Eye Conditions
Whilst there are dozens of eye conditions, these are the nine most common conditions which can result in sight loss: My Sight Notts – Common Eye Conditions
A full list of Eye Conditions, their symptoms and how they are treated is available here:
Simulations of sight loss conditions:
Many people assume people living with visual impairments can’t see anything. In fact the effects of the above conditions are extremely varied and whilst most people with a visual impairment can see something, the effects of their condition often cause significant challenges to everyday life.
This video from the Thomas Pocklington Trust aims to give an impression of the effects of some of the main sight loss conditions:
Video first for sight loss simulation – Thomas Pocklington Trust (pocklington-trust.org.uk)
Advice on managing conditions and understanding treatment pathways:
Whilst consultants will give patients advice on what happens next and how patients should manage their conditions, this is often a lot to take in at the point of diagnosis, when people can be finding it difficult to come to terms with their life changing diagnosis.
Some hospitals have an Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO) on site who can clarify the nature of a patient’s diagnosis, explain the treatment pathway and some of the unfamiliar terminology in their letters from Ophthalmology.
Nottinghamshire currently has an ECLO in post at Nottingham University Hospitals at the Queens Medical Centre Campus and another in post at Sherwood Forest Hospitals at Newark Hospital, with plans for another at Kingsmill hospital soon.
NUH ECLO: Chris White: chrisw@mysightnotts.org.uk 0115 924 9924 ext 80553
SFH ECLO: Helen Cobbold: Helen.Cobbold@rnib.org.uk
Condition Specific Charities
There are a number of “condition specific” national sight loss charities who provide information on the nature of their conditions; the support available and information on the latest research into the condition.
The Macular Society: www.macularsociety.org
Glaucoma UK: www.glaucoma.uk
Retina UK: www.retinauk.org.uk
Stargardt’s Connected: www.stargardtsconnected.org.uk
Nyastagmus Network: www.nystagmusnetwork.org
Esme’s Umbrella: www.charlesbonnetsyndrome.uk
