“There is help out there”

Chief executive officer of Devon in Sight, Grahame Flynn, shared with OT that people are too often told ‘There is nothing more that we can do for you.’

“While people’s sight loss may not be treatable, there is always more that can be done to support people practically and emotionally, and practices can play a key role by helping people access this support,” he emphasised.

“While sight loss can be a traumatic and life-changing experience the important thing is for people affected with sight loss to know that there is help available, and that they are not alone as they learn to live with changes in their sight,” Flynn added.

Members of the practice team can assist by becoming familiar with the support that is available for those with sight loss both locally and nationally.


Eye clinic liaison officers provide support within hospital eye units, while local authority sensory teams can also advise on mobility, benefits and concessions.

Flynn’s Devon-based charity has developed the Sight Loss MOT.

“While there is a lot of support available, it can sometimes be hard to know where to start and who to speak to,” Flynn explained.

“This helps people navigate the help and support from across health and social care and the voluntary sector, and it is now being used nationally by several local sight loss charities and integrated community optometry practices,” he added.

There are also charities such as RNIB, the Macular Society and Glaucoma UK that have telephone helplines.

The Sight Loss MOT covers people’s understanding their diagnosis, the benefits of registering as being sight impaired, task lighting and magnification, daily living equipment, support for those in work and financial support, as well as emotional support and counselling for those who need it.

“Together we can help people who are blind or partially sighted live life to the full,” Flynn concluded.