Vision loss should not limit the ability to continue living independently, a rehabilitation specialist said this week.

Theresa McMordie, who has treated dozens of clients at Vision Bermuda over the past four years, said that people affected by visual impairment should try and continue as they normally would before they lost their sight.

She said: “You can do everything you used to do — besides driving of course.

“It’s my job to find a way around it, to make sure that one can still do things.

“As long as the client is willing to put in the work, we can find a way around it because you would still have your memory and your skills.”

Ms McMordie, who has been in the field for more than 20 years, said building a “good rapport” with her clients was integral to her job.

“This is because they won’t be open to the ideas, the way that things can be done,” she explained.

Ms McMordie said that she was recently reminded by a client that hope remained for people after they suffered a loss of vision.

She recalled a client who was very good at knitting and that with her encouragement and counselling, the woman continued to perfect her skills in the craft.

Ms McMordie said that the woman was able to complete knitted scarves for Christmas, which she was happy to give to friends.

The woman’s niece runs twice-monthly knitting classes at Vision Bermuda, where clients are producing knitted items for Christmas.

Ms McMordie recalled a young client who was losing her vision and was told by her doctor that she would lose her sight in a few years.

“She was told that she was going to be totally blind and she was crying,” the rehabilitation specialist said.

She added: “I had a talk with her and I explained that you can do assisted technology and so she was relieved that she was actually going to remain independent.

“She thought because she was losing her sight, that was it, she thought her whole life would be at a standstill.

“It’s an absolute fear and it’s because people aren’t aware that they can still be independent with sight loss.”

She is not sure of the total number of people on the island who are visually impaired but she treats about 300 clients at Vision Bermuda, ranging from teenagers to seniors. Most of her clients are retirees.

Ms McMordie urged residents to make sure that they care for their eyes and said that early detection of problems could be beneficial in the long term.

She explained: “If you’re not feeling well you may go to the doctor but if your eyes are feeling a bit blurry or you’re feeling a sudden difference in your vision, you don’t necessarily rush to get your eyes checked.

“I would argue it is really important because if you can catch eye conditions early, there are often ways that you can halt your sight loss.”

She said glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy were the main sight loss conditions experienced by people in Bermuda.

Ms McMordie added: “People love to have all of the lovely foods which is good, but diet really does matter, less sugar as well.

“Healthy eating and exercises, everything that we hear about that is good for being healthy is good for your eyes too.”

Ms McMordie also urged parents to ensure that their children’s eyes were screened regularly for early detection of vision issues.

She said: “They might not have had it diagnosed but there can be instances where a child may be sitting at the back [of a classroom] but they cannot see on the white board.”

Ms McMordie said that the Hamilton Lions Club ran an “absolutely great” annual vision screening project for preschoolers.

She added: “I think all parents, if they can, should take their children to have their eyes checked out to ensure they are seeing well.”

At Vision Bermuda, Ms McMordie runs a structured programme that includes the provision of emotional support, independent living support sessions, mobility and orientation sessions, support in the use of IT, and magnification assessments.

She relocated to Bermuda from Britain in 2021 to work at the charity and said that, so far, the experience had been “wonderful”.

“I love that I am still learning, too. I have a really nice rapport with my clients and my experiences and expertise here has gone through the roof,” she added.