The Royal College of Ophthalmologists is working together with Guide Dogs to provide blind and partially sighted people, and their families, with easy-to-access high-quality information about eye health and eye conditions.
Working in partnership, The RCOphth has shared its expertise to create up-to-date online information and content in an easily accessible format. The collaboration, which forms part of an ongoing partnership, has allowed Guide Dogs to offer easy-to-understand information that people can trust.
The webpages offer information on common eye conditions in adults and children, including their symptoms, treatments and how best to live with them alongside eye health advice on a range of topics. This information has been supported and reviewed by professional ophthalmologists from RCOphth.
Former president of The RCOphth, Nick Astbury, gave his time to oversee and review the project. Together with Nick and colleagues from RCOphth, Guide Dogs worked closely with people with vision impairment, who were willing to share their stories about getting the right kind of information and support.
Marie Orpen, Chief Digital Officer at Guide Dogs said: ‘This was a great opportunity to collaborate with a well-respected eye health organisation who could share their expertise.
‘People affected by sight loss and eye conditions have told us it is difficult to access the right information at the right time, with it often being years between diagnosis and getting support. We now have a fantastic resource on our website and we want to thank Nick Astbury for giving his time and expertise to this project. The easy-to-access information is already having a significant impact with excellent feedback from visitors to the site’.
More information on eye health and conditions is available at www.guidedogs.org.uk/getting-support/information-and-advice Expert information and guidance can also be accessed by calling Guide Dogs’ Guide Line on 0800 781 1444.