Visual impairment service
Contents
- About the visual impairment service
- Visual impairment assessments
- Individual rehabilitation programmes
- Specialist visual impairment equipment and adaptations
- Other agencies which may help you
- Smartphone guidance videos for visually-impaired people
Specialist visual impairment equipment and adaptations
Your visual impairment officer may recommend some simple equipment to your home which can make a difference to everyday activities
Funding of equipment
Some small items of equipment such as mobility aids and liquid level indicators can be provided free of charge. For larger items of equipment such as talking products, we can signpost you or assist you to apply for grants to cover the cost of the equipment.
The outcomes of the applications for grants are not in our control and will be down to every grant organisation to make their decisions. We have no influence on the decisions they make.
Orientation and mobility aids
Guide and long canes
These canes are issued, with training, from qualified visual impairment rehabilitation workers. Canes can help someone walk and navigate in the community more safely and prevent falls.
Liquid level indicator
A small device placed on a cup or mug when filling it with liquid. The indicator will beep when the water reaches a level near the top of the cup or mug informing the user when to stop pouring. The liquid level indicator prevents people from over filling a cup or mug and scolding themselves with hot water.
Bumpons
These are easy to peel and stick, bumpons are the perfect solution for marking different equipment around the office or home, such as the settings on a washing machine or microwave.
This is a simple solution to making life easier and supporting safety and independence when having to set timers, settings on electrical appliances, and aligning dials in the home.
Specialist visual impairment adaptations
The visual impairment officer may recommend some simple adaptations to your home which can make a difference to everyday activities.
Funding of adaptations
Following an assessment of need by a visual impairment worker you may be eligible for these adaptations below, free of charge if you are a homeowner or privately renting.
For those people who live in social housing we will request these adaptations from your housing provider. Any decision around the provision of those adaptations will be down to those external housing providers.
Adaptations
Adaptations include:
- lighting strips - long tubular lights which illuminate the room without glare or shadow
- yellow/white line edging to external steps - yellow or white line painted on the edge of your external steps to prevent people with visual impairment tripping or falling.
Last updated 20 March 2025