We provide a specialist rehabilitation and advice service for visually impaired people, for those with both a visual and hearing impairment and for people with a learning disability and sight loss.
Our service offers individual rehabilitation that aims to help you with:
- walking
- travelling independently
- cooking and other household tasks
- reading, writing and other ways of communicating.
We provide information and advice about where you can get help with finances, benefits, employment, training, specialist equipment, lighting and adaptations to your home.
We can put you in touch with other services and organisations.
Our Communicator Guide scheme helps people with visual and hearing impairment maintain their independence.
Advice and assistance is available for individuals with learning disabilities and their carers to help access eye tests and treatment.
Who is eligible
Anyone with a significant sight loss in both eyes who is eligible for registration as blind or partially sighted. This does not include people whose sight difficulties are overcome when wearing spectacles or contact lenses.
How to access the service
Local people who are registered as blind or partially sighted are automatically referred to us.
You can contact our team directly by telephone or by post, email, or fax. A duty worker is available on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings between 9am and 12 noon.
Accessibility
Information about this service is available in large print, braille and tape.
What happens next
If you are eligible for a service, you will be contacted by a staff member to arrange an appointment with you at home to assess your needs and discuss how we can help you.
FAQ
How do I get registered as blind or partially sighted?
Your Eye Consultant or Ophthalmologist, completes a certificate and sends it to the Lewisham Council who, with your permission, registers you as blind or partially sighted.
What help is available for those with both eyesight and hearing difficulties?
Lewisham Council's Communicator Guide project is an innovative scheme set up to help and support people in the borough who have severe problems with both eyesight and hearing .
How does the Communicator Guide scheme work?
Our Communicator Guides offers regular support on a one-to-one basis. A trained guide will visit someone with serious eyesight and hearing problems for an agreed number of hours a week.
The guide:
- helps to keep their client in touch with the local community
- enables them to gain access to written information and to keep in communication with other people
- helps with mobility by guiding so that personal and social needs can be fulfilled.
If you wish to make a complaint, compliment or comment about the service, you can contact the service manager at the Occupational Therapy Service or the Complaints unit: details below.