Visual Impairment Services Highland

The Highland Society for the Blind was founded in 1868 to teach blind people Braille in order that they could continue to read their bible.

Today, through our fieldwork services, around 1600 visually impaired people receive information, support and practical help. We seek to offer anyone with a severe visual impairment the opportunity to remain independent and safe in community life.

We work with people of all ages, many with other disabilities as well as those of good vision. Here is just a little of what we do:

• We work with visually impaired children and their families. Through our developmental programmes we week to give children the best possible start in life.
• We support their families by giving them information, training and the opportunity to make contact with other parents of visually impaired children. We can provide equipment and specialist expertise.
• We offer information, support and practical help in all areas of daily living encouraging visually impaired people to be independent and safe. We provide a wide range of aids and equipment to support this training.
• Through our low vision service we week to enhance the use of functional vision by introducing a range of low vision aids, lightening, ideas on contrast size, all supported by training.
• When reading has become increasingly difficult and access to information more challenging we offer the opportunity to learn embossed print such as Braille and moon.
• The ability to move around safely and independently is taught to many using a variety of canes but may be as simple as teaching friends and relatives sighted guide techniques to make travel, particularly for our older people more pleasurable.
• Sight loss should be no barrier to the enjoyment of leisure activities. Whether it be to help to continue with existing hobbies, introduction of new ideas or involvement in club activities the Society strives to meet the need.
• Our factory provides employment for visually impaired people as well as those with other disabilities in manufacturing quality beds under the name of “Blindcraft”.
• It is important that everyone should be made aware of visual impairment and what they might do to come into contact with and to this end we provide training packages for children, employers, hospitals and other professional staff.

Contacts. You can:-

Visit The Resource Centre at 38 Ardconnel Street Inverness IV2 3EX
Tel No. 01463 233663
Email. highlandvision@hotmail.com

Visit our smaller Resources Centres at
The Sensory Centre 9 Riverside Please Thurso KW14 8BZ
Tel No. 01847 895636

The Resource Centre Claggan Road Claggan Fort William PH33 6PH
Tel No. 01397 700445

The Sensory Centre Telford House Telford Street Wick KW1 5EQ
Tel No. 01955 606170

Further Information:

Your Questions About Registration
Options For Independence