Visual Impairment

Blindness and loss of visual acuity can occur for very many reasons including complications at birth, trauma, disease, infection, and natural degeneration due to ageing. One of the commonest causes of visual deterioration is diabetes and those who are diagnosed with diabetes will be offered regular screening.

20,000 people in Wales are registered blind or partially sighted although it is estimated by the Wales Council for the Blind  that for every one that is registered there are three more that are not.

• 90% of the visually impaired population are aged over 65yrs
• Over 2000 of the visually impaired population are under 16 yrs
• 47% of the adult visually impaired population live alone
• 3000 – 4000 of the visually impaired population are of working age
• 75%  of  of the visually impaired population are unemployed

Merthyr Tydfil identified 192 persons as blind and 223 persons as partially sighted, a total of 385 people at 31st March 2007 and the following link to dataunitwales presents the Local authority data of blind and partially sighted persons. You can access the information by clicking on 'personal and social services' and then 'physical and sensory disability' on the left hand side of the page.

N.B. Local authority registers do not represent the total number of those with serious sight loss as many people never register. It is estimated that for every one person on the register there are probably three or four with serious sight loss who are not. The changes being planned will significantly increase the numbers referred to Social Services and this difference will diminish. (Wales Council for the Blind).