UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hi all,
I hope this message finds you all well !
just a quick question if anyone can help me. I fell down the stairs at night in Cardiff train station so decided to have a cane. I have great trouble seeing anything at night what with glare and kaleidoscopic lights etc. Anyway I have training on my cane every Monday and it is rather amusing but gives me more confidence and its still strange that I can walk without looking at the floor.
I have not been legal to drive for 3 years yet I am not registered partially sighted. The social services people who are training me on my cane said that if I am not legal to drive then I should be registered as that way I would be entitled to help with travel e.g. free bus transport etc and also that access to work would be able to sort out transport to and from work. The social people are now writing to my consultant.
anyone have any ideas on what the criteria is for being registered ?

many thanks
nicola

Hi Nicola,
The criteria for registration as partially sighted are on the RNIB website at
www.rnib.co.uk/livingwithsightloss/regi ... teria.aspx
They are more stringent than the criteria for driving. As I understand them (and please correct me any optoms, if I've got it wrong) to be registered your vision has to be no more than the top line of the chart with a full field of vision or 6/24, which I think is the third line, if the central part of the vision is cloudy or blurry. AND this is vision with glasses or contact lenses. The fact that some people with KC can only wear their lenses for a few hours a day doesn't seem to be taken into account. Some consultants also seem to be reluctant to register any KCers because they see any problems as temporary. But of course, there's no reason that someone could not be registered while their vision is very poor and then come off the register when the vision improves (eg after a corneal transplant, or once a hydrops episode has resolved).
Do let us know how you get on and good luck with the cane!
Another point - help from Access to Work ISN'T dependent on being registered. So you should be able to get help with getting to and from work from them even if your registration request is turned down.
All the best
Anne

Nicola

I know that the prospect of registration can be daunting, but the benefits far outweigh any disadvantages.

In your place I' certainly make an appointment with my consultant ophthalmologist and ask about registration.

Every good wish

Andrew

Thank you both, for your kind words and advice !
nic
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