Sight Problems

Sight problems

Help from the health service

If you are having problems with your sight, go to your GP or optician as soon as possible. If necessary, they may refer you to an eye clinic or a consultant ophthalmologist. Your doctor or optician will also be able to provide details of Low Vision Clinics where you can borrow special magnifiers or glasses. Clinics will also be able to give you details of organisations that can offer you emotional support or advice concerning particular conditions.

Dewis Cymru is the place to go if you want information or advice about your well-being – or want to know how you can help somebody else.

Help from Adult Care

Pembrokeshire County Council has a specialist visual impairment team. The team carries out assessments and provides support and services to help people find practical solutions to the everyday problems that arise from sight loss. Tel: 01437 764551.

Dewis Cymru is the place to go if you want information or advice about your well-being – or want to know how you can help somebody else.

Audio, Braille and large print documents

If you wish to get audio versions (tape or CD), Braille or large print versions of any documents you receive (e.g. from your bank, building society etc), speak to the organisation and ask for the document to be provided. Transcriptions can be provided by the Royal National institute for the Blind (RNIB)

Dewis Cymru is the place to go if you want information or advice about your well-being – or want to know how you can help somebody else.

 

Specialist Organisations

Pembrokeshire Blind Society supports registered blind of all ages across the county, aiming to improve quality of life and promote independence. Services and support includes:

• Providing specialist aids and equipment
• Providing grants where appropriate.
• Supporting local social groups for visually impaired people. (VIP Groups)
• Providing a monthly audio magazine.
• Supporting a local talking newspaper

Tel: 01437 781419

RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People)
RNIB Cymru, Jones Court, Womanby Street, Cardiff, CF10 1BR

Tel: 029 2082 8500

email: cymru@rnib.org.uk

Helpline 0303 123 9999 (Monday to Friday 8.45am to 6pm; Saturday 9 – 4pm)

Macular Society
Head Office, Crown Chambers, South Street, Andover,

Email:info@mascularsociety.org

Helpline: 0300 3030 111

Partially Sighted Society
1 Bennetthorpe, Doncaster, DN2 6AA

Tel: 0844 477 4966

Action for Blind People
53 Sandgate Street, London, SE15 1LE

Tel: 01302 965195

Email: reception@partsight.org.uk

Guide Dogs for the Blind Association

Tel: 0118 983 5555

Guide Dogs Cymru

Building 3, Eastern Business Park, St  Mellons, Cardiff.

Tel:0118 983 8746

Email:Cardiff.MobilityTeam@guidedogs.org.uk

Deafblind UK

Deafblind UK
National Centre for Deafblindness
19 Rainbow Court
Paston Ridings
Peterborough
Cambridgeshire
PE4 7UP

Tel/Textphone: 01733 358 100

Deafblind UK is a national charity supporting people with sight and hearing loss to live the lives they want.
We help people to live with deafblindness by making connections, building their confidence and independence.
Living with combined sight and hearing loss can be frightening. Our team of experts is here every step of the way to reassure, advise or just to be someone to turn to if there is no one else.
Our services include:

• Helpline
• Wellbeing and emotional support
• Care and support
• Supported living
• Befriending
• Social groups
• Technology
• Open Hand magazine
• Holidays
• Empowering support

Email: info@deafblind.org.uk

Useful links:

Dewis Cymru is the place to go if you want information or advice about your well-being – or want to know how you can help somebody else.

Pembrokeshire Library and Information Service

For full details see Pembrokeshire Libraries

Anyone with a disability can:

• Borrow Audio Books - (on Cassette and CD) for free
• Borrow DVDs - for £1.00 per item
• Return books late without any overdue charges

Friends or Family

If disability or a health problem prevents you from using a library in person, you can nominate someone (a friend or family member) to select and take out books on your behalf. Simply complete a Friends or Family Form and ask the nominated person to return it to the library they intend to use.

There are no charges for overdue items.

Computers

Free access to the internet is available for up to one hour per day at all our libraries. Dolphin Supernova software which enables the partially sighted to access the screen is installed on a PC at each of our libraries.

Books on prescription

This is a national scheme, funded by the Welsh Government. The aim of the scheme is to help patients that have mild to moderate mental health problems. Doctors are able to prescribe a book from a list of self help titles which are available in public libraries.

Just take your prescription to a local library and collect the book that has been prescribed. If a copy is not immediately available, library staff will reserve a copy and let you know when the book becomes available.

Children and Family Books Bibliotherapy 

This is a national scheme, which enables a child who has an emotional or psychological problem to get a ‘book recommendation' from someone who works directly with families, such as a GP or Health Visitor.

The scheme operates in the same way as the Books on Prescription scheme above.

 With all the above services, there are no charges for overdue items. However it is appreciated by other users if items are returned on time. Haverfordwest Reference Library also has the following equipment available for use by the public.

• Canon ReadEasy Document Reading System - converts scanned texts into speech
• Bierley Big Reader - scroll the mouse across the text or image and it will be magnified on to the screen
• Big Mouse and Keyboard(with large letters) which can be used on our computers

Audio books and newspapers

Local Newspapers

The following weekly local newspapers produce a taped version of the weekly newspapers:-

• Western Telegraph
• Tenby Observer
• Milford Mercury

The tapes are delivered free of charge in a plastic wallet with free return postage. Membership can be arranged via the Rehabilitation Officers based within Adult Care.

National Talking Newspapers and Magazines

Tel: 0303 123 9999

Calibre Audio Library

01296 432339

RNIB Talking Book Service

Tel: 0303 123 9999

Royal Mail Articles for the Blind

Royal Mail operate a scheme called Articles for the Blind that allows blind and partially sighted people to send and receive specialist items in the post free of charge. Tel: 0345 607 6140

Dewis Cymru is the place to go if you want information or advice about your well-being – or want to know how you can help somebody else.