Press Centre

Latest press campaigns – Information for journalists

Summary: Information about RNIB's latest press campaigns.

• Sight-saving treatments for wet AMD - May 2008
• UK Vision Strategy - April 2008
• Audio Description - February 2008
• Eye Test Action Day - September 2007
• Right to Read Children's Lobby - March 2007
• Disability Living Allowance, 'Taken for a ride' - August 2006

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Sight-saving treatments for wet AMD - May 2008

For the last two years RNIB has been campaigning to make sight-saving treatment available to patients with the eye condition wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) . Wet AMD affects 22,000 people in the UK each year, and can lead to blindness in as little as 3 months if left untreated.

By the end of 2007, we had successfully campaigned to reverse NICE's (National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence) devastating proposal to cruelly ration drugs which could treat wet AMD.

The long awaited Final Appraisal Document (FAD) on anti-VEGF drugs was published on 2 April 2008. The changes mean that all patients in England and Wales with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) could soon get sight-saving drug Lucentis on the NHS.

We're also lobbying Primary Care Trusts to provide treatment immediately to desperate patients facing blindness. We're not yet at the end of the fight yet - thousands of patients are still being denied sight-saving treatment on the NHS.

Find out more about our treatment for wet AMD campaign.

UK Vision Strategy - April 2008

The UK Vision Strategy is a ground-breaking VISION2020 UK initiative, led by RNIB, to develop a unified plan for action on all issues relating to sight loss and eye health, across the four countries of the UK.

Find out more about the UK Vision Strategy, which was launch in April 2008.

Audio Description - February 2008

A significant campaign to raise awareness of Audio Description (AD) was launched in February 2008 to help people make a more informed choice when they switch their TV equipment over to digital.

The campaign - a collaboration between UK TV broadcasters, Ofcom and RNIB promoted the existing AD service. Promotional trails ran for 6 weeks across UK broadcasters including the BBC and RNIB ran additional activity to reach people with sight problems and their social networks.

An increasing number of popular mainstream TV programmes like EastEnders and Coronation Street are now audio described but many people aren’t aware of the service and how it could enhance their viewing pleasure or - in the case of Sky and Virgin customers - that they already have it.

Eye Test Action Day - September 2007

Eye Test Action Day 2007 helped to raise awareness amongst older people about the importance of regular eye tests as a vital eye health check.

Six million older people in the UK are needlessly risking their sight by not having regular eye tests. Sight loss is no longer an unavoidable consequence of ageing. Many conditions could be prevented or treated if caught early enough. Yet a shocking 47 per cent of people over 60 fail to have their eyes tested regularly.

Age is the highest risk factor in developing some of the most common eye conditions that can lead to blindness. By the time we're 60, one in 12 of us will have developed a sight problem, by the time we are 75 it is as many as one in six.

Find out more about Eye Test Action Day 2007.

Right to Read Children's Lobby - March 2007

On 28 March 2007 over 250 blind, partially sighted and dyslexic children and their parents and teachers descended on Westminster to lobby their MP. As well as talking to their MP many of the children were delighted to meet author and Children's Laureate Jacqueline Wilson, who came to lobby her own MP about getting more books in large print, audio and braille.

Speakers included Annette Brooke MP, Liberal Democrat Children's Spokesperson and Tim Loughton MP, Conservative Children's Spokesperson. Kay Wrench a qualified teacher of visually impaired people outlined the problems faced by teachers in making textbook information accessible to children. We also heard first hand from a parent, Paul Blecker, about the difficulties of getting books for his partially sighted daughter to read. John Palmer, Chair of the Right to Read Alliance concluded with a call to Government to tackle the problem centrally.

In November 2006 we launched our campaign report Where’s My Book. The report found that blind and partially sighted children throughout the UK are losing out on their education as teachers struggle to provide textbooks they can read.

This report and the children's lobby is part of the Right to Read campaign first launched in 2002.

Disability Living Allowance, 'Taken for a ride' - August 2006

Under the mobility component, people with disabilities who can drive can claim the DLA higher 'mobility rate' worth £43.45 per week. People with serious sight loss are only eligible to claim the lower rate of just £16.50 per week. We are calling for this to be a changed.

One of the core objectives of the DLA is to assist people who have difficulties getting out safely and independently. The higher rate is focused on those who are unable to walk or who cannot walk to their intended destination outdoors without assistance.

We are campaigning for the higher rate mobility component of DLA to be available to people with serious sight loss. They face some of the greatest difficulties moving around independently in the external environment.

All of these barriers to independent mobility are familiar to blind people. It is hardly surprising, given the difficulty and stress of moving around independently, that many people with sight loss severely limit their external journeys and by implication their opportunities for social and economic participation and inclusion.

Further information and the campaign report can be found on our DLA campaign page.

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Content author: pressoffice@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 23/05/2008 14:57