
Vista is the local charity working with children and adults affected by sight loss, in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Vista is there from the point of diagnosis, helping people live within their local communities. Vista provides the very best services, in hospitals, at home, in residential care and in the community.
Looking after your eyes
Based in local eye clinics and hospitals, our specialist staff can help anyone experiencing sight loss, including relatives and carers, providing emotional support and practical information where it is needed most.
We are there right from the start, helping you to understand your eye condition and supporting you through the early stages. We can provide advice on living with sight loss and keeping your independence as well as information about registration, benefits and concessions.
We’ll explain the services that Vista provides and put you in touch with other organisations that could help you.
In addition, we work to prevent avoidable sight loss.
- We recommend that you have regular eye examinations. Every two years up to the age of 40, then yearly if you don’t have a diagnosed condition.
- Having an active and healthy lifestyle can help to prevent avoidable sight loss.
Managing sight loss
Vista’s assessment and rehabilitation officers are professionally qualified specialists who can help you adjust to losing your sight.
They will teach you specialist skills and techniques to help you stay independent at home and offer advice and guidance on adaptations or assistive technology that may be of benefit to you.
This could involve simple changes, such as lighting or magnifiers, advice on kitchen safety, such as pouring, chopping and peeling, or techniques to help with handwriting or using the telephone.
We can also provide training to help you travel independently and work with you to learn new routes, whether on foot or using public transport.
Open to both individuals and groups, Vista also offers training sessions to raise awareness of sensory impairments and promote independence, emotional well-being and social inclusion for people with a visual or dual sensory impairment.
Participants will develop practical skills and gain the confidence to support someone with sight loss. They will also receive a certificate upon completion of the course.
Workplaces can take part in the training to ensure their services and information comply with the Equality Act 2010 and are accessible for people with sight loss.
Booking is essential and there is a cost for those outside of Vista.
Specialist deaf / Deafblind support
We offer an intensive, short-term support service for people who are deaf / deafblind, focusing on specialist communication techniques.
Our supportive, highly trained staff will work with you to create a support plan that is specially tailored to your needs. This may include mobility and communication skills to help you stay as active and independent as possible within your community. We are also able to provide specialist communication skills training for your relatives and carers, to help them communicate with you.
The Deafblind reablement service will support individuals who require statutory support in relation to Community Care and Support Assessments.
Our expert communication guides can communicate through a variety of methods including British Sign Language, Deafblind manual, clear speech, lip reading or pictorial and symbol systems. We provide British Sign Language and Deaf Awareness, and Sight Awareness training to equip professionals and communities with the knowledge and tools needed to offer equal access and welcoming environment for people with sensory impairments. In addition, we provide an interpreting and specialist communication service.
Other support
Child Habilitation - Our expert staff will work with your child to develop the movement and orientation skills they need to get around safely and independently. Our qualified rehabilitation specialists have a wealth of experience in supporting children and young people to reach key developmental milestones and make the best use of the sight they have.
Information Advice and Guidance at the hospital- Based in local eye clinics and hospitals, our specialist staff can help anyone experiencing sight loss, including relatives and carers, providing emotional support and practical information when it's needed most.
News information, advice and guidance- Our talking newspaper service features articles from local newspapers, keeping you up to date with what's happening in your area and Vista’s specialist transcription service can convert all types of print information into accessible formats. We provide advice and information on sight and hearing loss to individuals, family members and carers, the general public and interested agencies.
This page was last updated on: 01/03/2023