World Sight Day brings together the population to recognise the importance of good eye care. The initiative encourages people to Love Their Eyes, and works to ensure that eye care is available, accessible, and affordable for all. 

According to statistics by leading organisation RNIB, there are over two million people in the UK living with sight loss. This means that people with visual impairments make up a significant proportion of the disability community. Accommodating people with sight loss is crucial for venues who wish to be welcoming for all, and this is why AccessAble’s Detailed Access Guides contain various symbols to inform people of what they can expect from the place they’re visiting. 

Accessibility symbols for people with sight loss 

AccessAble exists to give you the detailed information you need to work out if a place is going to be accessible to you. Each of our Detailed Access Guides are curated by trained surveyors: as well as facts and information, they contain accessibility symbols so people can see at a glance whether a venue will be accessible for them. 

There are 33 Accessibility Symbols in total, 6 of which are particularly relevant for people with sight loss: 

• Audio description shows whether a venue has audio description technology readily available. 

• Audio format information indicates whether a venue is equipped to also provide information in audio format. 

• Large print shows whether information in large print (font size 16 or over) is readily available.  

• Braille indicates whether information around the venue is readily available in braille. 

• Companion/Carer discount shows whether there is a discount on admission or ticket prices for people who require a carer or companion during their visit. 

• Facilities for assistance dogs indicates whether assistance dogs, such as guide dogs, can be accommodated in the venue. These services may need to be requested ahead of your visit, so be sure to check the relevant Detailed Access Guide for further information. 

When you use the AccessAble website or App, you can filter results by their Accessibility Symbols. This means that when you’re searching for a restaurant, attraction, hospital, or various other venues, you can see which of them have adjustments for sight loss implemented. For people with visual impairments, having access to this knowledge can help to plan a trip more easily, give a better idea of what to expect, and help reduce anxiety before and during a visit.  

For example, you might want to enjoy a meal in a restaurant, and need to find a venue that can provide large print menus and also accommodate an assistance dog. By using AccessAble’s search function, you can type in your location and the kind of venue you’re looking for and select the relevant Accessibility Symbols. This will filter the results and present you with options that are suitable for your requirements. An example search below, filtered by the ‘large print’ and ‘facilities for assistance dogs’ symbols presented Nando’s in The Galaxy Centre in Luton. You can then click on this result to see the full Detailed Access Guide, which confirms that menus can be provided in large print (and also Braille), and that a bowl of water can be provided for an assistance dog.

At AccessAble, we recognise the challenges and access barriers that people with sight loss can face when visiting somewhere new. This World Sight Day, we are sharing our offering in the hope that more people can discover our Detailed Access Guides and benefit from the bespoke, reliable information we provide. 

Find out more about World Sight Day via the International Agency For The Prevention Of Blindness, and head over to AccessAble’s website now to start planning your next adventure!