In Touch

We hear from a blind student who's facing the start of his first year at university during the pandemic. We also meet a student who's taken a year out rather than return to university when social distancing and other restrictions are in place. Among our expert guests offering advice and support are Elin Williams from Look-UK. We also hear from Rachel Hewett who is from the Vision Impairment Centre...

A programme responding to your emails on a range of subjects. Talking about the latest glaucoma treatments, our guests include Karen Osborn who's the Chief Executive of Glaucoma UK. Also joining us is Gus Gazzard from Moorfields Eye Hospital. And with the latest on the pros and cons of driverless cars, we hear from a leading designer in the industry. PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCER: Mike Young

The government is being urged to double its spending on research into eye disease. Fight for Sight, the charity which campaigns for the ending of preventable sight loss, argues that visual impairment is costing the country billions of pounds and that more than half the two million cases of visual impairment in the UK today are preventable. The Chief Executive of Fight for Sight, Sherine Krause, jo...

Tim Reddish is visually impaired and won numerous swimming medals when he competed in three Paralympics . He's been National Performance Director for the Disability Swim Team and he's chaired the British Paralympic Association. He's currently a member of the International Paralympic Committee Governing Board. We hear from him about the impact of delaying the 2020 games in Tokyo for a year. And we...

A look at what specialist and mainstream schools are doing to help blind pupils get back to school safely. Can social distancing be achieved without leaving a blind pupil feeling isolated? Advice from chartered environmental health practitioner Dr. Lisa Ackerley on using public transport again as safely as possible. PRESENTER: Peter White PRODUCER: Mike Young

The National Pharmacy Association and the Macular Society discuss how best to maintain a steady flow of drugs and medicines into the UK from the EU after the Brexit transition period runs out at the end of December. And we hear from Stefano Sbrulli, the Italian photographer who captured lockdown on film from the perspective of blind and visually impaired people in the country. We also speak to one...

We look at the challenges facing people who are blind or visually impaired when they return to work for the first time since lockdown. We'll get advice from Maria Shinn. She's from ACAS which gives employees and employers free, impartial advice on workplace rights, rules and best practice. And our reporter Fern Lulham heads to London's Donmar Warehouse to check out a sound installation based on th...

Peter White hears about the efforts some blind charities are having to make to revive their finances and services after lockdown. And, Haben Girma, the first deafblind graduate of Harvard Law School, tells us about the Her Abilities Award and the drive to celebrate more women with disabilities. PRODUCER: Mike Young

There are now more places where you have to wear a face mask but there are exemptions if you have a disability. The national charity Sense says the government should do more to raise awareness of exemptions as they report a rise in the number of abuse cases related to the wearing of masks. Could a robotic guide dog ever replace the real thing? We talk to Anthony Camu, a student who has designed a...

Abbie Robinson is a champion paraclimber. She talks to us about her passion for the sport and how she wants more blind and visually impaired people to take up the sport so it can qualify as a Paralympic event. Simon Mahoney suddenly found he had to learn how to cook for himself when his wife recently died. He's now decided to put all that he has learnt into a new book. Simon talks to us about cook...

At the beginning of next year, when Britain leaves the European Union, rules will be different for taking dogs to EU countries. What will be the impact on guide dog owners? We speak to guide dog owner David Lucas and Chris Theobald from Guide Dogs. There has been a growth in on-line dating during lockdown. What are the issues for blind and visually impaired people? Has it been a good experience an...

Ten years ago the shooting of PC David Rathband by the fugitive killer Raoul Moat shocked the UK. Blinded in the attack, the police officer eventually took his own life. The manhunt unfolded in real time against the relatively new backdrop of social media. We talk to writer Christopher Hogg whose award-winning drama Rathband explores the resonances of a tragedy which mirrored the communication fai...

The government has begun a trial of rental e-scooter schemes and any local authority can apply. What are the concerns for blind and visually impaired people and can anything be done about it? We speak to David Davies from Pacts, the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, a charity which advises parliament on road safety issues. The charity Scope has done some research on which stream...

The Charity Commission's report into the failings at the RNIB's care homes says it is 'one of the worst charity failures we have come across'. We hear from RNIB's Chief Executive and Head of Policy, Matt Stringer. He tells us what will happen to people in the residential homes and how they will repair their reputation for the future. Lord Blunkett talks to us about the challenges to visually impai...

As lockdown is relaxed, Peter gathers three people of different ages and walks of life to consider the impact of the last 12 weeks - and what the future holds. Elin Williams of Look UK is at the start of her working life. Emma Williams is part of the Independent Living Skills Team at New College Worcester, and Kevin Mulhern is a writer and producer of TV and radio. Together they sum up how lockdow...

Many visually impaired people are still struggling to do a regular shop but a new scheme may help. The RNIB has joined with other visual impairment charities and DEFRA to provide help to those who have not been able to access priority shopping slots online. We hear how sports students Kali Holder and George Williams have been continuing their sports studies while their college is closed. Lucy Proc...

Last year the High Court branded arrangements for voting for blind people "a parody of the electoral process". But the Scottish Parliament has approved a new pilot which will see blind and visually impaired people able to vote in secret in devolved elections. Previously many blind people have described being forced to take someone into the booth to vote for them because tactile voting devices have...

The face-to-face training of guide dogs came to an end with lockdown. And the crisis has led to questions about how dogs may be losing their skills in this period of relative inactivity. Guide Dogs Director of Operations Peter Osborne takes on questions about how much of the delays pre-dated Coronavirus and where the My Guide project fits into future plans. You can contact their helpline on 080078...

All parents are feeling the strain of educating their children at home. But for blind parents of sighted children, the dizzying array of apps and worksheets with varying degrees of accessibility can be a struggle. Father-of-two Nick Adamson is navigating the landscape well, and he's joined by Hetal Bapodra, who, with no sighted adult in the house, is finding things difficult. Sean Randall of Blind...

In this special programme we discuss what the rules on social distancing mean for the way blind and visually impaired people live their lives. For example, is it safe for a stranger to guide someone by the arm? What concerns are there around using public transport? We speak to Kirsten Hearn, a blind listener who raised the issue before lockdown. We hear how she is feeling now. We hear the experien...

Why Uber is being taken to court by a blind user who says he's had his journeys cancelled after he has told them he has a guide dog. During the outbreak of the Covid-19 what is happening to eye treatment? In the latest in our round-up of what's happening around the UK, we hear from Raymond Curran, Head of Ophthalmic Services for the Health and Social Care Board in Northern Ireland. Anglia Ruskin U...

Social distancing introduced many challenges for blind people, including shopping with fewer people guiding you, and little access to online shopping slots. A petition from blind organisations called for recognition that while blind people may not be more susceptible to Covid-19, more help is needed. We look at the latest pronouncements on vulnerable people and shopping from government. And we've...

Covid-19 has not stopped people needing eye appointments - and emergency help. But what you can expect across the UK when it comes to a sudden loss of sight or a serious problem differs. We speak to Sali Davis, Chief Executive of Optometry Wales about the surprising procedures which are available from high street optometrists - and why the picture near her is different to England. And we remember...

The effects of Age-related Macular Degeneration, cataracts and glaucoma don't change because of lockdown. And people with some conditions are worried that the cancellation of existing appointments to prevent the spread of Coronavirus could mean an irreversible loss of vision. President of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists Dr Michael Burdon is on hand to explain what you should expect when it c...

Peter White hears from sight loss charities struggling during the Coronavirus crisis. Will a financial aid package announced by the Chancellor work for them? We hear tips on using video conferencing when you're visually impaired. And remembering the blind marchers who, a century ago, headed for London demanding fair treatment. PRODUCER: Mike Young.