Are you a young person or of working age?

Working age people

This group of people is anyone who has not retired, and is over the age of 16. We offer advice, information and peer support for all aspects of daily life when living with macular disease.

The Macular Society Helpline is able to answer questions on living with macular disease as well as giving advice around more complex issues.

The Society can offer advice on:

• Employment - Whether you are in work or searching for a job.
• Access to Work – Advice and information on how the scheme supports people with central vision loss.
• Welfare benefits – Advice about what welfare benefits you may be entitled to including Universal Credit and PIP.
• Registration and statutory entitlements
• Using technology - The latest in how to access and use technology.
• Peer Support – Through a network of working age and young people support groups and online condition specific support groups.
• Working Age and Young People’s Facebook Group
• Mentoring – We provided employment mentors to offer support around specific job roles.
• Counselling service - This services provides one-to-one telephone counselling and group therapy including employment support.

Parents of children with macular dystrophies

After diagnosis, parents can contact the society to ask for support with their child’s prognosis and talk more about their condition. It is a very worrying time and the Macular Society is able to offer advice to try to address some of their concerns. The helpline can offer information and advice on:

• Education and School – Including SEND and EHCP Assessments
• College and University – Including Disabled Student Allowance with support from other charity partners
• Welfare benefits – including Disability Living Allowance for Children and Child Tax Credits and Universal Credit
• Counselling service - For parents and children over the age of 16.

Young people

There are a number of macular dystrophies which affect young people between the ages of 14-25. With the pressures of growing up, education and social development, sight loss can increase the stress felt at this already difficult time. Our helpline is able to offer advice to both the young person and their parents/guardians with all aspects of living with macular disease. These include:

• Further and higher education
• Apprenticeship
• Employment and job searching
• Welfare benefits
• Registration and statutory entitlements
• Counselling service for young people over the age of 16
• Peer support through Facebook and support groups.

Professionals

The Macular Society Helpline offers support to professionals who support working age and young people with central vision loss. The information offered to professionals can be:

• Information about diagnosis and prognosis
• Advice on welfare benefits and employment
• Teaching resources for Qualified Teachers of the Visually Impaired (QTVIs)
• Information on Skills for Seeing and technology
• A lseries of large print, expert-reviewed information leaflets, to educate and reassure your patients.

Further details

The Macular Society can advise on and will try to find ongoing support in your local area. There are are a wide range of additional services including Befriending and Skills for Seeing, which can be accessed on our Support for you page.

Join a employment support group

Would you like to join a six-week employment therapy group?

The sessions are for anyone living with visual impairments caused by macular disease who is in employment, either paid or unpaid and might benefit from some emotional support.

Led by a trained counsellor, the online sessions offer a safe, confidential group space for you to chat to other people with similar experiences and share how you’re feeling.

Please contact our Macular Society Helpline for more information.