Help provided to people becoming visually impaired

People who are losing their sight can maintain their independence after a low vision service was set up in Wandsworth.

The project, launched over the summer, is a partnership between Wandsworth PCT, social services, the voluntary sector and high street optometrists.

Patients can refer themselves, or by their carers or 10 opticians and two assessments centres in the borough.

They are assessed and prescribed a low vision aid, shown how to use the equipment and loaned the aids on the same day.

A patient at the Pocklington Resource Centre, who did not want to be named, was told she was going blind in 1999.

She said: "The help I have received from the project has made an enormous difference to my life. I've become involved with the project I'm able to do practical things."