Advice & resources

Looking for guidance

Whether you're looking for guidance for yourself, or want to know more about how to support someone with sight loss or blindness, we are here to help.

Find information here about sight loss, including advice to help with the different ways sight loss can impact on your life.

You can search by topic, and if you can't find the information you need just let us know and we'll do our best to support you.

Featured guide

There are simple ways to make a cafe or restaurant more enjoyable for a customer with visual impairment. You can download our new guide, "Giving great customer service to customers with visual impairment" for some simple tips!

Explore our customer service tips

Information and Advice

How to use a Perkins Brailler

The Perkins brailler is an essential tool for blind and visually impaired children.

How to use different song signifiers with the Canaan Barrie On Body sign system

This video shows how to use different song signifiers with the Canaan Barrie On Body sign system.

How to use the JAWS Screen Reader to access Youtube

How to use the JAWS Screen Reader with Internet Explorer to access Youtube.

How to use the JAWS Screen Reader to open a file

This video shows how to open a file using the JAWS Screen Reader.

Including Volunteers with Vision Impairment

Download Sight Scotland's top tips guide on how to include volunteers with sight loss and ensure they have a positive experience within your organisation.

Information for blind and partially sighted voters for Scottish Parliament election 2021

Catherine Heggie, Partnerships & Information Officer at the Electoral Commission, shares important information about the support available for blind and partially sighted voters for the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.

Lighting for visually impaired people

Handy hints and tips for effective lighting around the home to help someone with sight loss.

Low vision and useful equipment guide

Download Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans' guide on low vision and useful equipment.

Mindfulness for pupils with visual impairment and complex needs

Mindfulness sessions are used at the Royal Blind School to teach pupils to recognise their emotions and to learn strategies to deal with stressful experiences.

Mobility cane or guide dog?

For blind or partially sighted people, the choice between using a cane or a guide dog is often a personal one.

NaviLens guide

How to use Navilens at Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans sites.

Sensory activities and creative arts for pupils with visual impairment and complex needs

Sensory sessions with creative arts are more than a PE class, or a drama or music class. By combining the different disciplines, the creative arts lesson enhances the learning experience for the young people involved.

Canaan Barrie on body sign system

The Canaan Barrie on body sign system is used to communicate with children who have multiple disabilities, as well as visual impairment. The sign system was developed at the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh.

On body signing helps develop a young person’s natural gesture and, in turn, helps them communicate better with their world around them.

Check out videos demonstrating the signs below

Information and Advice

A photographer with partial sight shares how he captures amazing images

Matthew has around five per cent vision. But being partially sighted doesn't stop Matthew from seeing Edinburgh's many vistas and capturing images on his DSLR camera.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration guide

Download Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans' guide on Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

An introduction to sighted guiding a young person with visual impairment

This video is an introduction to guiding a young person with a visual impairment.

An introduction to the Canaan Barrie On Body Sign System

The Canaan Barrie On Body Sign System is used to communicate with children who have multiple disabilities, as well as visual impairment.

Benefits of braille

The ability to read and write braille is still key to independence for many blind and partially sighted people all over the world.

Braille facts

Braille is a tactile reading and writing system. It opens up the written word to blind and visually impaired people.

Dementia and Sight Loss Guide

Download Sight Scotland's guide on activities and care for people living with dementia and sight loss.

Explained: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

Answering commonly asked questions about age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Explained: Cataracts

Answering commonly asked questions about cataracts.

Explained: Charles Bonnet Syndrome

A Sight Scotland Veterans Rehabilitation Officer offers expert advice on Charles Bonnet Syndrome and how to cope with the condition.

Glaucoma guide

Download Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans' guide on glaucoma.

Low vision and useful equipment guide

Download Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans' guide on low vision and useful equipment.

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