The Valentin Haüy association launched on October 14, 2021, on the occasion of World Sight Day, its first awareness campaign aimed at the general public on the subject of visual impairment. This campaign takes part in the Top Santé Prize in the “Prevention” category.
In France, more than 1,700,000 people are affected by visual impairment, an invisible disability. A person is considered visually impaired if their visual acuity after correction is between 4/10and and 1/20andor if his visual field is between 10 and 20 degrees. Very often linked to aging, low vision can also turn the lives of younger people upside down. Visual impairment can be of congenital origin or following a pathology or trauma. The main causes of visual impairment are cataracts, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and corneal opacification. These different types of visual impairment lead to varying disabilities and difficulties.
In addition to these pathologies, which disturb all the benchmarks, many other problems are often added: a late diagnosis, the difficulty of talking about it, the fear of going blind, the doubt of not being able to live “as before”, or that the family and caregivers do not understand. Isolation can then increase, and lead to much more difficult consequences with repercussions on daily, social and professional life.
Can we enjoy reading? Can we have access to new technologies? Can we move serenely? Can we consider a professional career when we are visually impaired? The answer is YES to each of these questions!
Solutions exist
The Valentin Haüy association, recognized as a public utility since 1891, offers support services to promote the autonomy and social inclusion of visually impaired people.
Despite the visual impairment and the inevitable loss of vision, autonomy can be preserved thanks to the solutions proposed within the committees, establishments and services of the association’s headquarters, such as local reception areas to inform and support, a introduction to the guidance technique, social support to have one’s rights recognized, adapted computer courses, solutions for professional training and employability, access to culture thanks to accessible audio books from the ÉOLE online library free to people difficulty with reading because of their disability (visual impairment, motor disability, intellectual disability, cognitive impairment, and in particular DYS disorders)…
To find out more, visit the dedicated website: www.mieuxvivresamalvoyance.com
On the occasion of the Top Health Awards, we invite you to vote for your product, service or Coup de Coeur campaign. Would you like to vote for the Prevention Campaign of the Valentin Haüy Association? It’s this way !
