RNIB

Things blind and partially sighted people hear way too often. ⁉️ [Video description and transcript: “POV: if our comment section was a livestream.” Lisa, is sat wearing a khaki green hoodie and is answering questions as if they’ve been sent in on a livestream. She’s reacting with puzzled facial expressions and some sassy head nods. Transcript: “POV: if our comment section was a live stream.” ‘Are you visually impaired?’ Yes, I have a condition called Nystagmus. ‘Why aren't you wearing sunglasses?’ Um, oh, because, yeah, I get it, cause some people think that, um, just because you're blind or partially sighted, you, uh like, wear sunglasses. Like, it's, kind of part of a bit of a stereotypical uniform for us. Um, I'm not wearing them, It's not that sunny today, so I've decided not to wear them. But some people, you know, many wear them for light sensitivity, so, you know, protect their eyes. ‘If you’re visually impaired, does that mean you have superhuman senses?’ No, as in, like, my hearing, no, no, people always think that because you lose a sense, you gain another one. Um, that's not true. In fact, uh, my hearing is also not great as well as my vision. ‘If you can't see, how are you using a phone?’ Okay, guys, okay, there's, there's accessible software you can get for your phones. If you're blind or partially sighted, you can get either like a magnifier that makes your screen bigger, or you can get, um, voice over which reads everything out on your screen so you can hear it. So yes, we can use our phones. [sassy head nod] ‘Do you wish you could be cured?’ Cured? I'm not sick. What do you mean? Do you wish you your eye condition can be cured? Um, not really. Um, I was born with, I was born with Nystagmus. So it's a big part of me. Um, so, no, I don't think so. I imagine a lot of people say the same that they're quite comfortable. It's more, I think it's more there's a lot of things in the world that probably need changing rather than, um, me changing to fit the world I think. And I feel like quite a lot of people in the blind and partially sighted community might, might feel the same.]

2026 is the year to make life easier for blind and partially sighted people. So make being a disability ally your New Year’s Resolution. Are you with us? [Image description: The image shows a white rectangular box with rounded corners placed over a background of golden fireworks against a dark night sky. Inside the white box, there is a bold heading at the top that reads: “2026: The Year of Being an Ally.” Below the heading, there is a single list of seven statements in black text. The list reads:‘Treat us how you’d treat everyone, Read, watch, and learn from disability people and their content, Don’t be afraid to say the word “disability”, Listen to us, ask us questions, Make accessibility an integral part of your life, Support us when we need you to.’]

We also don't deal with birds 🦜 [Image description: "Imagine being confused with the RNLI again. We don’t even own a boat." An illustration of a boat, something between a fancy yacht and a lifeboat sailing the waves (what do we know, we aren't the RNLI) sits neatly between the copy.]

RNIB ambassador 🤝 Rivals 2 red carpet host Thank you to Claire Sisk for hosting our Rivals 2 premiere red carpet moment. Her outfit was so good, it needed its own audio description 🔥 [Video transcript: Penny Lancaster: You look beautiful. Claire Sisk: Thank you. Catriona Chandler You do, you look fabulous. If you’re the feather duster, then I’m the toilet brush. Bella Maclean: You look so gorgeous, you look amazing and your make up is beautiful. Alex Hassell: And you look warmer than us as well. Victoria Smurfit: You are…sassy Claire Rushbrook: Your shoes Victoria: sexy, and unstoppable. You look amazing. Nafessa Williams: You look beautiful. Claire: Thank you! Nafessa: You’re very welcome. And you’re wearing Rivals red, I so appreciate it. David Tennent: We like that. Claire: Thank you so much. Annabel Scholey: That’s delightful, you look beautiful by the way. Claire: Thank you. Annabel: I’m loving it can I tell you? Gary Lamont: Can I tell you look like Jilly Cooper's dream scenario in that red frock, in this beautiful black first stole. Voiceover: So Claire, can you audio describe your Rivals red carpet outfit? Claire: So my outfit today I have on a red dress. It has long sleeves but you can't see that because I've got a big black fluffy coat on. It goes down to my ankles on the right side but there is a very high slit on the left side. It has a feather trim. So if you picture the fire emoji but if it had a blow dry that's what my dress looks like. I have on red heels that are like a red satin with a big bow and an ankle strap. I've got my long blonde hair down, although it was raining and windy earlier so probably resembles a bit of a bush. It has a little clip in it and I've got full glam makeup.]

Signs your colleague is secretly a screen reader: They announce themselves loudly in meetings. They freeze up at the most inconvenient times. They get offended at how many tabs you have open. They know every single shortcut. Yep, even that one. They react strongly when an image has no alt text. They can navigate chaos with speed, until that one unlabelled link or button. They pick out every spelling error and make you feel guilty about it. You couldn't imagine work without them (even though they have an annoying voice). [Image descriptions: A carousel with nine slides. Slide one. Text: “Signs your colleague is secretly a screen reader.” With an image of two colleagues smiling, a man with blonde hair and a yellow jumper and a woman with black corn rows and a purple t-shirt. Slide two. Text: “They announce themselves loudly in meetings.” With a stock photo of a man in a meeting, talking through a megaphone at an unhappy colleague. Slide three. Text: “They freeze at the most inconvenient times.” With a comically over-the-top stock photo of a woman with long blonde hair looking at the camera, startled, with her arms up as if she’s been caught red handed. Slide four. Text: “They get offended at how many tabs you have open.” With a stock photo of a man in a suit looking angrily at his laptop screen, he has grey hair and a grey and black beard. Slide five. Text: “They know every shortcut. Yep, even that one.” With a photo of a man pointing out something on a female colleague’s computer screen. Slide six. Text: “They react strongly when an image has no alt text.” With a stock photo of a woman at a desk, hands at either side of her head, wailing with frustration.] [Image descriptions continued in comments.]

Serving accessible red carpet glamour with @canseecantsee_ and a side of tea at the Rivals 2 premier. [Video transcript: An all cast photo in front of the Rivals backdrop. ‘Audio describing red carpet outfits the Rivals’ premier’. Claire Sisk: So they've not been worn before? They're new. David Tennant, who plays Tony Baddingham in Rivals 2: They're not mine. I have to give them back at the end of the night. Claire: We're trying to make this the most accessible red carpet. Alex Hassell, who plays Rupert Campbell-Black: I love the idea. Bella Maclean, who plays Taggie O'Hara: That's brilliant. Claire: So could you kindly audio describe your outfits for us, please? Alex: Well, it's just taken an interesting turn. Bella: I'm wearing a black dress that has pink, without being naughty, breasty bits. And then I have lovely red sort of dark crimson roses coming up the side. And I'm wearing a lovely gold diamond necklace and sort of snakey, diamond earrings. It's all sounding very much. And then my makeup is kind of blushy and and and sort of dark eye shadow. It sounds a lot, but I think it's working. And I've got a micro fringe. And I'm wearing Alex's lovely jacket because I'm really cold. I know, are you freezing? Alex: The jacket that she is wearing is a vintage sort of herringbone jacket and then I'm wearing a short black top and some 70s trousers. Bella: He looks really great. Nafessa Williams, who plays Cameron Cook: Oh well I am wearing like a metallic pink bustier dress and it's glittery and it bells out and it's tight. A little uncomfortable tight. David: I'm wearing velvet Double-breasted suit With a rather audacious brooch. Silver and blue that's it. That's it and the shoes. Nafessa: I love your shoes. David: They are not my shoes. David: Well apparently they're designed by one of the Smith kids. Claire: So they've not been worn before. David: They're new. Oh yeah, they're not mine. I have to give them back at the end of the night. Nafessa: They're like patent leather and they have pleats on them. David: Yeah, yeah, yeah. They're cool, aren't they? I wish they were mine. And purple socks to set off the purple bell. Continued in comments]

Despite going to the same opticians since I was 2 years old, I realised recently that I’d never actually taken my own children for a proper eye test. Like many parents, I’d assumed school vision screening was enough. But it isn’t the same as a full eye test, and children often don’t realise they aren’t seeing properly because what they see feels normal to them. A really important reminder that NHS eye tests are free for all children under 16, and under 19s in full time education. Thanks to @rnib for helping raise awareness around children’s eye health and the importance of early testing. #RNIB #ChildrensEyeHealth #eyehealth

Boss: "You're posting about different eye conditions, right?" Us: Right. [Image description: Image one: "Harry Styles. Dance no more. How people with different eye conditions might experience his new music video." Harry dances in the centre of a crowded circle. He’s wearing the now iconic red sports shorts and a white vest. He's waving his hand close to his face, eyes shut, and a big smile on his face, and he has lots of people crowded around him in a circle, all doing the same dance moves. Image two: "Retinitis pigmentosa. A genetic eye condition that causes a slow and progressive loss of vision as the light sensitive cells in the retina stop working properly." The image is dark, with blacked out edges and only a circle of vision in the middle. In this circle, we see Harry from behind, shaking his bum in those iconic red shorts in front of a small crowd of seated people, also dancing. Image three: “Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, which is essential for vision." A white filter slightly blocks parts the picture in places, making it feel distorted. Harry, in the centre, is wearing the iconic red sports shorts and a white vest. He's waving his hand close to his face and has lots of people crowded around him in a circle, though not all of them are clear or visible. Image four: "Age-related macular degeneration. An eye condition that affects the macula, the central part of the retina at the back of the eye." The center of the screen has been blacked out to reflect what it can be like to have peripheral vision. In the center, we can see a pair of bare legs wearing some high white socks and trainers. The person is standing in a fairly empty, industrial-sized room. Image five: "Diabetic retinopathy: An eye condition caused by diabetes that damages the blood vessels in the retina, the light sensitive tissue at the back of the eye." There are black spots all over the image blurring out part of the video scene. Harry tilts his head back slightly, mouth wide open, tongue out, and holds his hand up to his face, like he’s licking his hand.]

"I would advise anyone who wanted to get into art regardless of their conditions, physical or mental, just to do it. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't. As Picasso said, everyone's an artist as a child and we forget that we should all go back to that." @rhkingart , a digital artist and photographer from Scotland, shared his advice for blind or partially sighted people who are interested in getting into art. 🖌️ [Video transcript: Robert: Hi, my name is Robert H. King. I'm a digital photographic artist. Paulina: Robert, what advice would you give to blind or partially sighted people who would like to get into art? Robert: I would advise anyone who wanted to get into art regardless of their conditions, physical or mental, just to do it. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't. Everyone is born an artist and those things disappear after childhood. As Picasso said, everyone's an artist as a child and we forget that we should all go back to that. So, creating work, whether it's poetry, painting, sketching, music, photography, it's all open to everyone. Your physical condition, your mental health. None of this should be a barrier to creating work. And in fact, I think having these conditions probably makes your work far more authentic.]

Deaf actress, TV host and author, Rose Ayling-Ellis used her Baftas acceptance speech to share just how powerful and positive her experience was filming the TV series Code of Silence. And the message behind it really hits home. Because making society more accessible for disabled people doesn't need to be complicated. Whether that's film sets, social media, workplaces, streets, or supermarkets. It starts with something incredibly simple, yet powerful: listening and talking to us. That’s it. Listening, talking and acting on what we ask for to make our experiences inclusive and accessible. Because when that happens, we then have the same access to everything non-disabled people do. [Image description: "Rose Ayling-Ellis. 'If you listen to us and you talk to us, we can make it [accessibility] really simple.' A cutout of Rose Ayling-Ellis smiling into the camera on the Bafta red carpet. She's wearing a stunning yellow satin floor length gown. The dress has a sleek silhouette that pools near the hem and across the top, fabric softly drapes across the front of her body and over her arms. Her curled hair hangs loosely over her back revealing her bare shoulders and earrings.]

Have you ever wondered how artists with sight loss create such amazing pieces of work? 🤔 @rhkingart is a digital artist and photographer from Scotland and in his latest exhibition, titled Everything Near Becomes Distant is currently on show at Clydebank Town Hall. Through it, Robert explores lost visual memories of his childhood and young adult life, ones that now appear but a blur of abstracts shapes and blended colours. [Video description: Robert: Hi, my name is Robert H. King. I'm a digital photographic artist. Paulina: Robert, how does your site condition impact or influence how you create your photography? Robert: For me are inextricably linked. The work itself has been physically difficult to do in that I'm now having to use large, bright monitors at home, which makes it physically difficult. So, it's taken far longer to do the work. If I'd had better vision and less sensitivity to light, it might be easier to do. But it is a bit of a struggle, and I do think that that comes across in the work. These don't look like things that were thrown together over an afternoon session. It's taken several weeks to do each individual piece technically, actually creating some of it using an iPhone or an iPad. I'm having to use handheld magnifiers in order to see what I'm doing. And as I mentioned, with larger screens, this becomes a real challenge. But I do think that those aspects show themselves in the work.]

“I go to libraries all over the UK, support and empower them to provide the best service that they can to blind and partially sighted people.” Our final milestone moment, celebrating £15 million raised by players of the @postcodelotteryuk , we met with Lara, our Library Engagement manager, whose role is fully funded with this funding and plays a crucial part in making sure accessibility in libraries remains a priority. It’s down to her work with people like Fiona, Head of Camden Libraries (wemakecamden ), that has helped create safe and inclusive spaces. We’re excited to continue collaborative work like this so more people can access and enjoy libraries with confidence. A huge thank you to the players of the Postcode Lottery, who help fund roles like Lara’s and make it possible to embed accessibility across library services nationwide. [Transcript: Lara: Hi, I’m Lara, the Libraries Engagement Manager for the RNIB. Today I’m here at Holborn Library. I’m here to meet with the manager, Fiona. Fiona: Hi Lara, good to see you. Lara: You too. Fiona: I’m Fiona Tarn, Head of Libraries for Camden. I go to libraries all over the UK public, school, and academic libraries and support and empower them to provide the best service they can to blind and partially sighted people. Lara: As you can see, this is a computer with a large-key keyboard. We’ve been doing some great projects together. We’ve made our computers in every Camden library – all nine libraries – accessible with large keyboards. What’s the feedback been like? Transcription continued in the comments.]