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If you have vision loss that can't be corrected by treatment or wearing prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses, you might need help making the most of your vision. The kind of support you need will depend on the degree of your impairment.
Being told that you or someone you care for has a vision impairment can be a worrying time, but there are lots of different aids and adjustments to help you make the most of the vision you have. We’ve put together up-to-date information about common eye conditions in adults and children and how best to live with them. We're routinely updating this list to cover different eye conditions, so do check back for new additions.
At Guide Dogs we occasionally use technical language to describe eye conditions that you may not initially understand, but sometimes it’s necessary to provide the full picture and point you towards more resources. If you’re unsure of the meaning of any terms, this glossary will help you to decipher what’s what:
The ability of the lens in your eye to change shape to focus on objects at different distances.
When you have vision loss affecting both eyes.
The ability of both eyes to work together at the same time and enable depth perception.
The word to describe any condition present at birth.
The ability to perceive the difference between an object and its background (usually tested by distinguishing different shades of grey from one another).
The ability to judge distance and spatial relationships of objects.
The total area that you can see around you without shifting your gaze, including your central area of focus and peripheral vision.
The point on the retina where light rays meet and give you your most detailed vision.
The ability to use eyesight in everyday conditions.
The ability of the eye to adapt vision to different levels of lighting.
Aids like magnifiers that you can use to improve your functional vision.
When you can see through one eye only.
The practice of covering one eye to develop sight in the other (lazy) eye.
Everything you can see around you at the edge of your detailed central vision.
Colouring usually associated with skin or hair.
The process that measures eyes for long or short sight or astigmatism.
A defect of the eye that prevents light rays focusing on the retina and causes long or short sight: correctable in most cases with glasses.
When you have vision loss affecting one eye.
A measure of your ability to see fine detail; often called central vision.
The ability to give meaning and understanding to what you have seen (not just to see it).
If your vision loss from your eye condition is significant, you may be able to register as having sight loss
If you're living with a visual impairment, you're likely to need some additional support to manage life at home, work, and getting around. This could help to make your home safer, training in skills for daily living, and guidance on getting around safely.
There are lots of other services and charities that can help:
Guide Dogs is committed to working alongside people with a range of vision impairments, who are registered as either sight-impaired or severely sight-impaired.
Our staff undergo comprehensive training in supporting individuals with vision impairment, to enable us to support you every step of the way through one of our many services, with and without dogs. We foster knowledge of living with vision impairment and create content in collaboration with our Vision Rehabilitation Specialists and Habilitation Specialists.
This content is periodically reviewed as we continue to embrace new knowledge and up-to-date information, in order to improve how we deliver our services and advice.
Please note: Whilst Guide Dogs may be able to suggest various third-party websites which may be able to assist you, those are not endorsed by Guide Dogs. Guide Dogs have no control over those third parties and cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information and support they can provide or the suitability and quality of any products or services they provide.
Learn skills and strategies for living independently with sight loss, including self-care, getting out and about, and looking after your home.
Find out how technology can help you live independently with sight loss.
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Complete our form today, so we can help to find solutions that work for you.