https://www.facebook.com/777787582093170/

Lauren Eade CVI, London (2026)

09/03/2026

March is Month!

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the most common physical disability for children in the UK.

It commonly co-occurs with Cerebral Visual Impairment ( )

Many professionals aren’t aware of the overlap and don’t understand CVI. This can impact the quality of services and support delivered to people with CP, if they aren’t adapted correctly.

I’m passionate about raising awareness because everyone with CVI deserves the support they need to thrive.

Perkins have a great article here: https://www.perkins.org/cerebral-palsy-and-cvi-explained/

[Image: Red and yellow star shaped flowers in a vase against a black table cloth.]

03/03/2026

Had a great time in Basingstoke last week at OpenSight’s event for people new to .

It was wonderful to see the support available for blind and partially sighted people all in one place. There was some great advice about using public transport!

I spoke about the services Thomas Pocklington Trust offer including employment and education support, internships and our Sight Loss Councils.

[Image: Photo from the back of a room of a group of people around tables. Lauren and Kate, Hampshire SLC volunteer, stand at the front giving a talk. Lauren uses a laptop with earphones to present.]

26/02/2026

I feel incredibly lucky to have Dave as a mentor.

I first enquired about volunteering for Sight Loss Councils in 2022 but I thought I couldn’t do it. I hadn’t received the right support so was terrified to go out alone and really struggled with people due to my autism. Countless bad experiences left me feeling like I didn’t belong anywhere.

Dave says he saw potential. I think he just saw me.

He treated me as a whole person and not a problem to solve. He showed kindness, empathy and a real acceptance of who I am. He met me on my level, helped build my confidence and gave me the tools to succeed.

He gave me a chance when nobody else would.

I still have a lot to learn and a long journey to improve and grow. But I think I’m making progress.

Dave is a brilliant role model, alongside so many at TPT. I’m grateful every day to be surrounded by people who are willing to teach me.

His story really highlights the possibilities of what we can achieve when the right support exists.

18/02/2026

Not learning to drive wasn’t something I ever worried about, but having a younger sibling hit that milestone feels strange.

These moments can be hard for people with . It’s a reminder of the few things you’ll never be able to do.

Many people take driving for granted. They don’t appreciate the freedom and ease. Using public transport takes longer and requires more pre-planning.

For example, I can’t easily attend training classes in other areas. There just isn’t time because of work.

Some people find this really hard to accept. For me, it’s frustrating but not the end of the world. It makes me more passionate when I campaign for accessible and integrated public transport.

I may never drive a car, so here’s a picture of me on a boat instead. Turns out, I’m not too bad at it! 🤣

[Image: Lauren standing at the wheel of a massive wooden boat with a large grin.]

11/02/2026

Sometimes leads to moments.

Opening a door straight onto my kneecap while on the phone to my boss wasn’t exactly intended but the aftermath was hilarious.

Optic ataxia is impaired guided movement of your own body through space.

Even without relying on my sight, I can’t move accurately and don’t have a good awareness of 3D space.

This makes me very clumsy, more than most other vision impaired people I know.

So, I have accidents a lot.

My best was probably tripping up the stairs at McDonalds and getting absolutely covered ketchup, including my hair, while the entire restaurant laughed.

Does anyone else with CVI or have these too?

[Image: Lauren with her back to the camera, wearing a red checkered shirt, her brown hair blowing in the wind.]

02/02/2026

Sussex Sight Loss Councils had a unique experience at Brighton Toy and Model Museum 🧸

Staff learnt how to guide blind and partially sighted visitors, then explored the museum using simulation glasses to better understand our experience.

We discussed language, communication and how to describe different exhibits.

💬 “Comparing exhibits to everyday objects has really helped me. It’s the size of a shoebox, a football, or a matchbox. Colours still have associations, like the sky is blue.”

You can read our guide, Top tips for assisting and describing art to blind and partially sighted visitors, here:

https://www.sightlosscouncils.org.uk/app/uploads/2023/07/TOPTIP1.pdf

[Image: Jan, the museum’s General Manager, wearing simulation specs that demonstrate peripheral vision loss. She’s being guided by a support worker with dark hair.]

30/01/2026

Public speaking is different when you use .

Working with colleagues, I quickly noticed their presentation style was often very different. Without notes or a PowerPoint, they just… Spoke.

It was highly engaging and the audience were always captivated.

They hadn’t rehearsed or memorised a speech, so I was amazed.

Understanding the topic let them speak freely. The knowledge was already committed to memory.

They answered questions at any time without stumbling, tailoring the session to participants’ needs as they went along.

It’s a dynamic way of working that values interpersonal connection. The speakers exude confidence and the sessions are more interactive.

Now I use a screen reader, any notes need to be short. I can’t listen and speak simultaneously.

I’m trying to learn from my role models and embrace the freedom. It’s liberating.

[Image: Lauren standing at a podium in front of a Sight Loss Council banner. She wears sunglasses and holds a microphone in one hand, the other on the keyboard of a laptop in front of her.]

27/01/2026

Why is community important?

CVI affects so many people, you’d think it would be easy to connect… But most CVIers haven’t met another in person.

It’s why I’m so grateful for the incredible online community of people with CVI and their parents/caregivers.

Dr Arvind Chandna hosts a brilliant discussion group on Zoom. Clinical insights, guest speakers and space for open discussion, it gives us a safe place to ask questions, share knowledge and learn.

of CVIers is valued, prioritised and respected, allowing us to speak freely and collaborate to make meaningful change for the next generation.

This is vital because research hasn’t caught up yet. Many of our experiences aren’t documented in medical literature, despite being shared widely.

These opportunities give us a sense of connection, belonging and the chance to be fully understood.

For more information contact: cviers@seelab.org.uk

Registration form: https://forms.gle/PS1LzzD5BvVBRbaTA

[Image: Photo from the 2025 Sight Loss Council Conference. A large group of people celebrating at an award ceremony. Many wear medals, some hold white canes and Lauren wears sunglasses while holding an award.]

23/01/2026

On Wednesday, Hampshire Sight Loss Councils took Havant Borough Council and Hampshire County Council staff for a walk in our shoes. 🧑‍🦯‍➡️

Using simulation glasses, participants got to experience first hand some of the barriers that and people face when navigating their local streets.

One attendee shared, “I’ve walked this route lots of times, but it felt completely different. It was really disconcerting. Using the glasses helped me to understand the challenges and I want to make improvements.”

Volunteers Kate and Patricia shared their own lived experience which helped to highlight the impact of street design choices.

The team asked many thoughtful questions and were keen to understand how they can make future projects more accessible.

[Image 1: A man wearing light perception glasses being guided by a woman who is smiling happily.

Image 2: A man in a high visibility jacket guiding SLC Volunteer Patricia, who holds her white cane.

Images 3 & 4: Group shots of the attendees smiling, some wearing simulation glasses. Half stand with Lauren and SLC Volunteer Kate. Half stand with SLC Volunteer Patricia and Engagement Manager Dave Smith.]

20/01/2026

How do I train in with sight loss?

My instructor had some brilliant ideas to help:

1. I hold onto someone's belt when running around the dojang, staying slightly behind to feel where we’re going. This helps keep me safe, no equipment needed.

2. My instructor always stands where I can see during demonstrations and slows down her movements.

3. Someone helps me to find my place in line if needed.

4. Instructors use more verbal instructions and descriptions. E.g. Lift your leg 90 degrees in front, place your right leg at 2 O'clock.

5. Instructors are patient when I take longer to learn.

Many of these tips help lots of students, not just people with !

British Taekwondo also created a guide about supporting blind and partially sighted students: https://shorturl.at/gjo1s

[Image: A white taekwondo belt with a yellow stripe against a black background.]

16/01/2026

First session as a yellow stripe! 😁

Martial arts might seem an unusual choice for someone with sight loss, especially Cerebral Visual impairment (CVI).

When I started this journey, I wasn’t even sure it’d be possible.

CVI is more than “just” a vision impairment, because it’s caused by damage to the brain. I see less at once but I also:

- Can’t see fast movement or mirror images in my head.
-Might not recognise people or remember names.
- Can’t tell how far away I am from other people.
- Struggle to hear in the Dojang.
- Can’t guide my body accurately through space. (E.g step or punch in exactly the right place)

These are only a few of the extra challenges. To other people I just look clumsy. But the impact is huge.

1 in 30 children have at least one related vision problem. Most aren’t diagnosed.

Stay tuned for my next post with adjustments I use during Taekwondo. Check the comments for more about CVI.

I’m incredibly grateful for my instructor, who strives to make her classes and . To the higher belts who give up their time each week and are so patient, repeating the same information because it takes me longer to learn and memorise the patterns. You make everything possible.

[Image: Lauren, a woman with brown hair and blue glasses, wearing a white TAGB dobok and white belt with yellow stripe.]

Lauren Eade CVI

09/03/2026

03/03/2026

26/02/2026

18/02/2026

11/02/2026

02/02/2026

30/01/2026

27/01/2026

23/01/2026

20/01/2026

16/01/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category