Visual impairment
Eligibility and referral to our Visual Impairment Service
If you are experiencing changes in your vision, visit your high street Optometrist or Optician for an assessment. With your consent, they can make further referrals as needed. This could be to the Low Vision Clinic or to our Visual Impairment Service.
To be eligible to access our Visual Impairment Service you need to be referred and meet certain criteria.
You must:
- have a sight loss
- have a significant and permanent sight loss in both eyes, which can’t be corrected
- have a diagnosis from an Eye Specialist, Optometrist or Optician, or have been referred to the service by the Vision Support Service in Education
- be resident in Aberdeenshire or moving to the area permanently
Any equipment or adaptations must be for your only or main residence.
Anyone who meets the eligibility criteria can get support from the Visual Impairment Service.
How to make a referral
You can refer yourself to this service, or someone can do this for you.
You will automatically be referred to our service if you:
- have a Certificate of Visual Impairment
- are registered sight impaired or severely sight impaired
If you are having difficulty with day to day tasks due to your vision and you have a permanent, severe sight loss in both eyes contact us on 01467 536700 or email visualimpairment@aberdeenshire.gov.uk. Alternatively, you can complete this referral form (PDF 162KB).
As part of the referral we will take some details to help us with your request. It is important you provide as much information as possible about your circumstances. Details include:
- health
- what you want help with
- your home (family and other support)
- the impact your sight loss has on you and anyone else supporting you
What happens next
How quickly one of our Visual Impairment Rehabilitation Workers can see you depends on our eligibility criteria and workload.
The first contact you get from the team may be from an Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO). Our service is supported by an ECLO employed by the Royal National Institute of Blind people (RNIB).
Privacy notices
Our privacy notices give more information about how we may use your data in providing our Visual Impairment Service: