A Cornish charity which supports people with sight loss has reported a 30 per cent increase in demand for its services after the covid pandemic left a ‘ticking time-bomb’ of undiagnosed conditions.

iSightCornwall says it would normally support around 3,500 visually impaired people in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly a year, but that number has mushroomed to almost 4,500, with around 80 more people a month contacting it for practical and emotional support.

The not-for-profit charity, which is funded almost entirely by donations, is launching a new fundraising campaign called See the Difference, Be the Difference, to highlight its vital work and help fund the huge increase in demand for its services.

Chief executive Carole Theobald said: “Covid left a legacy of undiagnosed conditions because things like GP appointments, eye tests, dementia cafés and other opportunities to diagnose sight loss simply didn’t happen during much of the pandemic. And those issues have been exacerbated by ambulance and A&E delays.

“That ticking time-bomb has now gone off with a huge increase in demand. But iSightCornwall only receives about 10 per cent of its income from central funding, and the rest is entirely by donation. 

“That’s why we are asking for the public’s support. We know that times are hard for everyone, but even a small donation can make a huge difference to someone’s life.”

iSightCornwall is Cornwall’s oldest charity and was established in 1856 to support injured miners so they could still read the scriptures and continue to receive moral instruction. 

Today its work is much different, helping thousands of the 24,000 people living with sight loss in Cornwall and Scilly in lead active, independent lives while supporting families, carers and volunteers caring for people with sight loss. The charity has 10 full time staff and an army of 160 volunteers across Cornwall and Scilly.

Services provided by iSightCornwall range from advice on the very latest assistive technology and low vision aids, to clubs, activities and benefits advice. Finding out you are losing your sight can be a daunting and upsetting time, which is why iSightCornwall’s Sight Loss Advisors provide both practical and emotional support.

Carole added: “Eye site loss can happen to any of us and is far more common than many people think. That’s why we’re asking people to support us, so that we’ll still be here for anyone who needs our help.”

The campaign is being backed by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Optical Committee which represents the optical community in Cornwall.

Its secretary and commissioner Libby Raison from Raison Opticians in Helston, said: “No-one else is doing what iSightCornwall does in Cornwall and demand for its services is higher than ever. A relatively small amount of money can make a huge difference, for example £50 pays for a one-to-one assistive technology assessment which could transform someone’s life. We hope the people of Cornwall will see the difference iSightCornwall makes to thousands of people and be the difference when it comes to raising vital funds.”

iSightCornwall’s See the Difference, Be the Difference campaign is being promoted across Cornwall with a combination of bus shelter ads, social media and radio advertising.