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About WCB.
Wales Council of the Blind is the umbrella agency representing vision impairment within Wales. We work to campaign, lobby and support the improvement of services for people with sight loss. [Read more...]
Latest news.
Glaucoma UK's Patient Voices Survey is now open
Glaucoma UK has launched a National Glaucoma Patient Voices Survey, and wants to get as many Welsh voices included as possible.
Glaucoma care in the UK is evolving fast, with new plans to reduce backlogs, expand community-based care, and integrate new technologies. Those plans are quite different across the four nations, resulting in a ‘postcode lottery’ for people living with glaucoma. Glaucoma UK is concerned that there is a risk that patient views and fears may go unheard in the noise of the system.
The survey will be open from 6th July to 6th September 2026. and this is the only opportunity to gather the volume of responses needed to influence upcoming policy and planning discussions. It's the largest ever national survey of people affected by glaucoma, aiming to hear from around 10,000 patients and people under regular monitoring. The plan is to capture lived experience at scale and turn it into evidence that can inform national policy, service design and research priorities. It's not a review or scoring of individual services. Instead, it focuses on the realities of living with glaucoma — including communication, information, anxiety about sight loss, daily impact, and issues such as driving and independence — and will be used to work constructively with national decision makers. Completing the survey is one of the most powerful actions you can take to shape the future of your own glaucoma care.
During July and August, a representative of Glaucoma UK is offering to visit vi clubs or groups in Wales who would like to find out more about the survey, and provide support in completing it if necessary. If your group would like to take up this offer, please send an email to Becky Burn, Glaucoma UK's Training & Engagement Officer at r.burn@glaucoma.uk.
You can find out more about the Patient Voices Survey, complete the survey, request assistance or order a paper copy here.
Free swimming lessons for vision impaired children in South Wales
The Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC) have been working with Halo Leisure to provide swimming lessons for VI children, who live in Wales. Halo have pools based in Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil, Tondu and Pontypool.
These 4 FREE 30-minute sessions are designed specifically for children aged 4–12 with any level of visual impairment, who lives in Wales. This includes partial blindness (low vision), congenital blindness, complete blindness, and legal blindness. Children will experience:
- Small Group Sessions - To allow efficient support for children with sight loss and other learning difficulties.
- Specialist Instruction - Lessons are delivered in small groups by instructors trained in adaptive techniques for swimmers with sight loss.
- Block Lessons - A block of 4 thirty-minute lessons (first 4 lessons are funded by RSBC)
- A Supportive Environment - Parents are encouraged to enter the pool with their child if additional support is needed to help them feel secure.
Local Action Group for Powys
The Powys local action group will be meeting on 5th August, 10am - 2.30pm at the Metropole Hotel, Llandrindod Wells.
This is an opportunity to have your voice heard around health and the experiences you have good or bad in accessing various aspects of health services. It is also an opportunity to find out what else is developing in the Powys area and give your view on what services you think would benefit the area. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. To find out more and to register your attendance, contact Anita on 029 20 473954 email anita@wcb-ccd.org.uk
Pathways in Practice: Supporting People with Sight Loss Across Wales - Events for the sight loss sector
Join Wales Council of the Blind and partners for a series of practical, interactive events across Wales, bringing together eye care, health, social care and third sector professionals to strengthen local referral pathways and improve support for people living with sight loss. You will learn about signposting through the electronic referral system; what the third sector can offer your patients; what a vision rehabilitation specialist does; support for children with sight loss; and the role of the Eye Clinic Liaison Officer. You’ll leave with clearer connections, better signposting options, and a shared understanding of who does what - so people can access the right support at the right time.
Who should attend? Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians, Vision Rehabilitation, ECLOs, Third Sector organisations, Managing Better workers, and Qualified Teachers of the Vision Impaired. Two interactive CPD points are available for Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians. Times: Registration from 5.30 pm – food and refreshments served from 6.00 pm – presentations and group discussions will run from 6.30 pm – 8.45 pm.
Spaces may be limited - please reserve your place below:
- Cardiff & Vale on Tuesday, 2nd June, at Holland House Hotel Cardiff By Sunday, book here.
- Cwm Taf Morgannwg on 9th June at Heritage Park Hotel, Pontypridd, book here
- Aneurin Bevan on 11th June at Mercure Hotel, Newport, book here
- Powys on 18th June at Metropole Hotel, Llandrindod Wells, book here
- Hywel Dda on 2nd July at Ivy Bush Royal Hotel, Carmarthen, book here
- Betsi Cadwaladr on 7th July, at The Kinmel Hotel, Abergele, book here
- Swansea Bay on 14th July at Grand Hotel, Swansea, book here