A friendly smile and a listening ear, when needed most.

As many of you reading or listening to this article will know through your own personal experience, there are few things, more difficult to accept and understand than to be told that your sight is deteriorating, or that you have a severe visual impairment problem, which is sadly, untreatable.

Many years ago, thirty five to be exact, I also became a patient at the Old Radcliffe Eye Infirmary, following a car accident. During the following years, I spent many months as both an outpatient and inpatient. I noticed from my own personal experience that many patients, having been given distressing news or told details about their sight problem that they did not fully understand, were “falling through the net.” Consequently, when patients left the hospital, some felt extremely anxious, upset and often angry and confused, not knowing where or who to turn to.

I must quickly add that all the Doctors, Nursing and care staff, did a marvellous job and did all in their power to assist the patients in their care, but as the clinics were so busy, the time spent with patients was minimal.

As I had to give up my profession as a Nursing Officer, due to my sight problems, I began to think of ways that might help the patients who were suffering in this way. As I am also a qualified Counsellor, I felt sure that additional help would benefit both staff and patients.

During the 1990’s I heard about the Oxfordshire Association for the Blind. I went along to visit them and during our initial chat, I asked if it would be at all possible to set up a “Help and Advice” desk, in the waiting room at the Eye Outpatients Clinic and the rest, as they say, is history!

Thanks to the Oxfordshire Association for the Blind, without whom none of this would have been possible and also the huge support from the Radcliffe Infirmary, “The O.A.B. Sight Advisory Desk” was born and we spent many wonderfully productive and busy years at the Old Radcliffe Infirmary.

Now we are based at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital, in the West Wing, still in the waiting area of the Eye Hospital Outpatients and still as busy as ever.

Our objective from the start has been to offer information and advice and for many people, the emotional support required at a time of extreme anxiety and confusion.

As many of you will know, we also have a small supply of useful items on display. These are designed to assist clients to do some of the basic things that they thought they would never manage again.

As we start a brand new year, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my wonderful volunteers, Grace, Robert and Elaine. Sadly, due to sight and mobility problems, I am only able to be at the Desk on a Tuesday, so I am grateful and very proud to have my volunteers. Thanks to their unwavering support, I am now able to keep the Desk open for most of the week.

Quite recently, new volunteers have kindly offered their services, so hopefully it will not be too long before we open every day, as we were originally.

We also provide a support service, one day a week, at Banbury’s Horton Hospital, with the help of two volunteers, Brian and Lorna. We are very happy to be able to do so.

If you would like to know more about the Sight Advisory Service, or would like to share your own story about the desk, please feel free to call me on 01865 725595 or e mail me on; sightadviser@oxeyes.org.uk

I am very fortunate to have made so many friends since starting this venture. Some are regular clients who I have known for many years and who have taken this long journey with me. Others are the new clients who pop in to see us every day. EVERYONE is welcome.

May I end by wishing everyone a VERY HAPPY and HEALTHY New Year.

Judith Wood