iSightCornwall has hit the airwaves in New Zealand thanks to our innovative way of delivering the low vision service during lockdown.

We responded quickly to the challenge of not being able to provide our flagship service by devising a new remote way of carrying out low vision assessments.

With other low vision providers across the country suspending their service, our approach caught the attention of national sight loss organisation Visionary. Visionary provided us with funding to develop a toolkit that could be shared with Visionary’s members so that more sight loss organisations across the UK could offer the remote low vision service.

When Fiona Sandford, chief executive of Visionary, was recently interviewed by a local radio station in New Zealand, she highlighted iSightCornwall as an example of a UK charity that had led the way with its response to the challenges of lockdown. She said: “They very quickly adapted in a really creative and inspiring way.”

Low vision is a fundamental service for people with sight loss that supports their rehabilitation and helps them to live independently. But in order to assess each person and provide them with aids that are tailored to their individual circumstances a face to face appointment is required.

At the start of lockdown we had over 60 patients booked in for their low vision assessments. Obviously these had to be cancelled immediately but we knew that many of these patients would be disadvantaged during lockdown without the low vision aids they would need to help them read, continue with their hobbies or even watch TV.

So low vision adviser, Shannon Smith, devised an assessment pack that could be sent to each patient prior to a telephone assessment. The pack contained everything she needed in order to accurately identify their needs over the phone and send them the appropriate aids.

The result has been a phenomenal success. Carole Theobald, chief executive, said: “We’ve been able to help people carry on with their lives, albeit during lockdown. It has been reassuring for family members and carers to know that their loved ones can still carry on with their hobbies and leisure activities at home when they face being on their own for such a long period of time.”

As one patient put it: “I am sincerely grateful for all your support, I no longer feel as isolated during a very isolating time.”

iSightCornwall is commissioned by NHS Kernow to deliver the low vision service in Cornwall.