and your access needs recorded once so you don't re-explain them each visit (valid around three years). Who's eligible: anyone disabled under the Equality Act 2010, which includes being registered Sight Impaired or Severely Sight Impaired — you confirm this through a Nimbus Access Card or the free ATG-only version (see Nimbus below). Cost: free to join. Join or read more at atgtickets.com/access , or call their Accessibility line on 0333 009 5399.

Cinema

CEA Card

The CEA Card is a national cinema scheme accepted at most UK cinemas, including Odeon, Vue, Cineworld and Showcase. What you get: a free ticket for a companion or carer when you buy a full-price ticket for yourself for the same screening. Who's eligible: people who need someone with them at the cinema because of a disability — being registered Sight Impaired or Severely Sight Impaired qualifies, as does receiving PIP, DLA, Attendance Allowance or Armed Forces Independence Payment. Applicants must be 8 or over. Cost: £6.50 for the year. Apply at ceacard.co.uk .

Attractions & venues

Nimbus Access Card

The Access Card (run by Nimbus Disability, a social enterprise run by and for disabled people) turns your access needs into simple symbols that venues recognise — increasingly the standard across theatres, cinemas, attractions, theme parks and stadiums, so you register once instead of carrying paperwork to each place. What you get: a card or digital ID whose symbols unlock the right adjustments at each venue — a "+1" or "+2" symbol means a free essential companion ticket, and other symbols cover things like step-free seating. Who's eligible: disabled people including those who are visually impaired; you provide proof once (such as your CVI/registration as Sight Impaired or Severely Sight Impaired, or a PIP/DLA award) and Nimbus assigns your symbols. Cost: the full card is around £15 for three years and works across thousands of venues; many places (including ATG) also offer a free venue-specific Digital Access Pass version. Apply or read more at accesscard.online .

Good to know

Audio-described performances & touch tours

Many theatres offer audio-described performances, where a trained describer narrates the action through an earpiece, and touch tours beforehand to feel the sets and props. Ask the venue's box office what's coming up, or look for the audio-description symbol when booking. Prices and exact benefits vary by venue, so it's always worth checking the specific theatre or cinema's access page before you book.

Work & Employment

Your rights

Equality Act 2010

Your employer is legally required to make reasonable adjustments for your sight loss. These can include screen magnification software, adjusted lighting, modified duties, remote working, or additional support. Refusing to make reasonable adjustments is unlawful disability discrimination.

Funding

Access to Work — up to £69,260/year

Access to Work is a government grant that pays for equipment and support you need to do your job that your employer cannot reasonably fund. This covers screen readers (JAWS, ZoomText), magnifiers, support workers, and taxi fares to work. Apply at gov.uk/access-to-work — before buying anything privately.

Technology

Essential workplace technology

  • JAWS or NVDA — screen readers that read all on-screen content aloud (Access to Work funded)
  • ZoomText — screen magnification with text-to-speech
  • Dragon NaturallySpeaking — dictation software replacing the need for typing
  • Large print keyboard — high contrast keys for partially sighted users
  • Braille display — connects to any computer for silent braille output
Support

RNIB Employment Services

RNIB's employment team provides free, confidential advice on disclosure, adjustments, redundancy, and career development. Call 0303 123 9999 or visit rnib.org.uk .

Self-employment

Running your own business

Access to Work covers self-employed people too. Enterprise Nation and the Prince's Trust both support disabled entrepreneurs. Many people with sight loss find self-employment offers the flexibility and control that employment sometimes can't.

Sleep

The basics

The basics of sleeping better

  • Keep regular times for going to bed and getting up — even at weekends. A steady rhythm is the single biggest help.
  • Wind down for half an hour before bed with a calm, predictable routine.
  • Go easy on caffeine, alcohol and big meals in the evening.
  • Keep the bedroom cool, quiet and comfortable, and use it mainly for sleep.
  • Get some daytime activity, but try to finish vigorous exercise a few hours before bed.
Wind down

Building a wind-down routine

What you do in the half-hour before bed matters more than you’d think. A few ideas that work well without needing sight:

  • An audiobook, podcast, radio or calm “sleep sounds” played quietly.
  • A warm bath or shower — the drop in body temperature afterwards helps you drift off.
  • Slow breathing, with longer out-breaths, or a gentle body-scan.
  • Doing the same few things in the same order each night, so your body learns it’s nearly time to sleep.
Body clock

Sight loss and your body clock

Our internal body clock is mainly set by light reaching the eye. People with little or no light perception can lose that daily reset, so their sleep pattern drifts a little later every day — a real medical condition called Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder, which affects a majority of people who are totally blind.

It shows up as nights when you can’t sleep and days when you’re exhausted, in a pattern that slowly cycles round the clock. It is not a matter of “trying harder” — and it can be treated. A very consistent daily routine helps, and there are prescribed options (such as carefully timed melatonin, or a medicine called tasimelteon) that can re-set the rhythm. If your sleep feels out of step with the world, talk to your GP and ask about a referral to a sleep specialist.

Can’t drop off

When you just can’t drop off

  • Don’t lie there willing yourself to sleep — if you’re still wide awake after a while, get up and do something calm and quiet, then go back when you feel sleepy.
  • Keep any daytime naps short and early.
  • If poor sleep lasts more than a few weeks or is wearing you down, see your GP — good help is available.

NHS — Sleep and tiredness · RNIB — wellbeing guides

Mental Health & Wellbeing

Important

You are allowed to feel however you feel

Diagnosis with a sight condition — or progressive vision loss — involves real grief. Anger, denial, sadness, and fear are all completely normal. There is no right way to feel and no timeline. Acknowledging those feelings, rather than pushing them down, is the starting point.

Free counselling

RNIB Sight Loss Counselling

RNIB provides free talking therapy sessions with counsellors who specialise in sight loss. This is different from general counselling — these therapists understand the specific emotional landscape. Call 0303 123 9999 to be referred. rnib.org.uk

Crisis

If you need to talk now

Samaritans: 116 123 — free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Crisis Text Line: Text SHOUT to 85258.
MIND: 0300 123 3393.

Community

Peer support

Connecting with others who understand your experience is consistently described as one of the most powerful things people do after diagnosis. Every specialist charity listed on this site has peer support groups — online and in person. You do not have to work through this alone.

Carers

Support for family members and carers

Carers UK (carersuk.org) provides free support specifically for people caring for someone with a disability. Carers are entitled to their own needs assessment from the local authority. Carer's Allowance is £86.45/week (2026/27) if you provide 35+ hours of care per week.

⚖️ Your Rights Under the Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 (which replaced the older Disability Discrimination Act 1995) protects you from discrimination in many areas of life because of your sight condition. Sight loss that has a substantial, long-term impact on your daily life almost always counts as a disability under the Act.

Areas the Equality Act protects you in:

  • Work and recruitment — reasonable adjustments by employers, protection from discriminatory hiring, dismissal, or pay (see the Work page for full detail)
  • Goods and services — shops, banks, restaurants, gyms, hotels and other service providers must make reasonable adjustments (such as accepting guide dogs, providing accessible information, or staff assistance)
  • Education — schools, colleges and universities must make reasonable adjustments and provide auxiliary aids; admissions cannot be refused because of disability
  • Public services and councils — healthcare, social services, libraries, leisure centres and other public bodies must not discriminate and must make services accessible
  • Transport — buses, trains, taxis and airlines must provide reasonable assistance; assistance dogs cannot be refused
  • Housing — landlords cannot refuse to let to you because of disability and must consider reasonable adjustments to communal areas
  • Associations and clubs — private clubs with 25+ members cannot discriminate against disabled members

The four main types of unlawful conduct:

  • Direct discrimination — being treated worse because of your sight condition
  • Indirect discrimination — a rule or practice that puts disabled people at a disadvantage (such as a website that does not work with screen readers)
  • Failure to make reasonable adjustments — not removing barriers that put you at a substantial disadvantage
  • Harassment or victimisation — unwanted conduct related to disability, or being treated badly for raising a complaint

If you experience discrimination: the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) gives free advice on 0808 800 0082. Citizens Advice and your local law centre can also help. There are strict time limits (usually 6 months) for taking legal action, so seek advice quickly.

Want to know more? These trusted sources go into much greater depth on your rights:

Something missing? This guide grows based on what people tell us they need.
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Other ways to get help

RNIB Helpline: 0303 123 9999

Macular Society: 0300 3030 111

Glaucoma UK: 01233 648 170

Retina UK: 0300 111 4000

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Reference

Glossary

Medical terms explained in plain English. These are the words you will hear most often at eye clinics and in research articles.

Tip: Use your browser's find function (Ctrl+F on desktop) to search for a specific term. New to eye conditions? See our

A

Acuity (Visual Acuity) — A measure of how clearly you can see detail. Expressed as a fraction, e.g. 6/6 is normal vision, 6/60 means you see at 6 metres what a normally sighted person sees at 60 metres.

AMD (Age-related Macular Degeneration) — See Macular Degeneration.

Ang-2 (Angiopoietin-2) — A protein involved in blood vessel growth. Targeted by newer treatments for wet AMD and diabetic macular oedema alongside VEGF.

AON (Antisense Oligonucleotide) — A type of therapy that uses short strands of genetic material to correct faulty gene instructions. Being investigated for conditions including Usher syndrome.

AREDS2 — A large clinical trial that identified a specific combination of vitamins and minerals (lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamins C and E, and zinc) that slows progression of intermediate AMD.

Autosomal Recessive — An inheritance pattern where a child must inherit a faulty gene from both parents to develop the condition. Neither parent may be affected themselves.

Autosomal Dominant — An inheritance pattern where inheriting just one copy of a faulty gene is enough to cause the condition.

B

Biallelic — Having mutations in both copies of a gene (one inherited from each parent). Required for eligibility for some gene therapies including Luxturna.

Braille — A tactile reading and writing system using raised dots. Refreshable braille displays connect to phones and computers to translate on-screen text into braille in real time.

C

Cones — Photoreceptor cells in the retina responsible for colour vision and fine detail in normal lighting. Concentrated in the macula. Absent or non-functional in achromatopsia.

CRISPR — A gene editing technology that can precisely cut and modify DNA. Being investigated for conditions including LCA caused by CEP290 mutations.

CVI (Cerebral Visual Impairment) — Visual impairment caused by damage to the visual processing areas of the brain rather than the eyes themselves.

CVI (Certificate of Visual Impairment) — A certificate issued by a consultant ophthalmologist confirming your level of visual impairment. Enables registration with your local authority and unlocks benefits and support.

CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) — A wearable device that tracks blood sugar levels continuously. Relevant to diabetic retinopathy as good blood sugar control slows disease progression.

D

DAISY — Digital Accessible Information System. An audio format designed for people with print disabilities. RNIB Talking Books uses DAISY format.

Drusen — Small yellow deposits of protein and fat that accumulate under the retina. A hallmark of dry AMD. Large drusen indicate higher risk of progression.

E

EHC Plan (Education, Health and Care Plan) — A legally binding document issued by a local authority setting out the educational, health, and social care support a child with special needs is entitled to.

ERG (Electroretinography) — A test that measures the electrical activity of the retina in response to light. Used to diagnose and monitor conditions including RP, LCA, achromatopsia, and cone dystrophy.

F

Fluorescein Angiography — A test where dye is injected into the arm and photographs are taken as it passes through the blood vessels of the retina. Used to detect leaking or abnormal vessels in wet AMD and diabetic retinopathy.

Fovea — The tiny central area of the macula responsible for the sharpest, most detailed vision. Damaged in macular conditions. Underdeveloped (hypoplastic) in albinism.

Foveal Hypoplasia — Underdevelopment of the fovea. A defining feature of albinism and a key diagnostic marker visible on OCT scanning.

G

Gene Therapy — A treatment that delivers a corrected or replacement gene directly into cells, typically using a viral vector. Luxturna is the first approved gene therapy for an inherited retinal condition.

Geographic Atrophy — Advanced dry AMD where areas of retinal pigment epithelium have died, creating expanding blind spots. Pegcetacoplan was approved by the FDA in February 2023 but rejected by UK and European regulators — no treatment is currently available in the UK.

Glaucoma — A group of conditions causing progressive optic nerve damage, usually associated with raised eye pressure. The second most common cause of blindness in the UK.

H

HbA1c — A blood test measuring average blood sugar levels over approximately three months. A key indicator of diabetes control. UKPDS data show that every 1% reduction in HbA1c reduces the risk of microvascular complications (including diabetic retinopathy) by about 37%.

hESC-RPE — Human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium. Cells grown in a laboratory from stem cells and transplanted to replace damaged RPE in conditions like Stargardt disease and AMD.

I

IOP (Intraocular Pressure) — The pressure inside the eye. Elevated IOP is the main risk factor for glaucoma, though glaucoma can occur with normal IOP too.

Inherited Retinal Disease (IRD) — A group of genetic conditions causing progressive retinal degeneration, including RP, Stargardt disease, LCA, cone dystrophy, and others.

L

Lipofuscin — A toxic waste product that accumulates in the retinal pigment epithelium in Stargardt disease, gradually poisoning the cells. Targeted by visual cycle modulators (e.g. tinlarebant, whose FDA application was submitted in 2026 and is now under review).

Low Vision — Visual impairment that cannot be fully corrected by glasses, contact lenses, or surgery. Most people with low vision have some usable sight.

Luxturna — The brand name for voretigene neparvovec, the first gene therapy approved for an inherited retinal condition. Available on the NHS for patients with biallelic RPE65 mutations causing LCA or RP.

M

Macula — The central area of the retina responsible for sharp, detailed, and colour vision. Damaged in AMD, Stargardt disease, cone dystrophy, and diabetic macular oedema.

Macular Oedema — Swelling of the macula caused by leaking blood vessels. A complication of diabetic retinopathy and wet AMD. Treated with anti-VEGF injections.

Melanin — The pigment that gives colour to skin, hair, and eyes and helps protect against UV damage. Absent or reduced in albinism.

N

NICE — National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. The body that approves treatments for NHS use in England. A NICE approval means a treatment must be made available on the NHS.

Nystagmus — Involuntary, repetitive eye movements that reduce visual acuity. Associated with albinism, achromatopsia, LCA, and other conditions.

O

OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) — A non-invasive scan that produces detailed cross-sectional images of the retina. The most important diagnostic and monitoring tool in modern eye care.

Ophthalmologist — A medical doctor specialising in eye conditions and surgery. Distinct from an optometrist (who performs eye tests) and an optician (who dispenses glasses).

Optogenetics — A technique that uses light-sensitive proteins to restore some light sensitivity to surviving retinal cells that have lost their natural photoreceptors.

P

Photophobia — Abnormal sensitivity to light. A prominent feature of achromatopsia, albinism, and cone dystrophy.

Photoreceptors — Light-sensitive cells in the retina. Rods detect light and dark and peripheral vision. Cones detect colour and fine detail.

PIP (Personal Independence Payment) — A UK disability benefit with two components — Daily Living and Mobility. Available to people aged 16–66 with a long-term health condition or disability.

Q

QTVI (Qualified Teacher of Visual Impairment) — A specialist teacher trained to support children with visual impairment in educational settings. Local authorities are required to provide QTVI support for children with a visual impairment.

R

Retina — The light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye that converts light into electrical signals sent to the brain via the optic nerve.

RPE (Retinal Pigment Epithelium) — A layer of cells behind the photoreceptors that supports and nourishes them. Damaged in Stargardt disease, AMD, and other macular conditions.

Rods — Photoreceptor cells responsible for vision in low light and peripheral vision. The first cells affected in retinitis pigmentosa.

S

Scotopic Vision — Vision in dim or dark conditions, primarily using rod photoreceptors. Normal in achromatopsia (which affects cones only). Impaired early in retinitis pigmentosa.

Stem Cells — Cells that can develop into many different cell types. Stem cell therapies aim to replace lost retinal cells in conditions like Stargardt disease and AMD.

Subretinal Injection — An injection delivered beneath the retina, used to administer gene therapies such as Luxturna directly to the photoreceptor cells.

T

Tonometry — Measurement of the pressure inside the eye (IOP). A standard part of glaucoma assessment. The familiar "puff of air" test at an optician is a form of tonometry.

TalkBack — Google's built-in screen reader for Android devices. Reads all on-screen content aloud.

V

VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) — A protein that stimulates abnormal blood vessel growth in wet AMD and diabetic retinopathy. Anti-VEGF injections (Eylea, Lucentis, Vabysmo) block this protein.

Visual Field — The full area you can see without moving your eyes, including peripheral vision. Progressively lost in glaucoma and retinitis pigmentosa.

VoiceOver — Apple's built-in screen reader for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Reads all on-screen content aloud and supports braille displays.

VRS (Vision Rehabilitation Specialist) — A specialist who provides practical training and support to help people with sight loss live independently. Free via local authority referral.

X

X-Linked — An inheritance pattern where the gene mutation is carried on the X chromosome. X-linked conditions typically affect males more severely than females.

Be Prepared

Questions to Ask
Your Doctor

Eye clinic appointments can feel overwhelming. Having questions written down beforehand means you leave with the information you actually need. These are the questions worth asking.

Tip: Take someone with you if you can — a second pair of ears remembers things you might miss. Ask if you can record the consultation on your phone.

At your first appointment

  • What is my exact diagnosis?
  • What does this mean for my vision in the short term and long term?
  • Is this condition hereditary? Should my family members be tested?
  • Should I have genetic testing? How do I access it on the NHS?
  • Are there any clinical trials I might be eligible for?
  • What is the name of the specialist clinic I should be referred to?
  • How often should I have follow-up appointments?
  • Is there anything I should avoid doing that could affect my vision?
  • Can you issue me a Certificate of Visual Impairment (CVI)?
  • Can you refer me to a low vision clinic?

About your treatment

  • What treatments are currently available for my condition?
  • Are there any new treatments being developed that I should know about?
  • What does the treatment involve and how often will I need it?
  • What are the side effects or risks?
  • What happens if I choose not to have treatment?
  • Are there any supplements I should or shouldn't be taking?
  • Is there anything I can do to slow progression?

About your daily life

  • Am I still safe to drive? Do I need to inform the DVLA?
  • Can you refer me to a Vision Rehabilitation Specialist?
  • What assistive technology would help me?
  • What benefits and support am I entitled to?
  • Are there any support groups or charities you recommend?
  • Can I get a written summary of today's appointment?

For parents of children with a sight condition

  • What should the school know and how do we tell them?
  • Should my child see a specialist paediatric ophthalmologist?
  • How do we apply for an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan?
  • How will my child's vision change as they grow?
  • What activities should my child avoid, if any?
  • Are there any other children or families we could connect with?
  • What DLA or other financial support is my child entitled to?

About clinical trials

  • Is there a trial currently recruiting for my condition?
  • Am I genetically eligible for any current trials?
  • What would participation involve?
  • Would travel costs be covered?
  • Where can I find out about new trials as they open?
Remember: You are entitled to ask any of these questions. A good ophthalmologist will welcome them. If you feel rushed, ask for a longer appointment or a follow-up call with a specialist nurse.
In Your Area

Find Local Support

Local support groups, rehabilitation services, and sight loss organisations near you. Finding people who understand what you're going through makes an enormous difference.

🔍 RNIB Local Support Finder

RNIB's support finder lets you search by postcode for local sight loss groups, rehabilitation services, and specialist support in your area.

Find support near you at rnib.org.uk

This link goes to RNIB's website. If the link has moved, go to rnib.org.uk and search "find support near you".

🛒 RNIB Shop — Specialist Equipment

The RNIB Shop is the UK's leading retailer of specialist equipment for people with sight loss — talking clocks, liquid level indicators, large print items, bump dots, magnifiers, kitchen aids, and much more.

Everything is tried and tested by people with sight loss. If you need specialist daily living equipment, this is the place to start.

Visit the RNIB Shop

🎓 Henshaws Knowledge Village — Free Tech Training

Free video guides teaching people with sight loss how to use technology — iPhones, Android phones, screen readers, and accessibility features — in plain, practical language. A well-regarded free tech-training resource for people with sight loss.

Visit Henshaws Knowledge Village

📞 National Helplines

RNIB: 0303 123 9999 — Monday to Friday, specialist advisors for all sight conditions.

Macular Society: 0300 3030 111 — specialist nurse advisors for macular conditions.

Glaucoma UK: 01233 648 170 — free helpline for glaucoma questions.

Retina UK: 0300 111 4000 — support for inherited retinal conditions.

Sense (Deafblind): 0300 330 9256 — support for people with combined sight and hearing loss.

🏥 NHS Rehabilitation Services

Local authorities across the UK are required to provide sight loss rehabilitation services — under the Care Act 2014 in England, the Social Services and Well-being Act 2014 in Wales, and equivalent legislation in Scotland and Northern Ireland. These are free and include:

  • Vision Rehabilitation Specialists (home visits)
  • Long cane and mobility training
  • Kitchen and daily living skills training
  • Low vision assessments
  • Technology and assistive equipment advice

Ask your ophthalmologist for a referral, or contact your local council's sensory impairment team directly.

👁️ Low Vision Clinics

Free NHS low vision clinics provide magnifiers, tinted lenses, and specialist equipment tailored to your vision. Available via referral from your ophthalmologist or GP. Ask specifically for a "low vision assessment" — many people don't know they are entitled to one.

💛 Sight Loss Counselling

Being diagnosed with a sight condition — or supporting someone who has — takes a real emotional toll. Specialist sight loss counsellors understand the specific grief and challenges involved in a way that general counsellors may not.

RNIB Sight Loss Counselling — Free sessions with counsellors who specialise in sight loss. Call 0303 123 9999 to be referred.

Macular Society Counselling — Free telephone counselling for people with macular conditions and their families. Call 0300 3030 111.

Find an accredited counsellor near you — The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) directory lets you search for accredited counsellors by location. Filter by "visual impairment" or "disability" to find specialists.

Search the BACP counsellor directory

Samaritans — 116 123 — free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Always there if you need to talk.

Understanding Your Eyes

Eye Health Basics

Before the medical terms make sense, it helps to understand how the eye works. This page explains the basics — clearly and without jargon.

👁️ How the Eye Works

The eye works like a camera. Light enters through the cornea (the clear front surface), passes through the lens, and is focused onto the retina at the back of the eye. The retina converts light into electrical signals that travel along the optic nerve to the brain, where they are interpreted as images.

The quality of what you see depends on every part of this system working correctly. Most eye conditions affect either the retina, the optic nerve, or the lens.

🔴 The Retina

The retina is a thin layer of light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. It contains two types of photoreceptor cells:

  • Rods — responsible for vision in low light and peripheral (side) vision. There are about 120 million rods in each eye. Rods are the first cells affected in retinitis pigmentosa.
  • Cones — responsible for colour vision and fine detail in good lighting. Concentrated in the macula. Absent or non-functional in achromatopsia. Progressively lost in cone dystrophy and Stargardt disease.

🎯 The Macula

The macula is the small central area of the retina — about 5mm across — responsible for your sharpest, most detailed vision. It is what you use for reading, recognising faces, watching television, and seeing colour. The very centre of the macula is called the fovea.

Conditions that damage the macula — AMD, Stargardt disease, cone dystrophy, diabetic macular oedema — affect central vision while usually preserving peripheral vision. This is why people with macular conditions often say they can see around something but not directly at it.

🧠 The Optic Nerve

The optic nerve carries electrical signals from the retina to the brain. It contains approximately 1.2 million nerve fibres. Glaucoma damages the optic nerve — usually through elevated eye pressure — causing gradual, irreversible loss of peripheral vision. Optic neuritis is inflammation of the optic nerve, often associated with multiple sclerosis.

💧 The Vitreous and Aqueous

The eye contains two fluids. The aqueous humour fills the front of the eye and is constantly produced and drained — imbalance in this system causes raised eye pressure (IOP) in glaucoma. The vitreous humour is the clear gel that fills the main body of the eye. As we age, the vitreous can shrink and pull away from the retina, causing floaters and flashing lights.

📊 Understanding Your Vision Test Results

Visual Acuity — measured as a fraction. 6/6 is normal. 6/60 means you see at 6 metres what someone with normal vision sees at 60 metres. The legal driving standard is approximately 6/12. Registration depends on both acuity and visual field — for sight impaired (partially sighted), criteria range from acuity of 3/60 to 6/60 with full field, up to 6/18 or better if combined with significant field loss. Severely sight impaired (blind) generally requires acuity below 3/60, or worse than 6/60 combined with field loss.

Visual Field — the full area you can see without moving your eyes, including peripheral vision. Measured on a perimeter machine. Results shown as a map — darker areas indicate reduced sensitivity or blind spots.

IOP (Intraocular Pressure) — normal range is approximately 10–21 mmHg. Raised IOP increases glaucoma risk. Measured by a puff of air or a small probe touching the anaesthetised eye.

OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) — a detailed cross-sectional scan of the retina showing its layers and thickness. The most important diagnostic tool in modern eye care. Non-invasive and takes about 5 minutes.

🏥 Types of Eye Specialist

Optometrist — performs eye tests, prescribes glasses and contact lenses, and screens for eye conditions. Available at high street opticians. NHS eye tests are free for many groups.

Ophthalmologist — a medical doctor specialising in eye conditions and surgery. Works in hospitals and specialist clinics. Diagnoses and treats eye disease.

Orthoptist — specialises in eye movement disorders, nystagmus, and children's vision.

Low Vision Specialist — provides magnifiers, tinted lenses, and practical strategies to maximise remaining vision. Available via NHS referral.

Vision Rehabilitation Specialist (VRS) — visits your home and provides practical training for daily living with sight loss. Free via your local authority.

💊 Do Supplements Help?

Eye supplements are heavily marketed, but very little is actually proven. The honest version: one specific formula helps one specific condition, and most of the rest have no good evidence behind them.

What's proven: The AREDS2 formula (lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamins C and E, zinc and copper) is shown in large trials to slow intermediate or advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD) from progressing further — by around a quarter. It doesn't prevent AMD, doesn't help early AMD and doesn't restore lost sight, and it's only suitable for certain people.

What isn't: No supplement is proven to help glaucoma, cataracts (surgery is the only treatment), diabetic retinopathy or, on the best evidence, dry eye. Omega-3 (fish oil) doesn't help AMD or cataracts, despite how often it's sold for eyes.

⚠️ Safety warning — Stargardt's & inherited retinal conditions: If you have Stargardt's disease or another inherited retinal dystrophy, avoid vitamin A and beta-carotene supplements — the retina can't process them properly and they may speed up the damage. This includes the original AREDS formula, which is high in beta-carotene, so "eye vitamins" are not automatically safe. Always check with your eye specialist first.

Supplements can interact with medicines and aren't right for everyone — always talk to your ophthalmologist, GP or pharmacist before starting one.

Want to understand a specific term? Visit our
Work

Employment &
Sight Loss

Your rights, the support available, and how to thrive professionally with a sight condition. This page is also for employers who want to support a colleague or employee.

Key number: RNIB Employment Line — 0303 123 9999 — free, confidential advice on all employment matters.

⚖️ Your Legal Rights at Work

The Equality Act 2010 protects you from discrimination at work because of your sight condition. Your employer must make reasonable adjustments to remove disadvantages you face because of your condition. Refusing to make reasonable adjustments is unlawful disability discrimination.

Reasonable adjustments can include: screen magnification software, adjusted lighting, modified duties, remote working, flexible hours, a dedicated support worker, or changes to your workstation.

The duty applies from the point of application — you do not have to be employed before requesting adjustments.

The Equality Act protects you in many other areas too — services, transport, housing, education, healthcare. See the Everyday Guide page for full details.

💷 Access to Work — Up to £69,260/year

Access to Work is a government grant that pays for equipment and support you need at work that your employer cannot reasonably fund. It is one of the most valuable and underused benefits available to people with sight loss.

Access to Work can fund:

  • Screen readers (JAWS, NVDA) and magnification software (ZoomText)
  • Braille displays and specialist keyboards
  • A support worker or job coach
  • Taxi fares to work if you cannot use public transport
  • Adaptations to equipment
  • Mental health support at work

Apply before buying anything privately. Access to Work cannot reimburse purchases made before the application. Apply at gov.uk/access-to-work

Be prepared for delays. Average processing time was 109 working days in November 2025 (NAO report, 2026) — up from 28 days in 2021-22. Apply as early as possible and chase regularly. If you have started work and equipment is delayed, you have the right to escalate via your case manager.

Access to Work also covers self-employed people.

💻 Essential Workplace Technology

JAWS — the most widely used professional screen reader for Windows. Reads all on-screen content aloud. Around £995 (Professional) or £1,850 (Home) via UK retailers VisionAid and Sight & Sound — usually funded via Access to Work.

NVDA — a free, open-source screen reader for Windows. Excellent alternative to JAWS for many users.

ZoomText — screen magnification with text-to-speech. Particularly useful for partially sighted people who are not yet using a full screen reader.

Dragon NaturallySpeaking — voice dictation software replacing or reducing the need for typing.

Large print keyboard — high contrast keys significantly help partially sighted users.

OrCam MyEye — clips to glasses and reads documents, screens, and faces aloud. Useful in meetings and for reading printed materials.

Need training on workplace technology? Henshaws Knowledge Village provides free video guides on using accessibility technology — including screen readers and phone accessibility — specifically for people with sight loss.

🗣️ Telling Your Employer

You are not legally required to disclose a sight condition to your employer, but doing so enables you to request reasonable adjustments. Consider disclosing when:

  • Your condition is affecting your ability to do your job
  • You need adjustments to your workstation or equipment
  • You are applying for a role and need adjustments at interview
  • Your condition is likely to become apparent to colleagues

RNIB's Employment Line (0303 123 9999) provides free confidential advice on how to approach disclosure conversations and what to request.

📋 Redundancy and Dismissal

If you are made redundant or dismissed and believe your sight condition was a factor, this may be disability discrimination. Contact:

  • ACAS: 0300 123 1100 — free employment advice
  • RNIB Employment Line: 0303 123 9999
  • Citizens Advice: citizensadvice.org.uk
  • Equality Advisory Support Service: 0808 800 0082

Employment tribunal claims must be brought within 3 months of the act complained of — act quickly.

🏢 Guidance for Employers

If you employ or manage someone with a sight condition, here is what you need to know:

  • You have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments — this is not optional
  • Access to Work pays for most specialist equipment — the cost to you is usually minimal
  • Ask the person what they need — do not assume
  • A workplace needs assessment (available free via Access to Work) identifies specific requirements
  • RNIB offers free employer guidance at rnib.org.uk
  • Sight loss does not affect intelligence, commitment, or capability

💼 Self-Employment

Many people with sight conditions find self-employment offers flexibility and control that employment cannot always provide. Access to Work covers self-employed people. The Prince's Trust and Enterprise Nation both support disabled entrepreneurs. HMRC's Access to Work scheme can also fund a personal assistant for business tasks.

For Parents

When Your Child
Has a Sight Condition

Finding out your child has a sight condition is one of the hardest things a parent can face. This page is for you — practical, honest, and written with the understanding that you are doing an extraordinary job.

You are not alone. Thousands of families in the UK are living full, rich, happy lives with a child who has a sight condition. This is the beginning of a journey, not the end of one.

💛 First — How You Are Feeling

Shock. Fear. Grief. Guilt. Anger. These are all completely normal responses to a diagnosis. You may feel all of them at once, or in waves over weeks and months. There is no right way to feel and no timeline for feeling better.

What parents consistently say, looking back, is that the fear of the diagnosis was worse than the reality of living with it. Children are extraordinarily adaptable. They do not mourn the vision they have never had — they grow up knowing their world, mastering it, and thriving in it.

Give yourself permission to feel whatever you feel. And when you are ready, the practical steps below are here.

📋 The First Steps

  • Get a genetic diagnosis — where relevant, knowing the specific gene mutation determines treatment eligibility. Free on the NHS — ask for a referral to a paediatric inherited retinal disease clinic.
  • Ask for a CVI — the Certificate of Visual Impairment is free and issued by your consultant ophthalmologist. It unlocks local authority support, DLA, and educational provision.
  • Contact RNIB — call 0303 123 9999. Tell them your child's diagnosis. They have specialist advisors for families of children with sight conditions.
  • Request a QTVI — a Qualified Teacher of Visual Impairment is entitled to work with your child from the earliest age. Contact your local authority's sensory support service.
  • Apply for DLA — Disability Living Allowance for children under 16 can be worth over £600/month. RNIB can help with the form — it is complex but you are entitled to it.
  • Connect with other families — this is consistently described as the single most helpful thing parents do. Every specialist charity listed on this site has a family community.

🏫 Education

Your child is entitled to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan — a legally binding document that sets out the specialist support your child must receive at school. This can fund a QTVI, specialist technology, braille resources, large print materials, and a teaching assistant.

Request an EHC needs assessment from your local authority as early as possible — ideally before your child starts school. The statutory deadline is 20 weeks. In practice, only around 46% of plans are issued within this deadline (Department for Education, 2024). If your local authority misses the deadline, you have the right to challenge them and ultimately to apply for judicial review.

At school, your child is entitled to:

  • Regular visits from a QTVI
  • Large print or braille materials
  • Preferential seating
  • A tablet or laptop for close-up work
  • Extra time in exams
  • Adjusted lighting where needed
  • A reader or scribe if required

If the school does not know about your child's condition, tell them in writing and follow up. Ask for a meeting with the SENCo (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) at the start of every school year.

🏫 Choosing a school & getting the right support

There is no single "right" setting — it depends on your child. Broadly, the options are mainstream school (with support from a visiting QTVI and any help set out in an EHC plan), a mainstream school with a specialist VI resource base (extra on-site support and specialist staff), or a specialist school for children with vision impairment or more complex needs. A QTVI or your local authority's sensory support service can help you weigh up what suits your child.

QTVI (Qualified Teacher of children and young people with Vision Impairment) — a specialist teacher, employed by the local authority, who supports vision-impaired children from birth up to age 25. They assess needs, advise the school, teach specialist skills (like braille or assistive technology), and support the family. Every vision-impaired child should have access to one — you can request this through your local authority's sensory service.

SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service) — a free, confidential and impartial service in every local authority that helps parents understand the SEND system and can support you through an EHC plan application or a disagreement with a school. Search "SENDIASS" plus your local council's name to find yours.

Portage (for children under 5) — a free home-visiting education service for pre-school children with additional needs, including vision impairment. Portage workers support play and early learning at home and many families find them genuinely helpful. Ask your health visitor, paediatrician or local authority whether a service runs in your area.

Guide Dogs Buddy Dog scheme — not a working guide dog, but a friendly pet dog matched to a vision-impaired child to build confidence and companionship. Run by Guide Dogs UK; check guidedogs.org.uk for current eligibility and how to apply.

📚 Accessible books & reading

Children who can't read standard print can still read the same books as their classmates — several UK services make this free or low-cost:

RNIB Bookshare — a large online collection of textbooks, curriculum materials and reading books in accessible formats (large print, electronic braille, audio, Word). It is free to UK schools; once your child's school has signed up, families can use it at home too. Ask the school's SENCo to set up an account. See rnibbookshare.org.

Guide Dogs CustomEyes — books printed in your child's exact preferred large-print size, font and colour, for children and young people up to 25. Joining is free; you pay the book's normal retail price per title. Run by Guide Dogs UK.

ClearVision — a free postal lending library of children's books that combine braille, print and pictures, so a child with little or no sight can share the same book with sighted friends and family. Over 14,000 titles.

Calibre Audio — a free national charity lending library of audiobooks for anyone who finds reading print difficult.

Living Paintings — a free postal library of "touch to see" tactile books and pictures for blind and partially sighted children and adults.

The free Dolphin EasyReader app is an easy way to read titles from several of these libraries on a phone or tablet.

💰 Financial Support

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) — for children under 16. Both Care and Mobility components may apply. Can be worth £600+ per month at higher rates. This is one of the most important financial supports available — do not delay applying.

Carer's Allowance — if you spend 35+ hours per week caring for your child, you may be entitled to £86.45/week (April 2026 rate).

Carer's Credit — protects your National Insurance record if you are not working due to caring responsibilities.

Council Tax reduction — available once your child has a CVI.

Call RNIB (0303 123 9999) for free help with all benefit applications. Do not try to navigate the forms alone — applications made with support are often more successful.

🌱 Your Child's Future

Children with sight conditions go to university, have careers, travel independently, play sport, fall in love, and live full and extraordinary lives. The technology available today — and the gene therapies in development — make the outlook for many conditions better than it has ever been.

The most important things you can give your child are high expectations, the right practical support, and the confidence that their sight condition is part of who they are — not a limit on what they can become.

Your instinct to seek information, to advocate, and to understand — the instinct that brought you to this page — is already making a difference.

💛 Support for You

Parents of children with sight conditions experience real stress, grief, and exhaustion. Your wellbeing matters too.

  • RNIB Sight Loss Counselling — free sessions for parents as well as people with sight conditions. Call 0303 123 9999.
  • Carers UK — free support specifically for carers. carersuk.org
  • Parent carer forums — local networks of parents of disabled children, run by and for parents. Find yours at nnpcf.org.uk
  • Retina UK family weekends — residential events for families affected by inherited retinal conditions. retinauk.org.uk

📞 Key Contacts for Families

RNIB: 0303 123 9999

Retina UK: 0300 111 4000

Sense (deaf-blind): 0300 330 9256

NDCS (deaf children): 0808 800 8880

Contact (families of disabled children): 0808 808 3555

DLA helpline: 0800 121 4600

Practical help

Help & Support

Last updated:

In a crisis right now

Registering as Sight Impaired (CVI walkthrough)

A Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI) is the gateway to most UK sight-loss support. You cannot self-refer — only a consultant ophthalmologist can issue one.

  1. Ask your eye consultant at your next hospital appointment whether your vision meets the CVI criteria. If it does, they complete the form (CVI Scotland — formerly BP1, replaced April 2018; CVI in England/Wales; A655 in Northern Ireland).
  2. Two categories:
    • Sight Impaired (SI / partially sighted) — visual acuity 3/60 to 6/60, or up to 6/24 with reduced field.
    • Severely Sight Impaired (SSI / blind) — visual acuity below 3/60, or below 6/60 with very contracted field.
  3. The hospital sends a copy to you, your GP, and your local council Adult Social Care team.
  4. Your council contacts you within ~28 days to add you to the Sight Impaired Register and offer a Vision Rehabilitation Assessment.

What registration unlocks (2026/27 figures)

Accessible Information Standard letter (NHS legal right)

Since 2016, the NHS Accessible Information Standard requires all NHS and adult social care services to ask you how you want information sent — large print, braille, email, audio, or BSL — and to record it on your patient record. Most patients don't know this. Use the form below to generate a letter to your GP and hospital.

PIP descriptor wording for sight loss

The Personal Independence Payment form (PIP2) is famously hard. These are example phrases written from a sight-loss perspective for the most common descriptors. Use them as a starting point — be honest about your own experience.

Heads-up on PIP reform: The Government proposed a "4-point rule" requiring new claimants to score at least 4 points in a single daily living activity. This was originally planned for November 2026 but has been delayed pending the Timms Review (expected end 2026). Existing claimants are not affected at first review. I'll update this page when there's news.

Activity 1 — Preparing food

"I cannot identify use-by dates, oven dials or knife blades safely. I have burned myself on the hob twice this year. I rely on my partner to chop ingredients and to check raw chicken is cooked. On bad-light days I cannot prepare a hot meal at all."

Activity 4 — Washing and bathing

"I cannot tell shampoo from conditioner without an iPhone label, and I cannot judge water temperature reliably. I have slipped in the shower because I cannot see soap on the floor."

Activity 8 — Reading and understanding signs, symbols and words

"Standard print is unreadable. I need 24pt or larger and I still cannot read it for more than 5 minutes without eye strain and headache. I cannot read price tags, medication labels, bus numbers or street signs."

Activity 11 — Planning and following journeys

"I cannot follow the route of an unfamiliar journey. I cannot read station signs, bus numbers or platform indicators. I have boarded the wrong bus and got lost. I require another person to accompany me on any unfamiliar journey because of overwhelming psychological distress and the risk of harm."

Tip: Use the phrase "reliably, safely, repeatedly and in a reasonable time" in every answer — this is the legal test the assessor must apply.

Sighted-help apps (all free)

UK helplines & charities

Transparency

How We Write
Our Content

Last updated:

Important: Sight Atlas provides information for guidance only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always discuss your condition, treatment options, and any research with your own ophthalmologist or specialist.

📋 Who writes the content

Sight Atlas is built and maintained by a single parent of a child with Stargardt disease. Content is researched, written, and reviewed by me alone, drawing on the sources listed below. I am not a medical professional.

We aim to have condition pages reviewed by a qualified clinical professional. If you are a specialist nurse, ophthalmologist, or optometrist willing to review content, please .

📚 Sources we use

All condition information is drawn from the following trusted sources:

  • NHS England — nhs.uk — clinical guidelines and treatment information
  • NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) — nice.org.uk — approved treatments and technology appraisals
  • RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) — rnib.org.uk
  • Macular Society — macularsociety.org
  • Retina UK — retinauk.org.uk
  • Glaucoma UK — glaucoma.uk
  • Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust — moorfields.nhs.uk
  • Foundation Fighting Blindness — fightingblindness.org
  • ClinicalTrials.gov — clinicaltrials.gov — trial registry
  • NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research) — nihr.ac.uk
  • Peer-reviewed published research — including journals such as Ophthalmology, JAMA Ophthalmology, and The Lancet

🔄 How often content is reviewed

I review all content monthly — in the first week of every month. The site footer shows when the site was last reviewed overall, and I'm working on adding individual review dates to each condition page.

Research and clinical trial information changes rapidly in some conditions. We do our best to keep this current but strongly recommend checking directly with specialist charities and your clinical team for the most up-to-date trial information.

⚠️ Medical disclaimer

The information on Sight Atlas is provided for general information and guidance only. It does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Always seek the advice of your ophthalmologist, GP, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your condition or its treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

Sight Atlas is not responsible for the content of external websites linked from this site.

💷 Benefits information

Benefit rates on this site are updated quarterly following the annual April uprating. They are provided for guidance only. Benefit rules and rates change — always verify current rates and eligibility at gov.uk or by calling the relevant benefit helpline.

✉️ Errors and corrections

I take accuracy seriously. If you believe any information on this site is incorrect or out of date, please and I will investigate and correct it promptly.

Video Resources

Henshaws Knowledge Village — Featured Resource

Free video training specifically for people with sight loss — how to use an iPhone if you can't see the screen, Android accessibility, screen readers, and practical technology skills. A well-regarded free tech-training resource for people with sight loss.

Visit Henshaws Knowledge Village

Helpful YouTube Channels

Eye Clinic Support

Find Your ECLO

An Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO) is a specialist support worker based in hospital eye clinics. They are one of the most useful — and least known — resources available to people with sight loss. Their help is free.

What does an ECLO do?

An ECLO bridges the gap between your clinical appointment and your life outside the clinic. They can:

  • Explain your diagnosis in plain language after your appointment
  • Help you understand what support and benefits you are entitled to
  • Refer you to rehabilitation services, social care, and local support groups
  • Help you fill in CVI paperwork and benefits forms
  • Connect you with counselling and emotional support
  • Advise on assistive technology and practical daily living aids

🔍 Find your ECLO

ECLOs are employed by hospital eye departments or charities such as RNIB, Macular Society, and Glaucoma UK. The best way to find yours:

  1. Ask at your eye clinic — ask the receptionist or your ophthalmologist whether there is an ECLO at your hospital. Many clinics don't advertise them prominently.
  2. Contact RNIB — call 0303 123 9999. RNIB funds ECLOs in many UK hospitals and can tell you whether yours has one.
  3. Macular Society ECLO search — if you have a macular condition, the Macular Society funds dedicated ECLOs at many UK hospitals.

Understanding the role of an ECLO (Macular Society)

RNIB living with sight loss

💡 If your clinic doesn't have an ECLO

Not every hospital has an ECLO — particularly smaller or more rural units. If yours doesn't:

  • Ask your ophthalmologist to refer you to one at a larger nearby centre
  • Contact your local sight loss charity — many provide similar one-to-one support
  • RNIB's helpline (0303 123 9999) provides telephone ECLO-style support
  • The Macular Society's helpline (0300 3030 111) has specialist nurse advisors

👁️ What to ask your ECLO

  • What does my diagnosis mean in practical terms day to day?
  • What benefits and financial support am I entitled to?
  • How do I get my Certificate of Visual Impairment (CVI)?
  • Can you refer me to a Vision Rehabilitation Specialist?
  • Are there support groups for my condition in this area?
  • What assistive technology would help me most?
  • Are there any clinical trials I might be eligible for?
Newly diagnosed? Requesting an ECLO appointment is one of the first five steps we recommend — see our .
Technology & Apps

Assistive Technology & Useful Apps

Technology can make an enormous difference to living independently with sight loss — and a surprising amount of it is free and already built into the phone or computer you own. This guide explains the tools that help most, what they do, and where to get patient help learning them.

📱 Your phone is the most powerful tool — and it's free

The single most useful piece of assistive technology is probably already in your pocket. Every modern smartphone has a full set of accessibility tools built in at no extra cost — you just switch them on.

  • Spoken feedback: VoiceOver on iPhone and TalkBack on Android read aloud everything on the screen, so you can use the phone by touch and sound. Turn VoiceOver on via Settings → Accessibility → VoiceOver; TalkBack via Settings → Accessibility → TalkBack.
  • Make everything bigger: increase text size, turn on bold text, and use Display Zoom or Magnification to enlarge the whole screen.
  • Contrast and colour: high-contrast modes, dark mode, and colour filters can make a screen far easier to read.
  • Just ask: Siri (Apple) and Google Assistant let you send messages, set reminders, make calls and search the web entirely by voice.

If setting these up feels daunting, you do not have to do it alone — see the training and support section below.

RNIB — living with sight loss and technology

👁️ A “second pair of eyes” — AI camera apps

A group of free apps use your phone’s camera to describe the world around you. They are genuinely life-changing for everyday tasks like reading post or checking a label.

  • Seeing AI (free) reads printed and handwritten text aloud, identifies products by barcode, describes scenes and recognises people you have saved.
  • Google Lookout (free) does much the same on Android — reading text and documents, scanning barcodes and describing surroundings.
  • Be My Eyes (free) connects you live to a sighted volunteer through your camera, or to a company’s trained support desk, to help with anything you cannot do alone. It also has an AI “virtual volunteer” that describes photos. Be My Eyes

🔍 Making things bigger — magnification

If you have some useful vision, magnification often helps more than speech.

  • On your phone: the built-in Magnifier app turns your camera into a digital magnifying glass with brightness, contrast and freeze-frame.
  • Electronic magnifiers (CCTV): handheld or desktop units enlarge text and photos onto a screen with adjustable colour and contrast — useful for reading post, books and crosswords.
  • On a computer: Windows Magnifier and Mac Zoom are free and built in; programs like ZoomText add magnification with speech for heavier use.

⌨️ Screen readers for computers

A screen reader speaks aloud what is on a computer screen and lets you control everything from the keyboard.

  • Windows: NVDA is a full-featured screen reader that is completely free; JAWS is the long-established paid option; Narrator is built into Windows. NVDA (NV Access)
  • Mac: VoiceOver is built in and included with every Apple computer.

Learning a screen reader takes time and is well worth getting proper training for — RNIB and AbilityNet (below) can help.

🔊 Smart speakers and the smart home

A voice-controlled smart speaker (Amazon Alexa or Google Nest) is an inexpensive and genuinely useful bit of kit when you cannot easily see a screen. By voice alone you can:

  • Hear the news, weather, radio and audiobooks, and set timers and reminders.
  • Make hands-free calls and add things to a shopping list.
  • Control smart lights, plugs, heating and doorbells by voice — so a dark room or a fiddly switch stops being a barrier.

🕶️ Wearables and specialist devices

Beyond the phone, there are dedicated and mainstream devices that help with sight loss. They cost more than free apps, so try before you buy where you can — many local sight-loss societies and RNIB have demonstration kit you can try.

  • Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses have quickly become a popular tool for blind and partially sighted people. By voice — “Hey Meta, Be My Eyes” — you can connect hands-free to a sighted volunteer who sees what you see, and the built-in AI can describe your surroundings and read text aloud, such as menus, post and signs. Because they are worn, they free your hands for a cane, a guide dog or your bags. Worth knowing: the glasses cost a few hundred pounds, whereas the Be My Eyes app itself is free on any phone — so the glasses add hands-free convenience rather than a different service.
  • Envision Glasses and OrCam are purpose-built devices that read text aloud and describe surroundings hands-free.
  • Wearable vision-enhancement devices use a camera to capture what you are looking at and show an enhanced, magnified image on screens close to your eyes in real time. Unlike the apps above — which describe things or read them aloud — these aim to help you actually see more clearly: faces, the television, a book. They come in two broad styles: lightweight, spectacle-style devices that keep your peripheral vision (such as eSight Go and Eyedaptic), and fuller headsets that give a brighter, more immersive image (such as IrisVision and Acesight). Most are designed for central vision loss (macular degeneration, Stargardt disease, diabetic retinopathy), though some have modes for peripheral or field loss too — and OxSight, a UK maker, focuses specifically on field loss from conditions like retinitis pigmentosa and glaucoma.
  • Trying one of these: they are premium devices — typically a few thousand pounds — and the right choice depends entirely on your own vision, so a demonstration and assessment with a low-vision specialist is essential before buying. UK specialist suppliers offer home or clinic trials, and it is worth asking about funding such as Access to Work, charitable grants, or your local sight-loss society.
  • WeWALK is a smart cane that pairs with your phone to warn of obstacles and give navigation prompts.
  • Refreshable braille displays and notetakers connect to a phone or computer so braille readers can read what is on screen by touch, and take notes in braille.

🎧 Reading, audiobooks and listening

There is a whole world of free and low-cost audio — talking books, podcasts, radio and accessible ebooks — that means a love of reading need never stop.

We cover the best services in detail in the — including RNIB Talking Books, Calibre, the free Libby app and BBC Sounds.

📲 Useful apps — quick reference

A scannable list of the apps that help most, grouped by what they do. Most are free. Always check the price and reviews in your phone's app store before downloading, as apps change.

Last checked: July 2026. Apps change often — if something here looks out of date, please verify in your app store.

🗣️ Read text aloud (camera apps)

  • Seeing AI — reads printed and handwritten text, identifies products, money and colours, and describes scenes and people. (iPhone and Android; free)   App Store   Google Play
  • Envision AI — reads text, recognises faces, describes surroundings, with an AI assistant called Ally. (iPhone and Android; free, with an optional paid upgrade)   Download
  • Google Lookout — reads text, labels, currency and describes objects; designed for Android. (Android; free)   Google Play

👥 Live human help

  • Be My Eyes — connects you by live video to a sighted volunteer for everyday tasks, plus a built-in AI photo-describer. (iPhone and Android; free)   App Store   Google Play
  • Aira — connects you to professionally trained agents for more complex tasks like airports or forms. (iPhone and Android; paid, with a short amount of free time)   App Store   Google Play

🧭 Getting around (navigation)

  • VoiceVista / Soundscape — uses 3D audio to build awareness of your surroundings as you move. Free versions include VoiceVista and the community Soundscape apps. (iPhone; free)   App Store
  • BlindSquare — describes points of interest and intersections as you travel, developed with blind users. (iPhone; paid, one-off purchase)   App Store
  • Lazarillo — announces nearby places, streets and intersections as you walk. (iPhone and Android; free)   Download

📚 Books and newspapers

  • Dolphin EasyReader — gives access to RNIB Talking Books, newspapers and over 40 accessible libraries, with text and audio synced. (iPhone and Android; free)   App Store   Google Play
  • RNIB Talking Books on Alexa — listen to Talking Books on an Amazon Alexa smart speaker, which remembers your place. (Alexa smart speaker; free with RNIB membership)

💷 Identifying money and products

  • Cash Reader — identifies banknotes by sound or vibration, works offline, supports many currencies. (iPhone and Android; free for basic use, with a paid upgrade)   Download
  • Seeing AI, Envision and Lookout (listed above) also identify products, barcodes and colours.

📱 Already built into your phone (free)

  • VoiceOver (iPhone) and TalkBack (Android) read the screen aloud so you can use the phone by touch and sound. Turn on via Settings → Accessibility.
  • Magnifier and large text are built in too — no download needed. See the sections above for how to switch them on.

Not sure which to try first? Seeing AI (or Be My Eyes for human help) are free, popular starting points. The RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 can help you choose.

🤝 Where to get help and training

You should never have to work this out by trial and error. Free, patient help is available:

  • RNIB Technology for Life offers phone and online support to help you choose and learn assistive technology. Call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999.
  • AbilityNet provides free help with computers, phones and tablets for older and disabled people, including volunteer home visits. AbilityNet
  • Henshaws, local sight-loss societies and ECLOs often run technology sessions and can show you devices in person.
Not sure where to start? Begin with the accessibility settings on your own phone, and call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 for free, friendly advice on what would help you most. This information is a guide only and is not run by medical professionals.
Mobility & Independence

Getting Around with Sight Loss

Keeping your independence and confidence to get out and about is one of the most important parts of living with sight loss. This guide explains canes and mobility training, being guided, guide dogs, the navigation apps people rely on, and the help built into public transport — and how to arrange an assessment.

🦯 The long cane and the symbol cane

White canes are not all the same, and it helps to know the difference:

  • A symbol cane is short and light. It does not detect obstacles — its job is to signal to other people that you have a sight problem, so they give you space and time.
  • A long cane is a mobility tool. Swept in front of you, it finds kerbs, steps, obstacles and changes in surface before you reach them. Using one safely takes proper training.
  • A guide cane sits between the two — used to find kerbs and steps and to give a little protection, as well as signalling to others.

A red-and-white banded cane signals that a person is deafblind (has both sight and hearing loss).

🧭 Mobility training and Rehabilitation Officers

Getting around confidently is a skill that can be taught. A Rehabilitation Officer for Visual Impairment (ROVI) — sometimes called a vision rehabilitation specialist — works with you on:

  • Safe routes you use often, and how to cross roads and use steps and escalators.
  • Long-cane technique, and using your remaining vision and hearing well.
  • Confidence indoors and out, and practical skills around the home.

How to get this: ask your local council’s Adult Social Care team for a vision rehabilitation assessment. Registering as sight impaired (with a CVI) usually triggers the offer, but you do not have to be registered to ask — you can contact the council yourself, and an ECLO can help arrange it.

👥 Being guided — sighted guide technique

When someone guides you, a simple, safe technique makes all the difference — useful to share with family and friends:

  • You hold the guide’s arm just above the elbow, rather than being pushed or pulled.
  • You walk a half-step behind, so you feel their movements and can react to kerbs and steps.
  • The guide describes changes ahead — “step down here”, “narrow gap” — and pauses at kerbs and stairs.

🐕‍🦺 Guide dogs

A guide dog can give enormous freedom and companionship, though it is a serious commitment and there can be a wait. Guide Dogs provides and supports the dog; you do not have to be totally blind to apply.

The process involves an assessment of your needs, mobility and lifestyle, then careful matching and training together. Guide Dogs also offers other free services, including the My Sighted Guide befriending service and children’s services.

Guide Dogs UK

📍 Finding your way — navigation apps

If you use a smartphone, navigation apps can announce streets, junctions and points of interest as you go:

  • Google Maps and Apple Maps both work with VoiceOver and TalkBack and give spoken, step-by-step walking directions.
  • BlindSquare is designed for blind and partially sighted people, describing your surroundings and nearby places as you travel.
  • Aira connects you to a trained agent who can see your camera view and guide you — free at many UK stations, airports and venues.
  • what3words gives every 3m square its own three-word address, handy for telling someone exactly where you are.

🚌 Public transport and getting further afield

Help is built into the transport system once you know to ask for it:

  • Passenger Assist lets you book free help at railway stations — someone to meet you, help you change trains and find your seat. Book ahead or ask staff on the day. National Rail — Passenger Assist
  • Free bus pass: sight impaired and severely sight impaired registration usually entitles you to a free or discounted bus pass — apply through your local council.
  • “Please offer me a seat” badges and cards (and the Sunflower lanyard) quietly signal that you may need a seat or a little extra patience.
  • Taxis and community transport fill the gaps; if travelling for work, the Access to Work grant can help with the cost of journeys.

🚗 Driving and Your Sight

Losing the ability to drive — or worrying you might — is one of the most significant practical and emotional moments in adjusting to a sight condition. Here is what you need to know.

The legal vision standard for driving

To drive legally in the UK, you must be able to:

  • Read a standard number plate from 20 metres in good daylight (with glasses or lenses if you normally wear them)
  • Have a visual acuity of at least 6/12 (0.5) using both eyes together, or in the remaining eye if you have sight in one eye only
  • Have a horizontal visual field of at least 120 degrees, with no significant defect within 20 degrees of centre

These standards apply to standard car and motorcycle licences (Group 1). Bus and lorry licences (Group 2) carry stricter requirements.

When you must tell the DVLA

You have a legal duty to tell the DVLA if you develop any condition that affects your vision in both eyes — or your remaining eye if you only have one. This includes glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, retinal detachment, hemianopia, significant visual field loss, and any other condition affecting both eyes. Being short- or long-sighted, or colour blind, does not need to be declared.

Driving without telling the DVLA when you should is a criminal offence and invalidates your car insurance. If you are unsure whether your condition needs to be declared, ask your optometrist or ophthalmologist.

How to notify the DVLA

Notify the DVLA online or by post using form V1 (available at gov.uk/health-conditions-and-driving). The DVLA will usually arrange a free sight assessment through their contracted optician service (currently Specsavers) and may request a report from your eye specialist. They will then decide whether your licence can continue, be adapted, or must be revoked.

If your licence is revoked

A revoked licence is not always permanent. Some people are reassessed after treatment or adaptation. For visual field loss including hemianopia, the DVLA has an exceptional cases pathway: if your condition is stable, you have fully adapted (usually after at least 12 months), and you meet other criteria, you may be offered a formal driving assessment in a dual-control vehicle. UK clinical studies have found that most people who are referred through this pathway pass.

Motability — if you are eligible for PIP or other qualifying benefits

If you receive the PIP enhanced mobility component, you can use it to lease a new car, scooter, or powered wheelchair through the Motability Scheme — including automatic transmission and adaptations. If you lose your licence due to your sight, Motability may still be relevant if a family member or carer drives you. Motability Scheme ↗

When driving must stop immediately

Some conditions require you to stop driving at once and notify the DVLA without waiting for a formal assessment: homonymous or bitemporal hemianopia, visual acuity below 6/60 in both eyes, and certain other acute conditions. If your ophthalmologist or neurologist advises you not to drive — stop immediately and follow their advice.

The DVLA's full guidance for medical professionals is published as the ‘At a Glance Guide’ ↗, which your GP or ophthalmologist will use to advise you.

🚦 Where to start

If getting out and about has become harder, the best first steps are:

  1. Ask your eye clinic about an , who can point you to local mobility services.
  2. Contact your council’s Adult Social Care team and ask for a vision rehabilitation assessment.
  3. Call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 for advice on canes, training and getting around.
You can learn this with proper support. Mobility skills are taught by trained specialists — ask your council for a vision rehabilitation assessment, or call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999. This information is a guide only and is not run by medical professionals.
Research

Clinical Trials Finder

UK clinical trials currently recruiting or recently active for inherited and acquired eye conditions. Select your condition to see what's available.

Always discuss trials with your ophthalmologist before registering interest. Eligibility depends on your specific genetic mutation, disease stage, and other factors.

🔍 Search all UK eye trials

NIHR's Be Part of Research covers all UK clinical trials. Search by your specific condition for the most current recruitment status.

Search NIHR Be Part of Research

🧬 Genetic testing for trial eligibility

Many trials require a confirmed genetic diagnosis. NHS genetic testing for inherited eye conditions is free — ask your ophthalmologist for a referral to an Inherited Retinal Disease clinic. Your specific mutation determines which trials you can access.

Financial Support

Benefits Calculator

Answer a few questions to find out which UK benefits and financial support you or your child may be entitled to. Rates are 2026/27 figures.

Important: This tool gives guidance only. Always apply with support from RNIB (0303 123 9999) or Citizens Advice — applications made with help are often more successful.

Who is this for?