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The Partially Sighted Society (PSS) was formed about 35 years ago. The primary initiative came from George Marshall, the headmaster of what was at the time the only school for partially sighted children in the United Kingdom. He encouraged the parents of partially sighted children to become active in seeking appropriate help for their children in terms of low vision facilities, educational opportunities and career options. Within the school George developed a ‘clear print’ facility when he recognised this as one of the major ways ln which to provide information for people with partial sight. Initially the project was funded through the parents. As it grew in size it was possible to attract grants from government and charitable trusts.
The Society is registered as a charity (number 254052), but also became a company limited by guarantee, when it merged with the Society for the Visually Handicapped (SVH). SVH was a pressure group formed by ophthalmologists, teachers in special education and rehabilitation specialists to raise the profile of the needs of people with partial sight. The argument being that people with partial sight had needs which were quite different from those of people who were without any sight and so required help to make the best of a small amount of vision rather than interventions which concentrated on sight substitution – the teaching of braille for example. SVH was led by the late Peter Gardiner, one of the leading ophthalmologists in the UK.
Money was raised to purchase a small headquarters building, employ a General Secretary anddevelop a ‘clear print’ facility. Sub-committees were formed to address issues of education, employment, social services and low vision. All of the sub-committees included leading professionals from the health and social care sectors as well as parents and partially sighted people. The PSS large print ‘house’ magazine, Oculus, was established to provide helpful articles and advice about the problems associated with partial sight. A sample copy may be downloaded as a PDF file here (click on the image).
The PSS developed and promoted the Symbol of Visual Disability, commonly known as the Shaded Eye, which is now internationally recognised. There was a conscious decision within the Society that this would not be used only as a logo of the Society, rather that other bodies should use it to show that they were willing to adapt their services to meet the needs of people with partial sight in terms of signage, lighting, customer care and so on. It is now widely used by transport systems, shops, government departments and local authorities among others. Few people are aware that the symbol originated with the PSS.
A ‘Light for Low Vision Committee’ was formed jointly by the PSS and the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (the professional body for lighting). Its membership consisted of leading ophthalmologists, lighting engineers, optometrists, lamp manufacturers and rehabilitation specialists. This committee ran two very successful symposia. The members of the committee acted in a consultancy capacity to various schools, residential care homes, hospitals and rehabilitation institutions in modifying their lighting arrangements.
PSS committed all its financial resources to open its pioneering low vision service. The service was designed to take place in the community rather than in a hospital setting and was piloted more than 25 years ago. For many years the PSS was alone in the field of visual impairment in developing such a service.
The service, from the beginning, was available to anyone who had had a recent full eye examination. A key feature was that it was geographically easy to reach and could be accessed by self referral.
The concept involved identifying appropriate devices that would enable the individual to make the maximum use of their residual vision. This was combined with appropriate training so that each individual could reach their full visual potential. It also involved making recommendations regarding the use of contrast, light and size. Each individual was involved directly in the decision making process, the solutions being unique to that individual.
The concept and the project proved to be very successful and was taken up by quite a number of hospital eye departments. Optometrists, on the whole, were enthusiastic about our work when they recognised that it wasn’t a threat to their own particular skills. Indeed, the project was developed with major input from leading Optometrists and Ophthalmologists.
Initially, the major organisations for people with a visual impairment expressed little or no interest in working in this field, clearly indicating their primary focus as being people who could be described as ‘blind’.
During the last decade a number of these organisations have recognised that those who are not blind, but are visually impaired, need help and they now offer some support to this group of people.
For many years PSS provided the service in a number of hospitals in different parts of the United Kingdom. The provision of this service has, however, diminished as more hospitals took them in-house.
Notwithstanding this the Trustees felt that the primary aim of the Society had always been, and must continue to be to raise awareness about the needs of people with partial sight and to encourage and initiate the development of the highest quality services both directly and indirectly.
In the context of the above, the PSS has been very successful as the public perception of partial sight has changed beyond recognition during these 35 years.
Services have improved markedly and are more widespread.
Many more bodies exist to offer help to people with partial sight, though services do not reach a consistently high level throughout the country.
People with partial sight are better informed about what help they require and what service provision is available.
There is still a great deal of work to be done. Particularly since agencies which begin to provide low vision services become aware that the cost of provision is high and often attempt to dilute the service in order to save money. The PSS tries to apply pressure to prevent some of the established services from deteriorating further.
After a number of years of financial hardship and a consequent contraction of the services the PSS could offer, the Society is once again in a position to grow.