Dr Louise Gow
RNIB’s lead for eye health
Receiving a diagnosis that might lead to sight loss can be a difficult time but getting the right information about your condition and how to live with it can improve your outlook.
Whether it comes suddenly or is part of a more gradual process connected to a longer-term health issue, it can be a life-changing moment.
You may be looking for answers for yourself, a friend or family member who has received a diagnosis.
Many different aspects of life with sight loss are likely to be in your thoughts, whether its questions about your condition itself or what support is available to help you continue to work, socialise and travel independently.
Being better informed can help put you at the centre of the decision-making process when it comes to discussing treatments or being aware of what aids may be suitable for you.
Why is information important?
Information helps give you power. Being better informed can help put you at the centre of the decision-making process when it comes to discussing treatments or being aware of what aids may be suitable for you.
There are many sources of information available, but between friends, family and internet searches, a lot of what you discover can be contradictory. It can be difficult to know which information to trust, so this National Eye Health Week, make sure you get facts from a reliable source to enable you to take an active part in your care and any treatment.
Starting out well
RNIB have a range of eye health booklets that are co-authored by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with an eye condition, the guides, available in a range of formats, cover information that can help you take an active role in managing your eye condition.One of the processes that many people can find daunting is getting their sight loss officially registered but navigating the process does not have to be the source of worry. The full process and other day to day sources of support are explained in the booklets.
If you would like to talk to someone, RNIB’s specially trained Sight Loss Advisers are available on 0303 123 9999 and our team of hospital-based Eye Clinic Liaison Officers (ECLOs) can also provide emotional and practical support to anyone affected by sight loss, including families and carers.
You can access all the information online at www.rnib.org.uk/eyehealth.
