Since its inception some 150 years ago, the RNIB has become a major force, both in lobbying for change and in directly providing services for the very many people in the UK with a visual impairment. Some of the milestones in its long life are outlined in table 1.
The Low Vision Centre, Judd Street
I have had various dealings with the low vision centre at the Judd Street site in London since its opening in 2003, soon after the relocation of the RNIB headquarters from its older Great Portland Street location. From involvement in the initial conversations establishing links with undergraduate training at City University through to working as a visiting clinician, I have a great admiration for the services the centre has offered over the years.
I asked Dr Louise Gow, Head of Eye Health, to expand on the evolution of the clinic and how it is different from previous service provision. ‘Most people access low vision via a hospital eye clinic, where they have a 20 minute consultation with a technician who is only able to offer optical low vision aids (magnifiers) and may only be able to issue one device and in some cases charge for them. The gold standard provision combines a thorough investigation of a person’s functional vision (what they can see and the quality of their residual vision) and the impact of their sight loss on their unique individual circumstances with expert knowledge in strategies and equipment that can help the person overcome the negative impact of their sight loss.
‘The low vision service at RNIB follows a holistic approach which includes an eye examination and visual function assessment with a person-centred approach to resolving their difficulties (figure 2). We apply one or more of five strategies to help: bigger, brighter, bolder, audio or tactile solutions. Often it is a combination of all of these. It is a multi-disciplinary team working directly with social service sensory teams to enable people to be independent, empowered to live the life they want to and make their own decisions. It is nationally accepted as a template for good practice receiving requests for training, support and information about low vision on a daily basis. We have many people from the UK and abroad requesting a tour of our centre so that they can learn more about how to set up good quality low vision services. It is by running a successful service that other agencies can see what is possible.’
And beyond clinical service? ‘For eight years we have provided tours, training and information for third year optometry students from City University and recently have been approached to provide training for dispensing opticians (who are the largest group of providers of low vision services in the UK). In addition, the practitioners at the low vision centre have presented at national conferences such as the College of Optometrists, 100% Optical and UK Vision Strategy and in training videos for the College of Optometrists and the Association of Optometrists focusing on low vision, learning disabilities, autism, research techniques and eye care for the older community. Staff teach on the masters course for low vision at City, and for nearly 10 years on a module on the masters in Public Health for Eye Care course at the London School of Tropical Medicine.’
Any plans for the future? ‘For the year 2018/19 our plan is to develop further training courses in low vision, eye care for people learning disabilities and eye care for black minority ethnic and refugees. We also plan to develop a low vision booklet and webpage to enable people who have VI to seek the right low vision help and know what they should be expecting from their low vision practitioner wherever they live in the UK.’
Here’s to the next birthday.
- 1868 – Thomas Rhodes Armitage (figure 1, above) founds the precursor to the RNIB
- 1875 – royal patronage granted by Queen Victoria
- 1935 – talking books launched
- 1953 – official adoption of the name Royal National Institute for the Blind
- 1968 – computerised braille introduced
- 1970 – first talking newspaper introduced
- 1987 – successful campaign for tactile paving
- 1992 – successful lobbying for Disability Living Allowance
- 1998 – RNIB helpline launched
- 2007 – successful lobbying for introduction of audio description
- 2018 – 150th anniversary logo change with the strapline ‘see differently’