The home stays navigable
Someone with vision loss learns their own home by memory and touch. A live-in carer supports that rather than moving them somewhere unfamiliar and disorientating.
✧ Our services
Home Care for Blindness and Sight Loss
Sight loss changes how everyday tasks are done, not whether they can be. A live-in carer helps with getting around safely, reading post, cooking and outings, so someone with a visual impairment can stay independent and confident at home.
- Independence kept Doing with, not doing for
- From £1,200 a week One fixed weekly fee for live-in care
- Out and about safely Sighted guiding to shops, appointments and friends
- A safer home Lighting, contrast and a place for everything
What is visual impairment care?
More than two million people in the UK live with sight loss, according to RNIB, and most of them are older. Common causes in later life include age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts and diabetic eye disease. Sight loss can make reading, cooking, managing medication and getting around much harder, and it increases the risk of falls and isolation.
Visual impairment care at home gives the practical support needed to keep living independently. A live-in carer adapts to how the person likes to do things, helps only where needed, and makes going out possible again.
Guiding, reading and medication help for sight loss
- Getting around — sighted guiding on walks, at the shops, on public transport and at appointments.
- Reading and paperwork — reading post, bills, labels and appointment letters, and helping with phone and online tasks.
- Medication — making sure the right tablets are taken at the right times, and eye drops given as prescribed.
- Cooking and meals — preparing meals, or supporting the person to cook safely using tactile markers and good organisation.
- A safer home — good lighting, strong colour contrast, clear routes and everything kept in its place.
- Technology — helping with magnifiers, talking books, smart speakers and accessibility features on phones.
- Company — sight loss can be isolating; conversation and outings keep people connected.
Sight loss alongside other conditions
For many older people, sight loss sits alongside hearing loss, diabetes, arthritis or dementia. The combination of dementia and sight loss in particular can cause confusion and misperceptions, and needs a carer who understands both. We match carers with the right experience and brief them on the individual's needs and preferences.
Registering as sight impaired
An eye specialist can issue a Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI), which allows someone to register as sight impaired or severely sight impaired with their council. Registration can open the door to support from the council's sensory team, concessions and some benefits. RNIB's helpline can explain what is available.
Paying for visual impairment care
Live-in care starts from £1,200 a week. Attendance Allowance or PIP, council support after a needs assessment, and help from the council's sensory impairment team may all be available. See our funding guide.
Adapting the home for sight loss
Small changes at home can make a big difference to safety and independence for people with sight loss:
- Lighting — brighter, even lighting, task lights for reading and cooking, and lights on the stairs.
- Contrast — using contrasting colours, such as a dark mug on a light worktop, or coloured tape on step edges.
- Consistency — keeping everything in the same place, so it can be found by memory and touch.
- Tactile markers — raised "bump-ons" on cooker dials, washing machine settings and remote controls.
- Clear routes — removing clutter and trip hazards, and keeping doors fully open or fully closed.
The council's sensory impairment team and RNIB can advise on equipment and adaptations.
Sighted guiding: how it is done well
Being guided well makes getting out safer and more relaxed. A trained sighted guide offers their arm rather than taking the person's arm, walks half a step ahead, describes steps, kerbs and obstacles in advance, and explains the surroundings where helpful. Carers use these techniques so the person stays in control and feels confident on walks, in shops and on public transport.
Sight loss and emotional wellbeing
Losing sight later in life can bring grief, frustration, anxiety and isolation, particularly when it means giving up driving, reading or hobbies. Emotional support matters as much as practical help. Carers can help people find new ways to enjoy the things they love — audio books, radio, tactile games, adapted crafts — and keep up social contact. RNIB and local sight loss charities offer emotional support services and groups where people can share experiences.
Charles Bonnet syndrome
Some people with significant sight loss experience vivid, silent visual hallucinations, such as patterns, people or animals. This is called Charles Bonnet syndrome. It is caused by the brain responding to reduced visual input, not by mental illness or dementia, and many people are frightened to mention it. Carers who understand it can reassure the person and encourage them to talk to their GP or eye specialist, who can offer advice on managing it.
Managing medication safely with sight loss
Taking the right medicine at the right time becomes much harder when labels cannot be read. Mistakes are common and can be dangerous. Practical solutions include asking the pharmacy for large-print labels, using a pharmacy-filled blister pack with each dose in its own compartment, marking bottles with tactile labels or elastic bands, keeping medicines in a consistent place, and using talking reminders on a smart speaker or phone. Eye drops can be especially tricky; some people use a drop guide or have a carer administer them. A live-in carer can check that the right medicines are taken at the right times, while supporting the person to stay as independent as possible.
Technology that helps people with sight loss
Technology has transformed daily life for many people with sight loss. Smartphones and tablets have built-in screen readers and magnification; smart speakers can read the news, set reminders, make calls and play audio books by voice; video magnifiers enlarge letters and labels; and apps can read printed text aloud or describe surroundings. Many older people are keen to try these but need help getting started. A carer can set devices up, practise with the person until they are confident, and help them keep in touch with family and friends.
Getting a sight loss rehabilitation assessment
Many councils employ rehabilitation officers for people with visual impairment, who can assess needs and teach skills for daily living and getting around safely, such as using a long cane, cooking safely and managing money. Ask the council's sensory impairment team for an assessment; it is usually free. A carer can then help practise these skills until they become second nature.
Further reading and sources
Why families choose it
What live-in sight loss care gives your family
Help reading what needs reading
Post, medication labels, bills and prescriptions all need someone reliable to read them accurately, every time.
One voice, not a rota of strangers
A change in carer means learning a new voice, a new way of describing things and a new level of trust. Consistency matters enormously here.
Less isolation
Vision loss often means people stop going out or seeing friends as often. Regular companionship and help getting out helps counter that.
Confidence to keep doing things independently
Support is there for what's genuinely difficult or unsafe, while encouraging the person to keep managing what they still can.
Is it right for us?
When families arrange care for sight loss
If one of these sounds familiar, visual impairment care at home is worth a conversation.
A recent diagnosis of vision loss
Adjusting to a new way of living takes time and support, particularly in the first months after diagnosis.
Falls or near misses around the home
Poor vision makes trips, missed steps and bumped furniture far more likely, especially in a home that hasn't been adapted.
Medication has become difficult to manage safely
Reading labels and telling similar packaging apart becomes a real risk without reliable help.
Family can't keep up with the practical side
Reading post, managing bills, shopping and appointments takes real time, and family often can't fit it around work and their own lives.
Increasing isolation and anxiety about going out
When getting around alone feels unsafe, people understandably stop leaving the house — and loneliness follows.
What a carer does
How a live-in carer helps with sight loss
Every care plan is built from these, weighted to whatever matters most in your household.
Safe mobility and orientation
Guided support moving around the home and outdoors, keeping familiar surroundings safe rather than a source of risk.
Daily living and practical tasks
Reading post and labels, managing medication safely, and handling the practical tasks vision loss makes harder.
Companionship and confidence
Regular company and encouragement to keep going out and doing the things that vision loss can make people withdraw from.
Household support
Meal preparation, laundry and light housework handled safely, so the home keeps running as it should.
Related services
Other types of live-in care we arrange
Live-in care is not one fixed thing. These are the variations families most often need — and we will tell you which one actually fits.
24 hour live-in care
For people who need attention repeatedly through the night. Covers waking nights and, where nights are consistently broken, two carers in rotation.
Respite care
A professional steps in so a family carer can rest, from a few days to several weeks. Also the easiest way to try live-in care before committing.
Emergency home care
For a hospital discharge, a fall, or a carer suddenly unable to continue. We can often have someone in place within 24 to 48 hours.
Overnight care
Cover through the night only, where days are manageable but nights are not. Useful after a hospital stay or while a diagnosis settles.
Dementia care
Carers experienced in memory loss, sundowning and changes in behaviour. Familiar rooms and one consistent face matter more here than anywhere.
Palliative care
Comfort-focused support at home, working alongside district nurses and the GP so symptom control and dignity come first.
End of life care
Support for the final months, weeks or days at home, for the person and for the family around them.
Companionship care
Where the need is company and daily structure rather than personal care. Often the first step, before anything more is required.
What you get
What visual impairment care includes, and what it doesn't
Being straight about the boundaries saves everyone a difficult conversation later.
Included in the weekly fee
- Guiding and escorting safely around the home and outdoors
- Reading post, labels and helping with correspondence
- Medication prompting and safely identifying medication
- Meal preparation and safe support in the kitchen
- Companionship to reduce isolation
- Light housework and laundry
- Accompanying to appointments and social outings
- Support using aids such as talking devices or a guide cane, alongside specialist services
Not included
- Nursing tasks that require a registered nurse (district nurses continue to visit)
- The carer's own food — the household provides everyday meals
- Household bills, rent or council tax on the carer's behalf
- Two-person handling where a hoist requires two carers (that is our Advanced plan)
Compared honestly
Sight loss care at home, a care home, or visiting carers?
The three realistic options, side by side. We will tell you if one of the others suits you better.
| Live-in care | Residential care home | Visiting care | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical weekly cost, one person | From £1,200 | £1,100 – £1,600 | £300 – £900 |
| Typical weekly cost, a couple | From £1,200 (one carer) | £2,200 – £3,200 (two places) | Varies by hours |
| Staff-to-person ratio | One-to-one | Shared across residents | One-to-one, but only during visits |
| Same carer each day | Yes | No — shift rota | Rarely |
| Stay in your own home | Yes | No | Yes |
| Overnight cover | Yes | Yes | No — unless booked separately |
| Couples stay together | Yes | Often not possible | Yes |
| Pets can stay | Yes | Almost never | Yes |
| Visitors any time | Yes | Visiting hours | Yes |
Care home figures are typical UK ranges for 2026 and vary considerably by region and by whether nursing care is included. We quote our own prices exactly; always confirm a care home's fees directly with them.
Our carers
Who will your carer be?
The single biggest worry families raise, and rightly. You choose the carer from matched profiles, and you can speak to them by video call before deciding anything.
Enhanced DBS
On every single carer, checked before introduction
In person
Every carer is interviewed, not just screened on paper
You choose
Profiles sent to you — including a video call first
24–48 hrs
How fast we can move in an emergency
Our carers
The carers who provide visual impairment care
Our carers are spread across the UK, supported by regional care managers. Every one is interviewed in person, enhanced DBS checked and reference-checked before they are ever introduced to a family — and you choose who moves in.
- Interviewed face to face, never hired on paperwork alone
- Enhanced DBS checked, with references verified
- You meet and approve your carer before they start
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Brenda
Live-in carer
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Vistorine
Live-in carer
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Gladys
Live-in carer
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Monica
Live-in carer
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Patience
Live-in carer
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Refiloe
Live-in carer
How it works
Arranging visual impairment care in three steps
Tell us what you need
A friendly, no-obligation call to understand the situation, explain how the care works and give you an estimated weekly cost.
Choose your carer
We send profiles of available carers matched to your needs. You can speak to them on a video call before deciding.
Care begins at home
Your carer moves in and support starts, with a named care manager checking in regularly to make sure it's working.
Free callback
Prefer we call you?
Leave your number and a care manager will call you back — usually within an hour, and always free.
- No obligation. A conversation, not a sales call — and never a call centre.
- A real care manager. Someone who arranges care every day, who can answer properly.
- Just two details. Your name and number — we don’t need an email address.
Or call us now on 0800 368 8558 Lines open 8am–10pm, seven days a week
Common questions
Questions about visual impairment care
What families ask us before arranging care.
Not seeing your question?
Our care managers answer these every day. A no-obligation call takes about ten minutes.
0800 368 8558Lines open 8am–10pm, seven days a week See all questionsHow much does care for a visually impaired person cost?
Live-in visual impairment care starts from £1,200 a week as one fixed weekly fee.
Can a carer act as a sighted guide?
Yes. Carers can guide on walks, at the shops, on public transport and at appointments, so getting out stays possible.
Will a carer take over tasks I can still do?
No. The carer helps only where needed and follows your way of doing things, supporting your independence.
Can you support someone with sight loss and dementia?
Yes. We match carers experienced with both, who understand how the combination affects perception and confidence.
What is a Certificate of Vision Impairment?
A CVI is issued by an eye specialist and lets you register as sight impaired or severely sight impaired, which can unlock council support and concessions.
What benefits are available for sight loss?
Attendance Allowance or PIP depending on age, and support from the council after a needs assessment. RNIB can advise on others.
How can we make a home safer for someone with sight loss?
Improve lighting, use contrasting colours, keep everything in the same place, add tactile markers to appliances, and keep routes clear. The council's sensory team and RNIB can advise on equipment.
What is Charles Bonnet syndrome?
Vivid, silent visual hallucinations experienced by some people with significant sight loss. It is caused by the brain responding to reduced vision, not by mental illness. It is worth discussing with a GP or eye specialist.
How should you guide someone with sight loss?
Offer your arm rather than taking theirs, walk half a step ahead, and describe steps, kerbs and obstacles in advance. This keeps the person in control and confident when out and about.
Is there emotional support for people losing their sight?
Yes. RNIB and local sight loss charities offer emotional support, helplines and groups. Carers can also help people find new ways to enjoy hobbies and keep up social contact.
Transparent pricing
How much visual impairment care costs
One weekly fee covering the agreed care plan. No hidden charges for everyday care.
Read next
Guides for families arranging visual impairment care
How Live-in Care Can Help Combat Loneliness
Read guide →
The Benefits of Home Care: Why Choosing to Stay at Home Can Be the Best Option
Read guide →
What does a live-in carer do?
Read guide →Related care
Care often arranged alongside visual impairment care
Elderly Care
Our elderly care at home service provides one-to-one support at home from a trained, DBS-checked carer — matched to your family's needs, routine and personality.
Diabetes Care
Almost 3.9 million people in the UK presently live with diabetes. And almost 700 people are diagnosed with same diabetes every day. Since the disease is chronic, the ratio of patients with diabetes is increasing. Since it also increases the risk of developing many associated diseases, diabetes greatly reduces the quality of life of a person.
Companionship Care
Our companionship care at home service provides one-to-one support at home from a trained, DBS-checked carer — matched to your family's needs, routine and personality.
Dementia Care
Our dementia care at home service provides one-to-one support at home from a trained, DBS-checked carer — matched to your family's needs, routine and personality.
Personal Care Assistants
Our private carers service provides one-to-one support at home from a trained, DBS-checked carer — matched to your family's needs, routine and personality.
Near you
Visual impairment care in your area
Local pages cover how care is regulated and funded where your relative lives.
Where we work
Visual Impairment Care across the UK and Ireland
We arrange care in 850+ towns and cities. Choose your area for local pricing, funding and how care is regulated where you live.
- Carers travel to you — they move into the home rather than driving from a local branch, so rural and coastal areas are covered too.
- The same weekly price everywhere — care is priced on the support needed, never on your postcode.
- Care can start in 24–48 hours in most areas, and often the same day after a hospital discharge.
Search 850+ towns and cities →
Can’t see your area? Call 0800 368 8558 — we almost certainly still cover it.