Manx Blind Welfare Society has announced Vision Awareness Week will return in September, with promotion of good eye health high on the agenda.
It is the third year the Society has hosted a week of events to raise awareness of visual impairment and blindness, and popular events including Walk My Way, the blindfolded walk along Douglas promenades, will be returning.
During the week, which runs from 12th to 18th September, there will also be an open day at Corrin Court, a series of talks to schools, businesses and local organisations, fundraising events and a chance to get involved in Bright for Sight day on 16th September.
This year Vision Awareness Week will also include a visit to the Island by the RNIB Eye Pod. The Pod contains a sight loss simulator to raise awareness of the four most common sight loss conditions and promotes the importance of eye health and the need for regular sight tests.
Manx Blind Welfare Society Chief Executive Ian Cooil said: ‘Vision Awareness Week 2016 will build on the great success of the first two years and reinforce the important message of understanding how blindness and visual impairment affects hundreds of people of all ages right across the Isle of Man.
‘The week is all about heightened awareness, which will be achieved through public events and a series of talks and presentations highlighting what the Island can do as a society to ensure everyone has the opportunity to live their life how they want and as independently as they choose.
‘The aim is to help people understand the challenges of being visually impaired, but also to raise awareness of what can be achieved by blind people when barriers to learning, work and social environments are removed.
‘During Vision Awareness Week 2016 we will continue our mission of explaining the simple steps we can all take to enhance the daily experience of blind and visually impaired people by anticipating and meeting their needs, from not parking on pavements and cutting overhanging vegetation to ensuring education and public services are accessible to all.
‘Awareness of the challenges blind and visually impaired people face every day must be raised significantly. As a community the Isle of Man can, and must, do more for blind and visually impaired people, and Vision Awareness Week is an opportunity to explain how.’
He added: ‘Another important element of the Society’s work is encouraging people to look after their eye health. Regular eye tests are vital as there are sight-threatening conditions the impact of which could be reduced if detected and treated early enough. There will be an emphasis on eye health during Vision Awareness Week 2016 and we are delighted the RNIB Eye Pod will be visiting the Island to allow people to experience what the most common sight conditions might be like.’
Manx Blind Welfare Society provides vital services for more than 600 people with serious sight loss on the Isle of Man and during Vision Awareness Week the charity will also be publicising the work they do alongside other charities, societies and agencies with blind and visually impaired people.
Further details of the events planned for Vision Awareness Week 2016 will announced in the coming weeks.
To find out more about MBWS, visit www.mbws.org.im.
Photo - Walk My Way, one of the highlights of Vision Awareness Week in 2015, which will be returning this year.
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