There are around 188,000 people in Scotland affected by some form of sight loss with that figure expected to double by 2031, according to the charity, Sight Scotland, formerly known as Royal Blind. Three out of four Scots with a visual impairment are aged over 65 with around 8,000 people of working age registered blind or partially sighted.
For adults that lose their sight in later life, it can be very distressing as they feel they are no longer able to enjoy some of the activities they love to do, such as driving, taking part in sports, reading and cooking. Mobility can also be affected and with that comes independence and travel issues.
The latest Personal Independence Payment (PIP) figures released by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that at the end of April, there were 54,431 people claiming support for a visual disease, impairment or condition, including 4,687 people living in Scotland.
