Vision Awareness Week 2016 bursts into life next Monday, 12th September, with the first of a series of events to raise awareness of visual impairment and blindness, as well as promoting good eye health.

Now in its third year, the week hosted by Manx Blind Welfare Society seeks to engage with the Isle of Man community through talks, open days and special events.

This year’s Vision Awareness Week begins with an open day at Corrin Court in Onchan, headquarters of the Society. From 10am the public are invited to meet staff and volunteers, tour the centre’s facilities, see some of the technology used to assist people with visual impairment and find out about services and support for people with sight loss. You will also be able to find out how you can support the Society’s work through fundraising and volunteering.

Monday also marks the start of an Island tour for the RNIB Eye Pod. The pod helps people understand the impact of sight loss on every day activities for blind and partially sighted people by simulating four of the most common causes of visual impairment; Glaucoma, Cataracts, Diabetic Eye Disease and Age Related Macular Degeneration. The Eye Pod tour will help encourage people to look after their eye health and promote regular eye tests, as early detection can be vital in the treatment and management of many conditions.

The RNIB Eye Pod will be at Corrin Court on Monday, 12th September, Shoprite in Ramsey on Tuesday, University College Isle of Man on Wednesday, Shoprite in Port Erin on Thursday, Shoprite in Peel on Friday and Granville Street, Douglas, on Saturday.

Throughout the week staff and volunteers from Manx Blind Welfare Society will be delivering training and talks to organisations including schools and business across the Island. The Society offers free sessions throughout the year, covering everything from guided walking to eye health.

Friday, 16th September, is Bright for Sight Day. Everyone is encouraged to help raise awareness of blindness and visual impairment by dressing in the brightest clothes they can find for the day. Last year lots of people got involved, dressing in brightly coloured clothes, decorating offices and schools and baking brightly decorated cakes, with many also raising money to support the Society’s work by collecting donations.

Corrin Court will be the venue for the Bright for Sight Day Coffee Morning, starting at 10.30am. Entry is ?1.50, which includes refreshments, and there’ll be a raffle and fancy goods stall.

Vision Awareness Week 2016 concludes on Sunday, 18th September, with Walk My Way, the Island’s biggest blindfolded guided walk. Starting from the Jubilee Kiosk on Loch Promenade, Douglas, walkers will set out in pairs with one blindfolded and the other acting as guide. It is an opportunity to experience guided walking, a method which the Society offers free training in to enable sighted people to escort the blind and visually impaired confidently and safely.

Registration is from 2pm with the walk starting at 3pm. Walkers will head towards the Summerland site, but can walk as far as they feel comfortable before turning around and heading back.

Manx Blind Welfare Society Chief Executive Ian Cooil said: ‘The aim of Vision Awareness Week is to help people understand how blindness and visual impairment affects hundreds of people of all ages right across the Isle of Man. We want to encourage the Island community to do everything it can to ensure everyone has the opportunity to live their life how they want and as independently as they choose.

‘It isn’t just about understanding the challenges faced by those who are blind or visually impaired, but about what can be achieved by blind people when barriers to learning, work and social environments are removed.’

He added: ‘With events planned throughout the week across the Island, we hope to engage with as many people as we can to spread these important message, but also to stress how vital it is to look after your own eye health. There are simple steps you can take to look after your sight, such as a healthy diet, exercise, not smoking and protecting eyes from the sun, and it is essential to get regular eye tests as early detection of some conditions can be very important.

‘We hope as many people as possible get involved and are looking forward to the biggest and best Vision Awareness Week yet.’

To find out more about Vision Awareness Week 2016, visit www.mbws.org.im 

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