Low Vision Services

What next for people recently diagnosed with a visual impairment?

ECL Sensory Service (Essex Cares Ltd)

ECL run our Sensory Service and they are the first call if you are worried about a patient’s sensory needs. They can refer to other disciplines for support and also triage out to the Charities. Contact details: 0333 013 3262, https://www.eclsensoryservice.org/
ECL Sensory Action Alliance Leaflet
ECL Sensory Champion Leaflet

ECL Sensory Service provide Sighted Guides and Communicator Guides that are trained and experienced in guiding, communicating and appropriately supporting people with visual impairments and dual sensory impairments (deafblind) in the home and out in the community. Patients can take advantage of these to help them when attending appointments etc. More info at http://www.eclsensoryservice.org/services/sighted-guides-communicator-guides/.
ECL Sighted & Communicator Guide Flyer

Essex Sight Centres
Please see the attached addresses for Sight Centres (Aug  2023) in different locations across Essex

We have 4 charities in Essex – Bounded by postcodes:

Basis – serving the following postcodes: SS4, SS5, SS6, SS7, SS8, SS11, SS12, SS13, SS14, SS15, SS16, CM4, CM11, CM12, CM13, CM14, CM15
http://www.basissouthessex.org.uk/

Southend Sight – serving all postcodes within Southend Unitary Council area 
https://www.southendinsight.org.uk/

Support 4 Sight – serving the following postcodes: CB10, CB11, EN9, IG10, CM1, Noth part of CM3, CM5, CM6, CM7, CM77, CM8, CM16, CM17, CM18, CM19, CM20, CM21, CM22, CM23, CM24
http://www.support4sight.org.uk/

Essex Sight – serving the following postcodes: all of North Essex in CO postcodes, CM2, South part of CM3, CM9, CM0, CM14, CM15, CM4
https://www.essexsight.org.uk/

Each Sight Charity has a main resource centre were patients can go and” try and buy” RNIB and other products .There are also “pop up ” centres across the county – phone your nearest one to advice there whereabout.

Resource Centres for Visually Impaired People: Resource Centres for VIPs Please see websites for the individual services listed above for up to date listings.

Find your resource centre according to your postcode using: Postcode areas covered by vision services

College of Ophthalmologists information about Certificate of Vision Impairment https://www.rcophth.ac.uk/professional-resources/certificate-of-vision-impairment/

Police Services – https://www.essex.police.uk/police-forces/essex-police/areas/essex-police/au/about-us/equality-and-diversity/visual-impairment-procedure/

RNIB – www.rnib.org.uk

International Glaucoma Associationwww.glaucoma-association.com

Partially Sighted Societywww.partsight.org.uk

Talking Newspaper Association of UKwww.tnauk.org.uk

Macular Societywww.macularsociety.org

Deaf Blind UKdeafblind.org.uk

Stargardt’s Connectedstargardtsconnected.org.uk

Retina UKretinauk.org.uk

The October/November 2021 version of Spotlight – an publication produced by Essex Sight