Jeweller faced with ‘disaster’ of sight loss praises charity for support
North East Sensory Services logo
A jeweller from Arbroath who faced the “absolute disaster” of losing his sight has praised a north-east Scottish charity for helping him adapt and keep working.
Robin Key, 81, was diagnosed with macular degeneration after attending an eye appointment for cataract treatment, and feared it could stop him doing his job. The condition is the most common cause of registerable sight loss in the UK, affecting more than 700,000 people across the country. It involves a loss of central vision, caused by damage to the cone cells in the macula, a tiny area at the back of the retina.
Robin was diagnosed with ‘wet’ macular degeneration, in which the blood vessels in the back of the eye swell and bleed, causing vision loss. With his eyesight deteriorating, he was in a “lonely place” until he contacted North East Sensory Services (NESS), which helped him find ways of adapting.
The charity works with thousands of blind and deaf people, and those with visual and hearing impairments, across Angus, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Dundee, and Moray. Its main objective is to help people with sensory loss to live as independently as possible.
Robin Key in his jewellery studio.
Recalling his initial diagnosis in 2019, Robin said:
“I’d heard of macular degeneration, but didn’t really know what it was. About three or four weeks later, I started to notice that there were ‘kinks’ in the trees – they weren’t straight. And then my sight went altogether in the right eye, and it was too late for any treatment. Getting the diagnosis was an absolute disaster to me, because I use my eyes so much, for work and hobbies. All of a sudden, I was having restrictions imposed on all of those things. Even basic things like watching the television were becoming a chore, rather than an enjoyment. It can be a very lonely place, losing your sight.”
A turning point came in 2023, when Robin contacted NESS, and the charity’s team in Angus sent a local vision rehabilitation specialist to visit him at home.
NESS runs several crucial support services in Angus, including ICT for All, which provides tailored training and support in the use of accessible technology and digital devices. Its Young People’s Sensory Service, meanwhile, increases confidence, independence, social skills and ambition in children, offering tailored practical and emotional support to them and their families.
As well as helping Robin use a foldable symbol cane to get around, NESS staff in Angus also guided him through the latest technology. The accessibility features on his computer and smartphone allow him to have incoming messages read aloud, and he can also send messages by voice command and connect his phone to his hearing aids. NESS staff even found a way to help him continue with his hobby of birdwatching, which he now does by recording birdsong and using an app to identify the species.
Support from the charity helped Robin continue his work as a jeweller, adapting his techniques and using special magnifiers and lights. He said:
“I’ve found different ways for making jewellery, and make it by proxy by teaching other people, which helps to keep me involved in the aspects of jewellery making that have become really difficult. I would really like to thank NESS, the eye clinic at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, the eye clinic liaison officer – and most of all my wife – for all the support they’ve given me. It really was a big shock when I lost my sight. I feel very strongly that I want to share my experiences with others, as they might pick up something that they find helpful. We need to share what we learn with other people.”
Carla Marchbank, statutory services manager at NESS“We would like to thank Robin for sharing his experiences of learning to live with sight loss. By showing he was able to adapt and find new ways to enjoy his job and hobbies, other people in the early stages of sensory loss will feel more hopeful about what is ahead of them. I am very proud of the NESS team in Angus and the assistance they provide. Robin’s story also reminds us that we are part of a bigger team, including those at the hospital, relatives, and friends, all working together to allow people to feel supported and reduce the isolation that sensory loss can bring.”
Ends
Join our mailing list
If you are a Visionary member or partner and would like to receive regular news and updates about our work, then you can sign up to our mailing list.
You can find out more about becoming a Visionary member on our Eligibility and Pricing page