AUGUST NEWSLETTER No 339
Listening Books
If visual impairment makes it more challenging to read or hold a book, you may be eligible to join Listening Books: a charitable audiobook lending service for people of all ages across the UK with a print impairment.
They have over 10,000 audiobooks in their catalogue, with three easy ways to listen: download to an app available for most phones and tablets; stream online; or have audiobooks sent directly through your letterbox on MP3 CD, with no postage costs or late fees.
Membership to their service usually costs just £20 – £45 a year – however, they believe that cost shouldn’t be a barrier to accessing literature. That’s why, thanks to the kind support of charitable trusts and companies, they also offer completely free access to their service for anyone who has a print impairment, but would find their usual membership fees unaffordable.
Leigh, a member of Listening Books, recalls: “After having found out I had a retina detachment and that as a result, I was losing sight in my right eye, I thought I would never be able to read for pleasure again and that thought was unbearable. That was until I discovered Listening Books. The vast catalogue of old and new audiobooks felt like a bookworm’s dream. Since then, I have listened to an audiobook almost every day. It has been a wonderful experience being able to just relax and listen as the narrator’s voice transports me to various places and times. Listening Books has brought colour to my life again and I’m forever grateful.”
To learn more about how Listening Books can support you, please visit www.listening-books.org.uk, call their friendly Membership Team on
020 7407 9417 or email[email protected]
Nutrients that Can Protect Your Sight From Macular Degeneration
A daily glass of orange juice can potentially reduce age-related macula degeneration by 65% an Australian study has found. This article lists other nutrients such as spinach which can also make a difference.
Expert warns people are missing a vital vitamin to keep eyes healthy
Riboflavin, vitamin B2 is known to keep the eyes and nervous system healthy. Vitamin B2 is one of eight types of vitamin B. It can be found in various foods including milk, eggs and cheese. However, if you aren’t able to get enough through your diet, supplements are available.
https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1793363/eye-health-vitamin-b2
10 Daily Habits to Boost Eye Health
Habits to Boost Eye Health including wearing sunglasses, taking screen and book breaks, don’t smoke and go outside. Full list can be found at this link:
https://www.cnet.com/health/personal-care/10-daily-habits-to-boost-your-eye-health/
Does Failing Eyesight Signal Dementia?
Study Says Vision Loss Is A Modifiable Risk Factor.
The Reading Agency receives funding to tackle social isolation for those losing their sight
The Reading Agency has received a one-year funding grant from the Ulverscroft Foundation to develop and expand work with visually impaired people. The grant will support Reading Friends, the charity’s reading and befriending initiative which encourages reading as a means of starting conversation and connecting people socially around shared stories, interests and passions. The funding will enable The Reading Agency to work with library authorities to build on their work with visually impaired people through Reading Friends
Devices that assist you with reading if you are living with a vison impairment and/or sight loss
There are some incredible devices that assist with reading if you are living with a vison impairment and/or sight loss. The following are split up into applications you can download onto a smart device or separate smart devices that need wi-fi, as well as those that you can use independently if you or the user prefer not to use them with computers or the internet. A full list can be found at the following link.
https://rniblibraryresources.wordpress.com/technology-for-reading/
New headsets bring sport to life for visually impaired fans:
Visually impaired tennis fans at SW19 have been trialling the headsets, which capture images with a camera and project them into a person’s sight line. Users can adjust the images with a remote control. The headsets, developed by GiveVision and powered by Vodafone 5G, can also stream live footage from local TV cameras and enhance it to suit a user’s specific sight profile. GiveVision has also been working in football with Crystal Palace and hopes that the technology can be rolled out across more venues. Further details below:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/jul/13/wimbledon-headsets-trialled-visually-impaired-fans
Best apps for the visually impaired available on iPhone
Mobile technology has advanced rapidly in recent years, providing a wide variety of applications that can improve people’s lives in various situations. So much so, that apps with a magnifying glass and flashlight have come onto the market to enlarge the letters and for people who wear glasses. However, sometimes it is not enough. Therefore, this article will explore the best apps for visually impaired available on iPhone:
https://www.gearrice.com/update/best-apps-for-the-visually-impaired-available-on-iphone/
What is age-related macular degeneration?
Macular degeneration, also called age-related macular degeneration (AMD), is a medical condition that results in blurred or total vision loss in the centre of a person’s visual field. The macula is a small but extremely important area located at the retina’s centre; the retina is the light-sensing tissue that lines the back of the eye. It is this area that is responsible for seeing details clearly. Details of the 2 types of macula degeneration listed below:
https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/age-related-macular-degeneration-optical-health/163475/