When Lisa first contacted Sense Ability Matters, she was feeling overwhelmed and unsure where to turn. Living with several eye conditions, her sight loss had begun to affect almost every part of her day. Glare was one of the hardest things to manage. Bright light made it difficult to judge steps and kerbs, and even familiar places felt unsafe. “I couldn’t go out,” she explains. “I couldn’t judge my steps, and even at home I had to think really hard about everything I was doing. I just couldn’t cope.”
Over time, this knocked her confidence and she became anxious about using public transport or going out alone. A family friend recommended Sense Ability Matters. She tells us now: “making that phone call was one of the best decisions I’ve made.”
When one of our Enablement Officers visited Lisa at home, the focus was on listening and taking things at her pace. During the assessment, she tried anti-glare glasses for the first time. The impact was immediate. “I couldn’t believe the difference,” she says, “I thought they were just to try and when I was told they were mine to keep, I actually broke down in tears.”
Sense Ability Matters was able to help in other ways too. Our Low Vision service provided hand magnifiers to help with reading and everyday tasks. Our technology team supported her with an anti-glare app on her phone, making it easier to use and reducing strain. And at the same time, our advocacy service helped her through the PIP application process. “I wouldn’t have known where to start,” she says, “I really don’t know what I would’ve done without that support.”
Lisa also began attending our vision impaired exercise classes. “It’s nice to know you’re not alone,” she says. What started as a way to build confidence and routine also led to something she hadn’t expected, meeting her new partner at a time when she was just trying to cope.
Looking back, Lisa describes the support as life-changing. “Thanks to Sense Ability Matters, I’m learning to cope better. It’s challenging every day but I’ve got my confidence back and I know I’ve got support to turn to.”