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About sight loss - changing the way we think about blindness

Summary: Answering your questions about sight loss.

How this guide can help you

This guide provides answers to some of the first questions we all have about sight loss. What are the causes of sight problems? What can blind people see? How do people get around or read?

Sight loss can affect anyone, and each person’s experience is individual to them – it is not the same for everyone.

Many people with sight problems lead full and independent lives. Some may need assistance with certain tasks and may have to adapt their daily lives, although this is possible and very often achieved with success. There is also help available from organisations such as Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

By providing facts and information, this guide aims to change the way we think about “blindness”.

The information in this guide

The statistics used in this guide are derived from two sources:

  • First, recent research commissioned by RNIB, “The prevalence of visual impairment in the UK: A review of the literature” by Fletcher et al, 2005.
  • Second, the RNIB Survey “Blind and partially sighted adults in Britain”, Bruce et al, 1991 – available from RNIB Customer Services on 0845 702 3153.

Further information on any of the issues covered is available from the RNIB Helpline on 0845 766 9999 or 020 7388 2525 (some callers may find it cheaper to call a landline, so we have detailed both 08 prefixed numbers and landline equivalents where available).

What does "sight problems" mean?

When we say “people with sight problems”, we are describing the full range of people who have un-correctable sight loss. Sight loss is one of the commonest causes of disability in the UK, and is associated with old age more than any other. The older you become, the more likely you are to have a sight problem. The most severe sight problems can lead to someone being “blind” or “partially sighted”.

Specialist eye doctors (ophthalmologists) decide if someone can be registered as “severely sight impaired/blind” or “sight impaired/partially sighted” with their local social services department. There are many complex factors that ophthalmologists take into account, but as a guide:

  • a person can register as severely sight impaired/blind if they can only read the top letter of the optician’s eye chart from three metres or less;
  • a person can register as sight impaired/partially sighted if they can only read the top letter of the chart from six metres or less.

Although there are benefits to registering as blind or partially sighted, many people who are eligible do not register, either because they are unaware of these benefits, or because they don’t want to.

Fact file

There are around two million people in the UK with a sight problem. This means that while wearing glasses they are still unable to recognise someone across the road or have difficulty reading newsprint. Among these two million people, over 370,000 are registered as blind or partially sighted. There could be an additional 20 per cent who are eligible for registration but have not yet done so.

What are the common causes of sight problems?

Some people will be affected by a sight problem from birth, whilst others may inherit an eye condition, such as retinitis pigmentosa, that gets gradually worse as they get older. Some people may lose their sight as the result of an accident, whilst illness can lead to conditions such as diabetic retinopathy.

Some ethnic groups are at a high risk of acquiring certain eye conditions. For example, people of African-Caribbean origin are particularly susceptible to glaucoma.

In the poorer countries of the world, millions of people suffer from the effects of what should be easily controlled diseases. Trachoma, for instance, is an eye condition simply caused by poor hygiene and inadequate sanitation, yet it is responsible for fifteen per cent of the world’s blindness.

Age-related eye conditions are the most common cause of sight loss in the UK. Ninety-five per cent of people with sight problems in the UK are sixty-five or over. Conditions such as macular degeneration or cataracts are the main causes.

Common eye conditions - further information

How can sight problems be prevented?

Many thousands of people in the UK have an eye disease but don’t know it. An eye test every two years can help identify potentially life-threatening illness and detect eye conditions before sight is affected. By the time your vision starts to get worse, it could be too late to save your sight. You can also keep your eyes healthy by not smoking, eating a well-balanced diet and protecting your eyes from DIY accidents and sunlight.

What can people with sight problems see?

Being blind does not always mean that a person is living in total darkness. Forty-nine per cent of blind people and eighty per cent of partially sighted people can recognise a friend at arm’s length.

Other people will be affected by eye conditions in different ways: some will have no central vision or no vision to the sides; others may see a patchwork of blank and defined areas, or else everything may be seen as a vague blur.

  • Glaucoma can result in tunnel vision, where all side vision is lost and only central vision remains.
  • Diabetic retinopathy can cause blurred and patchy vision.
  • Macular degeneration can lead to a loss of central vision whilst side vision remains.

It should be remembered that people are affected by eye conditions in different ways. You should not assume that you know what someone can see simply because you know what eye condition they have.

Fact file

Being blind does not always mean living in total darkness. You might think that if you shut your eyes you are temporarily blind. However, if with your eyes shut you were to turn your head towards a window, you would detect a minimal perception of light. Around one-fifth of people who are blind have this level of vision or lower. The rest will have some useful sight.

Can it be difficult getting around?

Many people with sight problems get around independently. They may use their remaining vision and/or a mobility aid, such as a white cane or a guide dog. Other people may need the assistance of someone with sight. Some people could also have additional disabilities which make it difficult to get around.

In the UK there are around 170,000 people who use a white cane. If someone wishes to use a long, or guide cane, training is available to teach them how to use it and also to help them learn journeys and routes that they often take.

Around 5,000 people use guide dogs. Guide dogs are trained to lead their owners around obstructions and stop at hazards such as kerbs. Contrary to what some people think, guide dogs cannot read street signs and they do not know when to get off the bus. Guide dog users receive training from the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.

Fact file

Canes are an essential mobility aid for many blind and partially sighted people. Long canes are moved from side to side to identify obstacles in a person’s path. Symbol canes are used purely to identify someone as having a sight problem.

What can help people to get around safely?

In a familiar place, a person with sight problems will often be able to get around safely by using their memory of the surroundings and any remaining sight they have.

If you visit somebody in their home or at their place of work, remember not to move things around or leave things in places that could cause an accident. This also applies if somebody with a sight problem is visiting you.

The way public areas, buildings and public transport are planned is also very important. Certain design features can help enormously such as:

  • well-positioned, easy to read signage, ideally with a tactile or braille element
  • clear reliable announcements of stops on public transport
  • tactile paving – paving slabs with raised bumps – which warns people of hazards, such as road crossings.

Fact file

Badly parked cars; wheelie bins in the middle of the pavement; bicycles lying outside shops and trees and plants overhanging the pavement are examples of potential hazards to people with sight problems that are caused by the thoughtlessness of others.

Should I offer help?

If you see somebody with a sight problem who you think may need help, then ask. Let them tell you what kind of help they need. It may be that they need help crossing the road or finding the train station. If your help is needed, keep a few common sense things in mind:

  • Introduce yourself and make sure the person knows you are speaking to them.
  • Talk directly to them and not through a third party.
  • If you are going to guide them, let them take your arm, don’t grab theirs.
  • Point out kerbs and steps as you approach them and say whether they go up or down.
  • Mention any potential hazards that lie ahead and say where they are.
  • If you are guiding someone into a seat, place their hand on the back of the seat before they sit down, so they can orientate themselves.
  • Don’t walk away without saying you are leaving.

For further information, see How to guide people with sight problems.

Crossing the road

Many people with sight problems leave their home rarely, if at all. One of the main reasons for this is fear of crossing the road. Good design features such as tactile paving at crossings and visual, audible and tactile signals telling you when to cross, are all helpful but are not always available. If you see somebody looking as if they could use a little assistance crossing the road, why not ask if you can help?

Products to make life easier

RNIB produces a range of over 750 products helping to make life easier for people with sight problems. For more information on these, contact RNIB Customer Services on 0845 702 3153. Or visit our online shop.

Examples of available products include:

  • A keyring which can make the shapes of braille characters and is helpful to anyone learning to read braille.
  • Popular board games such as Snakes and Ladders that have been adapted so that they can be played by both sight and touch.
  • Garden tools which have been designed to make them easier to see and use.
  • A DIY tool gobbler which makes tools easier to carry and is ideal for use around the house, garden and workshop.
  • A range of coin holders to help people store and distinguish their cash.
  • A Marburg tape printer which prints braille onto a roll of type and is ideal for producing shorthand and taking notes.
  • Clocks and watches with tactile and contrasting numbers and faces to help people make the most of their remaining vision.
  • Products to help in the kitchen such as a liquid level indicator which emits a tone when the cup is full.
  • Big button telephones with easy to see numbers on large buttons making it easier to use.
  • Globes to aid teaching in the classroom which incorporate many tactile elements. The continents protrude from the globe, and braille is used to identify these as well as the oceans.

How do people with sight problems read?

The ability to read written information is crucial to our independence and ability to do everyday things such as shop or travel. However, information is often not available to people with sight problems in a format they can read.

Many blind and partially sighted people can read ordinary, printed information if it is well designed. Text of a good size (such as 14 point print) and good contrast between the colour of the text and the background can help. Some people use large print (16-22 point) or giant print (24 upwards).

There are around 25,000 people who use braille regularly, and many more make use of braille labelling on signs, in lifts and on packaging. It is unusual for people losing their sight in later life to learn braille. Audio is widely used for accessing information as electronic text and the internet.

Formats and ways of communicating - further information.

Fact file

There are around 40,000 members of the RNIB Talking Book Service – a service that distributes audio books to its members. These books are now distributed in cutting-edge “Daisy” format. 6,000 titles are sent out every day and members read one book a week on average. Which is approximately 12 hours of listening.

How can computers help?

An increasing number of blind and partially sighted people have access to computers either in the workplace or at home. People with sight problems can obtain information from a computer in different ways:

  • special software programs and closed circuit televisions (CCTVs) enlarge the text on a screen until it is large enough to be read
  • computerised speech systems read text directly from the screen to the user
  • text on screen can be converted into braille that is displayed directly onto a specially adapted keyboard and read by touch.

These methods can also be used to access the huge amount of information available on the internet. If web pages are well designed, people with sight problems can read them. For example, images or pictures should have a text description attached.

Information on how a web page should be designed is available from the Web Access Centre.

Technology - further information

Fact file

Audio description can help people with sight problems enjoy television, videos, DVDs or the theatre. It describes what is happening when there is no dialogue, so that people with sight problems can follow the action.

What other support can I offer?

Many of the organisations that supply vital services for people with sight problems rely heavily on the work of volunteers to help them provide these services.

Local voluntary organisations could use your help in numerous ways including:

  • helping people to and from clubs and resource centres
  • visiting people in their own homes and helping them with everyday tasks such as cooking and cleaning
  • recording and delivering local talking newspapers.

RNIB could also use your help. For example, to help us make the most of our resources you could help us with:

  • research projects
  • organising fundraising events
  • accompanying people on day trips.

For more information on how giving a little of your time could make a real difference to the lives of people with sight problems, contact the volunteer team on 0845 603 0575.

Helping us to help others

Every day another 100 people will start to lose their sight. Your donations and support helps us rebuild lives devastated by sight loss. Call 0845 345 0054 today, to find out how you can make a real difference.

What organisations offer help?

There are many voluntary organisations of and for blind and partially sighted people. These are mainly charities relying on donations from the general public to pay for the work they do. Organisations such as RNIB provide a range of services across the UK for people of all ages, their families and friends.

Throughout the UK there are local societies providing services and help to people with a sight problem in their area.

Some organisations will concentrate on specific activities, such as British Blind Sport, whilst others provide services for people with specific eye conditions, such as the Macular Disease Society, or for specific ethnic groups, such as the Association of Blind Asians.

Certain financial benefits are available from Government to help with the additional costs of living with a disability. Local social services are also available to help with things like mobility training and home adaptations.

RNIB Helpline

If you or someone you know has a sight problem, and you would like to know more about the organisations and benefits available to help, contact the RNIB Helpline on 0845 766 9999 or 020 7388 2525. The RNIB Helpline provides information, support and advice for anyone with a sight problem.

How does RNIB help?

Our pioneering work helps anyone with a sight problem – not just with braille, talking books and computer training, but also with imaginative and practical solutions to everyday challenges.

RNIB is the UK’s leading charity helping anyone with a sight problem. Our staff and volunteers work to empower blind and partially sighted people of all ages and remove the barriers they face, as well as preventing sight loss by:

  • Influencing policy makers through our campaign work
  • Providing expertise and support services, Talking Books and a wide range of products and training
  • Encouraging direct involvement of blind and partially sighted people in RNIB’s work via our membership scheme.

How RNIB can help - further information.

Join RNIB today

RNIB is the largest organisation in the UK for people with sight problems. Our membership scheme brings people with sight problems, their families, friends and carers, closer to the local and national services available to help them. It also gives members a say in the services RNIB provide and how we deliver them. To become a member of RNIB today, simply call us on 0870 787 0077.

Further information

Links to other pages on this site:

Content author: corpinfo@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 06/03/2008 15:41

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Jill's story - Jill lost her sight 12 years ago at the age of 19. “The experience left me feeling isolated. I often felt like my life was pointless." Now, as a presenter on Insight Radio, she uses her experiences to help others. “My prayer is that what we do helps those who are going through sight loss. Even the tiniest piece of information can make a huge difference. If my show can help do that, then my journey has not been in vain.” Jill's full story