The hands of someone working at a desk.

Nystagmus awareness at work

A guest post

After my first proper job following university, I decided to ‘come out’ about my disability and support needs. I was worried this might make me stand out for the wrong reasons, but felt it was important to be my own advocate.

It was a positive move and I get lots of support and adaptations at work in my new job.

But, with remote working, I felt I was ‘back in the closet’.

Homeworking has been a revelation. It suits me so much better. There’s no commuting and the stress of getting my train, more screen breaks and no setting up the desk each day. I’m all set up at home with lots of natural light and my big screens. No hot desking!

The downside is that people are no longer seeing me every day, passing my workstation. On Zoom they don’t notice my eye movements, my head turn, they can’t see the large print papers on my desk or my wide screens. People have forgotten I have nystagmus.

I’ve found it something of a demeaning experience to have to go through it all again with my manager and my teammates, but the positive outcome for me is that home working is considered a reasonable adjustment and is now written in to my contract.

My message is ‘don’t let people forget about us’. We’re not working for their convenience. Things can still fall through the cracks. I want to work in an environment that lets me shine.

Do you have a nystagmus at work story you’d like to share for Nystagmus Awareness Day 2022? If so, please email us at [email protected]

Download our guide to Nystagmus and Employment here

A thank you card from the Nystagmus Network showing an image of 2 boys taking part in a team building exercise.

It’s so nice to be appreciated

In 2021 the Nystagmus Network supported 591 people to come to terms with nystagmus, to find the support and information they needed. We’re even busier in 2022, as more and more people find their way to us and join the virtual nystagmus community. It’s so rewarding when the people we support show us their appreciation.

Here are just some of the lovely things that people are saying about us:

About our Parent Power workshops: “Thank you for setting up today’s workshop. It was really helpful.” … “Thank you – it was wonderfully informative and extremely helpful. Can highly recommend.” … “Thank you so much – it was incredibly insightful and thoroughly worth the time.”

About our monthly forums: “I’ll look forward to the forum next time. It’s nice to keep in touch. It’s part of what makes the Network special.” … “It has been wonderful to hear/speak/learn from all of you and your experiences, to speak to parents with similar challenges. I look forward to attending future parent meetings. Thank you for setting this up!”

About our Information and Support Line: “Huge shout out to the Nystagmus Network for the most informative chat about congenital and acquired nystagmus. Your guidance has been invaluable.” … “Thank you so much for your invaluable advice. Please keep doing what you do.”

About our information documents: “We’re quite early on in learning about our son’s nystagmus and how it affects him and the Nystagmus Network has been so helpful so far. The resources available have explained so much.” … “ I am a big fan of your resources and have found them really helpful.” … “I’ve just read the PDF ‘Nystagmus and benefits’ and found it really interesting, thanks for summarising a lot of info in an ‘easy to understand’ way.” … “. I just wanted to let the charity know that I’ve found the PDF documents really useful so thank you.”

About our Facebook page: “Thank you for all your advice over the last few years, even though it’s taken me nearly 40 years to realise my condition. If only I had known back there I would have been in my teens and the help would have been great. You do a great job getting it out there.” … “I just made my first donation for research! I have AN and Oscillopsia. Fortunately, 12 weeks of neuro rehab with specific eye coordination exercises has helped me be able to walk and jog on the beach near my home. Each mile accomplished is taken with gratitude for the work and support that Nystagmus Network brings. Thank you for all you do!” … “Thank you for the excellent work carried out by the Nystagmus Network. Through it, I’ve learned more about how to live well with my condition in the last few years than I ever thought possible!”

On our Acquired Nystagmus away weekend: “We had a lovely time last weekend and I cannot thank you enough for all the work you put in to make this event so successful.” … “It was so lovely to meet you all in Bath and, whilst tiring for us sufferers, was a great opportunity to chat on a more personal level. We had a great connection and got on so well. I felt like we could see (and appreciate) our individual characters, despite the very troublesome nystagmus. Thank you so much for arranging this.”

The front cover of the BNystagmus Network guide to nystagmus and benefits.

A new guide to nystagmus and benefits

From our monthly virtual support networks to our free benefits advice, the Nystagmus Network is always here for you.

As we emerge from the pandemic, we’re all feeling the financial pressure of increasing fuel prices, the rise in the cost of living and, for some, job insecurity. So, we’ve put together a new guide to benefits.

Alongside our bespoke booklet on DLA, PIP and Nystagmus by volunteer Mike Hughes, a professional benefits adviser and member of the Greater Manchester Welfare Rights Advisers Group (GMWRAG), we now offer a Benefits Guide, providing information on a wider range of means-tested and non-means-tested benefits which may be available to someone living with nystagmus. The new guide was compiled by our staff team, under Mike’s professional guidance.

Download the new benefits guide here

The Nystagmus Network logo and the words 'parent power'

Parent Power April

The Nystagmus Network is delighted to be able to offer parents and carers of children and young people with nystagmus the opportunity to attend a further session in our series of Parent Power webinars.

Each webinar, led by Karen, from IPSEA (the Independent Provider of Special Education Advice), supported by the charity’s volunteer education advocate, Claire and Sue from the staff team, introduces parents to the special educational needs support available in schools and early years settings and empower you to access it for your child. We’ll even introduce you to EHC plans.

The one day webinars (10am to 2.45pm) are FREE to attend.

The next workshop takes place on Friday 29 April

Book your FREE place here

Members of the Nystagmus Network can request advice from our volunteer education advocate, Claire or ask for a referral to our Education Advocacy Service for one to one support with casework.

The logo of the Landmark Trust

Our Landmark weekend

This Friday to Monday Sue and members of the Nystagmus Network acquired nystagmus forum are spending time together in a beautiful, historic building, courtesy of the Landmark Trust. This is the first time everyone has met in person since they began getting to know each other online in March 2020. We look forward to getting better acquainted in relaxed and elegant surroundings.

Each year the Landmark Trust offers a limited number of stays in their historic properties to small charities. The scheme is called 50 for free.

The Nystagmus Network set up monthly online forums for parents, adults who have congenital nystagmus and adults living with acquired nystagmus at the beginning of the pandemic. The forums have been very popular and continue to flourish with some lasting friendships made along the way. We like to think of them as friendly, informative and a little haven away from worries about the outside world.

If you would like to join one of our online get togethers, please contact us by email at [email protected].

The Nystagmus Network logo and the words 'parent power'

More Parent Power coming soon

The Nystagmus Network is delighted to be able to offer parents and carers of children and young people with nystagmus the opportunity to attend our periodic Parent Power webinars.

Each webinar, led by Karen, from IPSEA (the Independent Provider of Special Education Advice), supported by the charity’s volunteer education advocate, Claire and Sue from the staff team, introduces parents to the special educational needs support available in schools and early years settings and empower you to access it for your child. We’ll even introduce you to EHC plans.

The one day webinars (10am to 2.45pm) are FREE to attend.

Dates for our next Parent Power workshop will be announced soon.

Members of the Nystagmus Network can request advice from our volunteer education advocate, Claire or ask for a referral to our Education Advocacy Service for one to one support with casework.

The Nystagmus Network logo and the words 'parent power'

Parent Power this February

Thanks to a grant from our friends at the Thomas Pocklington Trust, the Nystagmus Network is delighted to be able to offer parents and carers of children and young people with nystagmus the opportunity to attend one of a brand new series of Parent Power webinars.

Each webinar, led by Karen, from IPSEA (the Independent Provider of Special Education Advice), supported by the charity’s volunteer education advocate, Claire and Sue from the staff team, introduces parents to the special educational needs support available in schools and early years settings and empower you to access it for your child. We’ll even introduce you to EHC plans.

The one day webinars (10am to 2.45pm) are FREE.

Places on the next February workshop are open for booking.

Book your place for Parent Power on Friday 11 February here

Members of the Nystagmus Network can request advice from our volunteer education advocate, Claire or ask for a referral to our Education Advocacy Service for one to one support with casework.

12 days of giving £120,000, 120 charities £1,000

Please nominate us to win a £1,000 donation

For 12 days this Christmas, as part of Ecclesiastical’s movement for good , the company will be making £120,000 in donations to charities to help them deliver their vital work. Please nominate the Nystagmus Network for a chance to help us win £1,000! With that amount of money we could supply a lot of hospital clinics with nystagmus information leaflets for their patients.

Please nominate the Nystagmus Network here. Thank you.

a blurred street scene

What do we see?

In answer to the question ‘What does a visually impaired child see?’ the Thomas Pocklington Trust has produced a new video simulating the 5 most commonly seen forms of vision impairment in children and young people, including nystagmus. The film, What do we see? 2, shows what it’s like to have nystagmus, retinitis pigmentosa, infantile or juvenile cataracts, retinopathy of prematurity and optic atrophy. Footage was recorded in a school setting.

Members of the Nystagmus Network forum for adults living with congenital nystagmus viewed the first draft of the nystagmus simulation and helped shape the final version. We are very grateful for their feedback.

TPT said: “Thank you so much for all your support and guidance throughout the making of this. We couldn’t have done it without you.”

Watch the video on YouTube here

The Nystagmus Network logo and the words 'parent power'

Parent Power is back!

Thanks to a grant from our friends at the Thomas Pocklington Trust, the Nystagmus Network is delighted to be able to offer parents and carers of children and young people with nystagmus the opportunity to attend one of a brand new series of Parent Power webinars.

Each webinar will introduce parents to the special educational needs support available in schools and early years settings and empower you to access it for your child. We’ll even introduce you to EHC plans.

Each session will be led by Karen, a qualified and experienced trainer from IPSEA (the Independent Provider of Special Education Advice), supported by the charity’s volunteer education advocate, Claire and Sue from the staff team.

The one day webinars (10am to 2.45pm) are FREE and will be held online from November, 2021 through to March 2022, so there’s bound to be one that suits your schedule.

Places on the next two workshops are already open for booking.

Book your place for Parent Power on Friday 14 January here

Book your place for Parent Power on Friday 11 February here

Members of the Nystagmus Network can request advice from our volunteer education advocate, Claire or ask for a referral to our Education Advocacy Service for one to one support with casework.