People with low vision or sight loss can now be supported closer to home to help them stay independent.

The low vision service supports patients who have developed untreatable visual difficulties and face challenges in daily life as a result.

Support can range from providing visual aids and equipment, to home assessments to see if any changes can be made to help them.

Previously, people had to be referred to hospital to access the low vision service.

But now it is available within local opticians across Swansea Bay, allowing more people to access their care closer to home.

Pictured: Health board optometric advisor Mohammed Islam and optometrist Laura Davies.

Optometrists must obtain an additional qualification to be able to deliver the low vision service.

Mohammed Islam, Swansea Bay’s optometric advisor, said: “The low vision service helps to maintain independence and achieve the best use of somebody's vision.

“Just because they have developed visual loss doesn’t mean we’re not able to support it.

“People can be given low vision aids, so this could include magnifiers to help with reading.

“But it could also provide them with non-optical solutions as well, where home assessments would be carried out.

“Recommendations such as changing lightbulbs to LED versions or introducing stick-on tacks to appliances so they can feel which buttons are on and off on the cooker, for instance.

“We also have domiciliary practitioners who can go to patients homes and assess them there if they are struggling to visit the opticians.”

If the service is not available at the patient’s local opticians, staff will direct them to other practices which can provide it.

“If a patient has visited their usual opticians and it is identified that the low vision service is needed, staff will tell them which opticians to go to so they can access it,” Mohammed added.

“Patients can also be referred to the service by another healthcare professional, such as an eye care liaison officer or someone based in the hospital.

“Eye care liaison officers can help provide more information and advice about eye conditions and can recommend services that may be able to help patients, such as the low vision service.”

Laura Davies is just one optometrist who has been providing the low vision service from her practice, Gower Opticians, based in Penclawdd.

She said: “During a low vision assessment we discuss day to day life activities and how the patient manages with them and what they need more support with.

“We discuss hobbies and activities they would like to do or may have stopped doing because of their vision and then look at a wide variety of aids to try and help with those.

“It may be things like seeing their medication instructions better, seeing the TV better, food packaging, dials on the cooker or washing machine, for example.

“We also look at how their sight impairment impacts them and what support there is available to help them with that, which may involve referrals to other agencies for support if appropriate.”

In addition to the usual assessment, a recent change to the service now allows optometrists to carry out an examination to certify people as sight impaired or severely sight impaired, if they wish.

As a result, they can access various equipment, among other support, which can help them further.

“This can then help the patient access further support and benefits, for example a blue badge,” Laura added.

“Low vision aids can then be ordered for the patient at no cost to them and are on loan to them for as long as they find them useful.

“The service has evolved a lot, and as more and more practitioners come on board it is great for patients to have this service provided without delay and closer to home.”