A crowded street scene, with lots of blurring so that individual faces cannot be seen clearly.

Support for visually impaired jobseekers

RNIB and BlindAmbition present a 16-week series of free weekly webinars to support visually impaired job seekers achieve the next stage in their career: finding a new role, entering employment, starting an apprenticeship, or starting up a new business. The webinars will cover a range of topics from CV writing, different ways to market yourself and interview tips. There are 16 sessions in all. You can join any or all of them. Details of the first 3 below:

21 February 19:30 How to present yourself: 

Image, body language and confidence 

Click here to register for Present Yourself webinar 

28 February 19:30 Goal setting: 

Where I’ve come from, where I am and where I am going. The importance of goal setting, why we need it, how to set SMART objectives, determine your objectives, are you on track? 

Click here to register for Goal Setting webinar 

7 March 19:30 A skills audit: SWOT analysis 

Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats, identify gaps and plan to address them. 

Click here to register for SWOT Analysis webinar
 

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 eye logo and the words Training the Professionals

Nystagmus Network launches webinar series for clinicians

Nystagmus Network  launches online CET webinars for eye-care professionals

The Nystagmus Network charity was founded in 1984 to support patients living with the condition. They currently have 500 members but estimate there are more than 64,000 patients in the UK living with the condition that they would love to support. This is why they want to expand their reach to engage with eye-care professionals to raise awareness of the charity and encourage referrals.

Daniel Williams, Trustee said “We are delighted to launch our new eyecare professional CET webinars and host some of the ground breaking speakers. We are a small charity wanting to grow our membership and engagement for the benefit of our beneficiaries”.

The Nystagmus Network is a registered charity in England and Wales, number 118450. They provide support and information to people living with all forms of nystagmus and the professionals who work with them.

Nystagmus is a complex, incurable eye condition characterised by involuntary movements of the eyes where they appear to wobble or flicker from side to side, up and down or round and round.

Nystagmus affects ability to focus, recognise faces and judge speed and depth.

The charity offers support and information to the 1 in 1,000 or more people affected by nystagmus, raises awareness through an annual Nystagmus Awareness Day on 20 June, whilst also investing in research into the condition to find a potential treatment.

Below is a list of the upcoming webinars you can book on. Each webinar will give delegates 1 CET point.

Nystagmus Network CET Webinars

The Nystagmus Network is delighted to host a series of webinars all about nystagmus for eyecare professionals. Each Webinar will provide 1 CET point.

Tuesday 26th May – 10:30

A Clinician’s Guide to Nystagmus

Nystagmus affects 0.24% of the population, yet it is a very poorly understood condition. Optometrists will regularly encounter patients with the condition in practice, especially in the low vision setting. Knowing how to modify routines appropriately, as well as how to classify and potentially refer patients for treatment, will help maintain high clinical standards.

This lecture will provide an optometrist’s up-to-date guide to nystagmus, covering diagnosis, classification, and how to modify a standard routine. Currently available treatments will be discussed.

Delivered by Dr Matt J Dunn who is a lecturer and optometrist at Cardiff University. His research focuses on clinical disorders of visual perception and oculomotor control. At the School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, he teaches clinical orthoptics. Matt is the author of the mobile ophthalmology reference text Dunn Vision Reference.

Wednesday 27th May

Diagnosing Nystagmus – how, why and when?

Jay will be talking about how Optometrists might approach patients with nystagmus and tips and tricks about what to look for, deciding how urgently to refer and what happens once they reach a specialist centre. No prior knowledge is expected!!

Delivered by Jay E Self BM FRCOphth PhD who is a Consultant Paediatric Eye Surgeon and Associate Professor at the university of Southampton. He runs a research group with an interest in nystagmus, albinism and childhood visual disorders and works closely with Helena Lee who is also a Consultant and Associate Professor in Southampton. Jay is a medical advisor to 4 support charities, a board member of 2 charities and ambassador for one. He has worked both as a researcher and clinician in the field of nystagmus for 15 years. He is a founder member of the Nystagmus UK Eye research group (NUKE).

Thursday 28th May – 10:30

Testing, Dispensing and Supporting Patients with Nystagmus

The holistic view of supporting a patient with nystagmus. A practical approach on how to test, dispense and support a patient with Nystagmus.

Delivered by Bhavin Shah, Behavioural Optometrist and Jayshree Vasani, Dispensing Optician. Bhavin is passionate about lifelong learning and technology to enable patients to optimise their vision. Jayshree is passionate about supporting patients with visual impairments and empowering the profession with her knowledge.

Contact

Sue Ricketts, Executive Information and Development Manager

Tel:             01427 718093

Email:         [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/sue-ricketts-38305b176

Enquiries

Tel:             01427 718093

Email:         [email protected]

Website:    https://nystagmusnetwork.org/

Let’s go for an eye test!

Our next webinar is all about going to a high street optician’s when you have nystagmus.

Tuesday 12 May at 3pm

You have had an eye test … what now ? 

An interactive webinar for the nystagmus community.

Jayshree Vasani (Dispensing Optician) and Sarah Arnold (Optometrist) want to dispel the myths around what happens after the hospital appointment.

What happens when you are discharged from the hospital eye service in to community practice? 

Why is it vital that you have regular eye checks?

How do I get the very best vision for my child?

What is a Dispensing Optician and Optometrist?

How can professionals in  eye care work together to benefit me or my child? 

These are questions we want to discuss and answer!

So join us for this webinar!  

We are excited to be meeting you all online and are looking  forward to the question and answer session!

See you there!

Jayshree and Sarah

CLICK OR TAP HERE to book your place

Free webinars on low vision technology


Together with Sight and Sound Technology, the Nystagmus Network is offering 2 free webinars on low vision technology for adults and children with nystagmus.

Thursday 23 April, 6-7pm: Low vision technology for adults with acquired or congenital nystagmus

Thursday 7 May, 6-7pm: Low vision technology for children with nystagmus, with particular focus on access to learning

The webinars will include case studies, product demonstrations and lots of opportunity for Q+A.

Places are free for members of the Nystagmus Network and limited in number. Members have received details today via our newsletter. If you’re not a member and would like to join us as a member and attend one of the webinars, please contact us by phone or email today.

Thank you.