Get the right help if you have a sight and or hearing impairment

If you’re worried about your sight or hearing, you should visit your doctor (GP) for advice and guidance.

Sight assessment

Your doctor (GP) may refer you to an eye specialist, also known as a ‘consultant ophthalmologist’ for a sight assessment. Depending on the level of your sight problems, the eye specialist may complete a ‘Certificate of Visual Impairment’ which they will send to Vista.

Support services

Vista

Vista holds a register for people who are blind or deafblind.

If your eye specialist sends Vista a certificate of visual impairment, Vista will contact you to tell you about the benefits of registering on their voluntary register and about their services and what is available to support you.

If you or someone you know is starting to experience sight loss, Vista’s specialist staff can help by providing practical information, support and solutions to living and working with sight loss.

Sense

You can get free and impartial information about complex sensory and communication needs, including deaf blindness on the Sense website.

The Leicester Deaf Action Group (LDAG)

The Leicester Deaf Action Group (LDAG) is based at Frog Island in Leicester and runs weekly sessions for Deaf people in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. They provide a general information service, free letter translation and social activities.

Being part of your community

It’s important to stay active and connected in your community. If you’re feeling isolated or lonely contact our Local Area Co-ordinators who may be able to tell you what’s going on in your area and can put you in touch with a group or activity.

Equipment to support you with everyday tasks

If you’re having difficulties as a result of your impairment, there’s a wide range of equipment, technology and gadgets you can get such as alarms, sensors, adapted telephones, television loops and grab rails.

How Adult Social Care can help

If you think you need more help to identify what your care and support needs are, you can ask for a care and support assessment.

Your care and support assessment is free but you may have to pay towards any services that you need.

If you’re deafblind we have commissioned Vista to act as a ‘communicator guide’. The communicator guide will assist the allocated social care worker to ensure you are involved in your care and support assessment.

To request a care and support assessment, contact Adult Social Care, available Monday to Thursday, 8.30am to 5 pm or Friday, 8.30am to 4.30 pm.

If you’re looking after someone with a sight or hearing loss, you may benefit from a carer’s assessment to find out what support might be available to you.