Around 188,000 people in Scotland are 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 people with a visual impairment are aged over 65, with around 8,000 people of working age registered blind or partially sighted.
For adults that start to 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.
Across Great Britain, there are around two million people living with a sight loss condition or degenerative eye conditions. The latest statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that at the end of January 2023, some 57,180 people were receiving extra financial support through Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Adult Disability Payment (ADP), including 4,762 living in Scotland.
