We provide information and life-changing support to those with macular disease in Northern Ireland, along with their family and friends, to ensure people can retain their independence.

Our regional managers in Northern Ireland, and the team at head office provide a range of services and support to anyone living with or supporting someone with macular disease. We work in partnership with a number of organisations across Northern Ireland to ensure local services can be provided.

On this page:

Peer support

You can access a range of Macular Society peer support services in-person, over the telephone or via the internet.

These include local support groups, our working age and young people services and condition-specific groups; where you can receive tailored support relating to your condition. Each year, we also offer winter warmers interactive telephone calls, which can be enjoyed from the comfort of your home.

Our support services

We offer a variety of support services to help you or anyone affected by macular disease.

If you have questions or need guidance, please contact our helpline team.

For additional support, you can access our counselling service, mentoring and befriending. You may also benefit from our treatment buddies.

To continue living independently, Skills for Seeing can help you make the best use of the vision you have and Connect by Tech can show you how to use a range of technology.

Want to find out more about any of our services above?

Please visit our Support for you webpage, call our helpline team on 0300 3030 111 or contact our Northern Ireland team below. All calls are confidential.

Regional societies

RNIB

The Royal National Institute of Blind People is the UK’s leading sight loss charity. It provides practical and emotional support to blind and partially sighted people, their families and carers. The charity raises awareness of the experiences of blind and partially sighted people and campaigns for change to create a society more accessible for all.

Guide Dogs

Guide Dogs provides mobility for the blind and partially sighted, whilst also supporting research, raising awareness, and campaigning for people with sight loss. The Northern Ireland team are based in Belfast and cover all of Northern Ireland, offering a range of services for adults and children with visual impairment. These include guide dogs, buddy dogs, life skills, sighted guiding, and information and advice.

Deafblind

Deafblind UK works closely with people with sight and hearing loss to ensure they can live life to the fullest. The charity creates connections and delivers quality support and information to ensure people who are deafblind can live more independently and with greater confidence and increased control. Deafblind offers practical support with things like daily living, getting out and about or finding information, and emotional support.

Blind Veterans

Blind Veterans UK provides rehabilitation, training, practical advice and emotional support to veterans regardless of how or when they lost their sight. They work to help blind veterans regain their independence and live their life to the fullest. Blind Veterans offers support remotely, via phone and video calls, at home, in the local community, and in their two centres of wellbeing.

Angel Eyes Northern Ireland

Angel Eyes NI is a Belfast-based charity that supports and advocates for blind and partially sighted children throughout Northern Ireland. Their goal is for every blind and partially sighted child and young person in Northern Ireland to have equal access to everything they need to flourish. Angel Eyes NI provides support to parents and carers with blind and partially sighted children from the point of diagnosis and provide them with the tools and knowledge to empower them to make informed decisions for their children and help them realise their full potential.

Sense Northern Ireland

Sense supports children and adults with complex disabilities across Northern Ireland. The charity offers residential care, virtual support, and has a network of centres in communities across the country. Sense provides lifelong opportunities for disabled people to be creative and active through holidays, arts, sports, and wellbeing programmes.

Age UK

Age UK is a national charity of older people. It works to improve the lives of everyone over the age of 50. The charity’s mission is to inspire, involve and empower older people in the UK and influence others so that people in the UK enjoy growing older. Age UK offers a number of services, and works with groups and organisations across the country to make communities better places for older people.

Events in Northern Ireland

Our team develop and run patient information events. These events bring together patients in their area and local clinic professionals and give people the chance to put their questions to a clinician, ECLO, nurse or ROVI. Currently these are being held online, using Zoom or via teleconference. If you would like further information, please contact our Northern Ireland team below

Additionally, we also have bi-monthly expert run webinars and our annual Macular Disease Conference.

Anyone in Northern Ireland and across the rest of the UK can join these events. To find out more, visit our Events webpage or call our helpline on 0300 3030 111.

Working with policy makers in Northern Ireland

The Macular Society is currently working with Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to discuss the cost of living with those with vision loss. As well as the positive and negative impacts of increasing reliance on technology for those with vision loss, and transport issues for those living in rural communities. The Macular Society is also sat on the Northern Ireland Visual Impairment Consultative Forum.

All Party Group for Visual Impairment

The Macular Society is currently sat on the All Party Group for Visual Impairment. The All Party Group work to progress issues relating to blind and partially sighted people in Northern Ireland in relation to equality of access, independence and social isolation.

Three supporters chatting and smiling

Membership of the Macular Society

You don’t have to face macular disease alone in Northern Ireland, anyone can join our community at the Macular Society, and we’ll help you or someone you know find your way with expert advice and support.

For more info on membership please see our Membership webpage.

Group picture of some volunteers in yellow t-shirts

Volunteering in Northern Ireland

Would you, or someone you know, be interested in volunteering for the Macular Society in Northern Ireland? Get in touch with our Northern Ireland Team, we have many opportunities to choose from, so give us a call and we will be happy to go through all our roles.

researcher-microscope-lab.jpeg

Macular Society research in Northern Ireland

We want to beat the fear and isolation of macular disease for everyone in Northern Ireland, by funding research to find new and better treatments, and one day a cure. We provide information on new treatments, clinical research and much more.

To find out more please visit our Explore our research webpage.

Radia family step challenge.jpg

Fundraising in Northern Ireland

Would you like to fundraise to help Beat Macular Disease in Northern Ireland? You'll be helping fund research to find a cure faster and helping to support those living with macular disease now. We can't do this without you, and together we cannot fail.

There are plenty of ways you can get involved. Our community fundraising team is here to support you all the way. You can contact the team via email community@macularsociety.org or phone 01264 560 222.

Our Northern Ireland team

Dr Emma Baxter – Senior Regional Manager for Northern Ireland
Elaine Roub – Regional Manager for Northern Ireland

For groups related queries please contact groupsadmin@macularsociety.org or call 01264 560 259. For all other queries please call our helpline on 0300 3030 111.

To contact the team in England, Scotland, and Wales, please see the relevant pages.

People laughing

Our work in other regions link arrow

We are proud to have staff based around the UK to give you localised support; including regional managers, peer support coordinators and a groups admin team based at our head office in Andover.

Friendly support

Support for you link arrow

We provide free information and support to those with macular disease, along with their family and friends, to help people keep their independence.