If you have impaired vision that cannot be improved with spectacles or contact lenses, you will be advised by your consultant ophthalmologist (eye doctor) whether you are eligible to be registered with your local council as either Sight Impaired (Partially Sighted) or Severely Sight Impaired (Blind). If you agree to be registered, your consultant will record this by signing a Certificate of Visual Impairment (CVI). The form contains information about the results of particular eye tests. It also notes any difficulties that your impaired sight may be causing in your daily life. The CVI replaces an earlier form known as BD8. Classifying your sight in this way does not affect the provision of any medical care, and is not an indication that your vision will get worse.

If you agree to the completion of form CVI, the following will happen:

- A copy will be sent to your own doctor (GP) for information.
- A copy will be sent to the Sensory Impairment Team of Oxfordshire’s Department of Social and Community Services (S&CS), who are responsible for local social care to sight impaired people.
- Oxon S&CS will contact you to ask if you wish for your name to be added to the relevant register. They will be able to explain the benefits. Note that you are not registered until this happens.

A further copy of the CVI, with your name and address removed, will be sent to the Royal College of Ophthalmologists to help with research into the patterns of eye disease in England and how these change over time; facts that are important for decisions about the allocation of funding for local services.

Your local council has a legal duty to provide you with advice and information about the range of services, benefits and concessions available to people with sight problems. They are also required to offer you an assessment of your needs, whether or not you choose to register. To do this they will discuss matters such as how you are coping with daily life, and may be able to offer some specialist advice, training or equipment. OAB works with Oxon S&CS to help identify home risks for newly registered people.

If your optometrist feels that you would benefit from a referral to the Sensory Impairment Team they will complete a Referral of Visual Impairment (RVI) form and forward it to S&CS on your behalf. This may be useful for people who are not eligible or have declined registration, or who have not yet seen an ophthalmologist and are struggling with daily life due to their sight impairment. If you do not need to see an ophthalmologist but feel that you would benefit from contact with the Sensory Impairment Team of S&CS, you should obtain a Low Vision Leaflet (LVL) from an optometrist and send this completed leaflet to the Sensory Impairment Team. You can obtain independent advice on any of these matters from OAB.