Free counselling and emotional support for sight loss
Being diagnosed with macular disease or Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS) can be overwhelming. You might feel shocked, anxious, fearful or isolated.
Coming to terms with changes in your vision, or living with hallucinations caused by CBS, can take a toll on your mental and emotional wellbeing.
That’s why we offer a free, UK-wide telephone counselling service, specially designed to support people affected by degenerative sight loss.
What is counselling?
Counselling is a talking therapy that gives you a safe, confidential space to explore your feelings, thoughts and experiences with a trained professional.
It’s not about giving advice or telling you what to do. Instead, counselling helps you:
- Understand and process difficult emotions
- Find ways to cope with change and loss
- Rebuild confidence and resilience
- Feel less alone in your experience
Our counsellors are qualified professionals with specialist knowledge of sight loss and its emotional impact. Many have personal or professional experience in the field.
Who is it for?
Our telephone counselling service is for:
- Anyone in the UK over the age of 18, who has been diagnosed with macular disease or CBS.
- People struggling emotionally with the impact of their diagnosis, vision deterioration or day-to-day adjustment.
- Family members or carers emotionally affected by a loved one’s diagnosis
We’re here to help you manage anxiety, low mood, loss of confidence and other emotional challenges linked to your sight loss.
We’re not a crisis or emergency mental health service.
We’re not able to offer counselling if:
- You’re currently receiving counselling or therapy elsewhere
- You’re in a mental health crisis or under the care of psychiatric services
- You require complex or specialist mental health support
If this applies to you, we’ll do our best to signpost you to appropriate support.
How counselling can help you
Adjusting to a macular disease diagnosis can be scary and overwhelming. That’s why we’re here to help with our free counselling service. We can support you if you're experiencing:
- Anxiety, fear or worry about your future
- Low mood, depression or a sense of loss
- Grief or emotional pain around your diagnosis
- Difficulty adjusting to vision changes or hallucinations
- Isolation or loneliness
- Struggles with identity, confidence or daily life due to sight loss
Why choose our counselling service and what to expect
When you’re living with the emotional impact of sight loss, it’s important to find support you can truly trust.
We offer a free, UK telephone service for anyone who has been diagnosed with macular disease or their family members.
Our confidential counselling service has been running for 20 years. We pride ourselves on providing this excellent service, which we operate with a minimal waiting list.
Our team of qualified counsellors have extensive experience supporting people with macular disease and CBS. Many have personal or professional experience with sight loss, so they understand its emotional challenges.
We’re bound by the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling, and are fully compliant with the data protection regulations. So, you’ll speak to a trained, UK-registered counsellor who’ll listen without judgement and work at your pace.
Video: Carol's story - Telephone counselling
How to access our counselling service
You can self-refer or refer someone else with their permission.
Sessions take place over the phone, so there’s no travel or complex technology to worry about. You can share your thoughts and feelings in a safe space, knowing your privacy is protected.
We offer up to six sessions, with the possibility of extending to 12 per year if appropriate.
To get started, you can either:
- Call our helpline on 0300 3030 111
- Fill in our online referral form
We aim to contact you within five working days after referral for an initial telephone assessment. This is a short call to understand your needs and check this is the right service for you.
“When I was diagnosed, I felt very angry. The psychological impact is huge. I am a cancer survivor – I’ve beaten that. And then this came along. Counselling was really important for me; the Macular Society’s counselling service is superb – they listen and they can empathise. I needed that.”
Nick
Other support that may help
In addition to one-to-one counselling, we also offer the following telephone support groups:
- Charles Bonnet syndrome group: for people experiencing visual hallucinations due to sight loss
- Low vision adjustment group: for those adapting to life with reduced vision.
These groups offer shared support, coping strategies and connection with others who understand. To find out more, call our helpline on 0300 3030 111.
Find the support that’s right for you by visiting our support pages:
Support services available to you
We provide free information and support to those with macular disease, along with their family and friends, to help people keep their independence.
Telephone befriending
If you feel isolated, our telephone befrienders can provide a regular friendly phone call. You can talk about living with macular disease, or not - the conversation is guided by you.
Find a support group near you
We provide virtual and face to face support, sometimes one to one and sometimes in group settings. We also run regional information events. So whatever your circumstances, there will always be an option that suits you.
Frequently asked questions
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Is the counselling service really free?
Yes. Our telephone counselling service is completely free for anyone in the UK affected by macular disease or Charles Bonnet syndrome, including family members and carers.
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How many sessions can I have?
We offer up to six sessions per year, with the option to extend to 12 if appropriate.
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How long does a session last?
Each session lasts around 50 minutes.
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How quickly can I start counselling?
We aim to contact you within five working days of receiving your referral for a short assessment call. This helps us understand your needs and confirm the service is right for you. After that, we’ll arrange your first session as soon as possible.
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Who will I be speaking to?
You’ll speak with a qualified, UK-registered counsellor who has specialist knowledge of sight loss. Many have personal or professional experience with macular disease, so they truly understand the challenges you may be facing.
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Do I have to travel anywhere?
No. All sessions take place over the phone, so you can speak from the comfort of your own home. There’s no need for travel or special technology.
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Can I have counselling if I’m already seeing another therapist?
No. Unfortunately we can’t offer our service if you’re already receiving counselling or therapy elsewhere. This is to make sure you get consistent, uninterrupted support.
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Is everything I say confidential?
Yes. What you share stays between you and your counsellor, unless we believe there is a risk of serious harm to you or someone else. We work within the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy’s Ethical Framework and follow all data protection regulations.
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Can someone refer me?
Yes. You can self-refer, or a family member, friend, or professional can refer you with your permission.
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Can I use the service if I live outside the UK?
Unfortunately, we can only offer counselling to people living in the UK.
Need emotional support? Get in touch today.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, low, or uncertain about the future after a diagnosis – you're not alone.
Our counselling team is here to support you.
Free confidential advice and support
Call our helpline on 0300 3030 111
Lines are open 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday
About the Macular Society HelplineThe Macular Society is extremely grateful to The Hearn Foundation for a generous donation of £100,000 towards our counselling services, made in memory of Marilyn Lee who sadly passed away on 30 January 2025.