The Save Sight Institute: Recent Episodes
The Save Sight Institute
The Save Sight Institute conducts research, patient care and teaching. Patients are blind and visually impaired (severely low vision).
The Save Sight Institute is a centre of the University of Sydney located on the campus of Sydney Eye Hospital.
This event targets our community of young patients, their parents or carers, and teachers. We were delighted to welcome inspirational individuals such as Emeritus Professor Ron McCallum, Mia Armsworth, Connor McLeod, Brodie Smith, Dr James Smith and Jenna Jones alongside a host of specialists in the field, who demonstrated that vision loss and blindness need not hold you back from greatness.
This event targets our community of young patients, their parents or carers, and teachers. We were delighted to welcome inspirational individuals such as Emeritus Professor Ron McCallum, Mia Armsworth, Connor McLeod, Brodie Smith, Dr James Smith and Jenna Jones alongside a host of specialists in the field, who demonstrated that vision loss and blindness need not hold you back from greatness.
This event targets our community of young patients, their parents or carers, and teachers. We were delighted to welcome inspirational individuals such as Emeritus Professor Ron McCallum, Mia Armsworth, Connor McLeod, Brodie Smith, Dr James Smith and Jenna Jones alongside a host of specialists in the field, who demonstrated that vision loss and blindness need not hold you back from greatness.
This event targets our community of young patients, their parents or carers, and teachers. We were delighted to welcome inspirational individuals such as Emeritus Professor Ron McCallum, Mia Armsworth, Connor McLeod, Brodie Smith, Dr James Smith and Jenna Jones alongside a host of specialists in the field, who demonstrated that vision loss and blindness need not hold you back from greatness.
This event targets our community of young patients, their parents or carers, and teachers. We were delighted to welcome inspirational individuals such as Emeritus Professor Ron McCallum, Mia Armsworth, Connor McLeod, Brodie Smith, Dr James Smith and Jenna Jones alongside a host of specialists in the field, who demonstrated that vision loss and blindness need not hold you back from greatness.
This event targets our community of young patients, their parents or carers, and teachers. We were delighted to welcome inspirational individuals such as Emeritus Professor Ron McCallum, Mia Armsworth, Connor McLeod, Brodie Smith, Dr James Smith and Jenna Jones alongside a host of specialists in the field, who demonstrated that vision loss and blindness need not hold you back from greatness.
This event targets our community of young patients, their parents or carers, and teachers. We were delighted to welcome inspirational individuals such as Emeritus Professor Ron McCallum, Mia Armsworth, Connor McLeod, Brodie Smith, Dr James Smith and Jenna Jones alongside a host of specialists in the field, who demonstrated that vision loss and blindness need not hold you back from greatness.
This event targets our community of young patients, their parents or carers, and teachers. We were delighted to welcome inspirational individuals such as Emeritus Professor Ron McCallum, Mia Armsworth, Connor McLeod, Brodie Smith, Dr James Smith and Jenna Jones alongside a host of specialists in the field, who demonstrated that vision loss and blindness need not hold you back from greatness.
This event targets our community of young patients, their parents or carers, and teachers. We were delighted to welcome inspirational individuals such as Emeritus Professor Ron McCallum, Mia Armsworth, Connor McLeod, Brodie Smith, Dr James Smith and Jenna Jones alongside a host of specialists in the field, who demonstrated that vision loss and blindness need not hold you back from greatness.
Simran Goyal spoke on the effects of ‘becoming a yes woman’ as she transitioned from secondary school to university, and finally into the corporate world. High school proved challenging, as she struggled to find people her age to relate to during a time that was punctuated with change. However, she resolved to engage in a variety of activities including touch football (playing and coaching), the debate team, and leadership positions. Between her determination to try new things and the array of assistive technology available to her, she flourished. She found university remarkably inclusive; UNSW provided her with emailed lecture notes, in-class note-takers, and reformatted study spaces – all of which encouraged her to keep going. She’s now taking on the less equipped spaces of the professional world with her ‘yes woman’ attitude and has launched into a new hobby of photography.
Emeritus Professor Ron McCallum kicked off the day with a charismatic rendering of his life and experience with retrolental fibroplasia. Growing up before the advent of comprehensive disability services, he faced discrimination from an early age. Nevertheless, he excelled in his studies, attended law school, and became the first totally blind person appointed a full professorship at a university in Australia or New Zealand. He expressed gratitude for the assistance of his colleagues, students, and wife throughout his studies and early teaching career, and emphasized the limitless possibilities that now come with the era of technology.
Jenna Jones, a Paralympic swimming gold medallist, recounted her educational difficulties before being diagnosed with cone-rod dystrophy, and her methods of adapting thereafter. Teachers initially attributed her inability to complete projects to behavioural problems, and – as a kindergartener – Jenna could not accurately describe the issues she was experiencing. Upon learning of her vision impairment, Jenna refused to accept any social constraints. With the support of her gym teacher, she threw herself into sports and thrived. Her school modified her class schedule to better suit her condition, and friends assisted her in school and social outings. Still a competitive swimmer, Jenna is now also studying to become a masseuse.
Our Education Panel on ‘managing school transitions’ featured accomplished Goalball athlete Brodie Smith along with disability educators and advocates Susan Leong, Audrey Housbey, and Claire Mahony. Brodie, who has the degenerative eye disease Retinitis Pigmentosa, detailed her transitions through primary, secondary, and now tertiary education, where she is now studying to become a high school teacher. She noted the benefits of having a support team at home and in school, where teachers accommodated her condition with a personal learning program that included not using green pens, using enlarged fonts on her handouts, and extending her time to complete exams. These adjustments kept her in pace with the curriculum without alienating her from her peers. Though she identified this support network as the key factor for her successful transitions through different environments, she also emphasized independent resolve in prevailing over outside judgements or constraints based on her vision impairment. The specialists similarly underscored support networks and services, advising parents to enrol their children in preschool, and contact their principals and teachers early so the child is adequately familiarized with the school (and vice versa) before classes begin. Since its inception, NDIS has opened a range of services to students including functional assessments, vision mobility specialists, personalized learning plans, and state funded assistive technology that help students succeed in school and beyond.
Our Braille Panel discussed the value of learning braille in the era of technology. The panel featured Connor McLeod, who successfully campaigned for tactile Australian banknotes in 2016, and vision impairment specialists Vincent Nguyen, Sonali Marathe, and Harzita Hashim. While braille may appear anachronistic in the face of ever evolving technological services, the panel argued that braille serves as a foundation for skills you’ll need throughout life. The panel agreed that it is an invaluable medium for spoken language to those with vision impairment and offers a stronger sense of independence than that of technological reading devices. Learning at a young age teaches children spelling and sentence structure that will come into use throughout their schooling and into the workforce. Our panellists referenced the relief braille gave to those experienced visual fatigue, particularly students. They suggested sighted parents use dual reading material that include print and braille so they may learn and read alongside their child.
The annual Kera Club, co-founded with Keratoconus Australia, and provides a unique opportunity for patients with keratoconus and their family and friends to meet and hear updates on research breakthroughs and treatment options. The evening also provides an opportunity to network and share their individual stories of success and difficulties in a safe and supportive environment.
A playlist of speakers from our annual Community Information Day 2017 for young adults living with vision impairment, their parents and teachers, to inform and assist in the navigation from high school to further education or employment.
A playlist of speakers from our annual Community Information Day 2017 for young adults living with vision impairment, their parents and teachers, to inform and assist in the navigation from high school to further education or employment.
A playlist of speakers from our annual Community Information Day 2017 for young adults living with vision impairment, their parents and teachers, to inform and assist in the navigation from high school to further education or employment.
A playlist of speakers from our annual Community Information Day 2017 for young adults living with vision impairment, their parents and teachers, to inform and assist in the navigation from high school to further education or employment.
A playlist of speakers from our annual Community Information Day 2017 for young adults living with vision impairment, their parents and teachers, to inform and assist in the navigation from high school to further education or employment.
A playlist of speakers from our annual Community Information Day 2017 for young adults living with vision impairment, their parents and teachers, to inform and assist in the navigation from high school to further education or employment.
A playlist of speakers from our annual Community Information Day 2017 for young adults living with vision impairment, their parents and teachers, to inform and assist in the navigation from high school to further education or employment.
A playlist of speakers from our annual Community Information Day 2017 for young adults living with vision impairment, their parents and teachers, to inform and assist in the navigation from high school to further education or employment.
Krystel Malcolm is a singer/songwriter and is also Executive Officer of Blind Citizens of NSW. When Krystel was 6 months old she was diagnosed with bilateral retinoblastoma (eye cancer) and was completely blind by age 2.
Krystel speaks on legal protections in place to help people with a vision impairment avoid discrimination.
Lisa Maude is from the Centre for Disability Studies at the University of Sydney. She discusses the National Disability Coordination Officer (NDCO) program which supports people with disability to access and participate in tertiary education and subsequent employment, through a national network of regionally based NDCOs.
Professor Stephanie Watson gives the welcoming address to our 4th annual Patient Information Day - Making Connections 2016
Harrison was born with Peters Anomaly and lost most of his sight as a teenager. He shares his views on how to navigate some of the big decisions that face young adults as they transition from childhood to adulthood
Rachael shares her experience living with Retinitis Pigmentosa, adventures on and since The Voice Australia, advice for others and much more.
Jonathan Goerlach is an elite paratriathlete and ambassador of Save Sight Institute. He recently returned from Rotterdam where he completed in the 2016 Paratriathlon World Championships and shares some of his experiences adapting to life with Usher Syndrome.
Ann Larkins is the Leader of Learning for students with vision impairment in the Eastern Region for Sydney Catholic Schools. In this talk she provides an overview of the work that vision support teachers do to help students and families.
Australia recently launched its first tactile bank note, and it's all thanks to this young man! Connor McLeod is just 16 years old, and he spoke at our information day "Making Connections 2016", and we are pleased to share his talk with you here. Well done Connor!
Donna Purcell gave a great talk at our recent "Making Connections" information day, and we are pleased to share it here. Donna is Diversity and Inclusion Manager at the Commonwealth Bank, and was recently seconded to the Australian Human Rights Commission to work on a report into employment discrimination against Australians with disability. Donna provides some excellent insights and advice in this talk and we urge everyone, particularly young people with impaired vision who are starting out, to listen.
Associate Professor Robyn Jamieson speaks at the Save Sight Institute's Information for Teenagers Day on the 18 July 2015.
Professor Jamieson is one of Australia's leading eye genetics researchers. Her research has lead to the discovery of several genes for diagnosis of eye diseases.
Her talk is targeted at blind, and low vision (visually impaired) teenagers.
Jodie Hoger speaks at the Save Sight Institute's Information for Teenagers Day on the 18 July 2015.
Jodie is a teacher at TAFE NSW Illawarra campus.
His talk is targeted at blind, and low vision (visually impaired) teenagers.
Donna Purcell speaks at the Save Sight Institute's Information for Teenagers Day on the 18 July 2015.
Donna Purcell is the Diversity and Inclusion Manager at Commonwealth Bank. Her role involves developing an equitable, inclusive and accessible environment for customers, employees and the community.
Her talk is targeted at blind, and low vision (visually impaired) teenagers.
Graeme Innes speaks at the Save Sight Institute's Information for Teenagers Day on the 18 July 2015.
Graeme Innes was the Disability Discrimination Commissioner for Australia from 2005 to 2014
His talk is targeted at blind, and low vision (visually impaired) teenagers.
Professor Peter McCluskey speaks at the Save Sight Institute's Information for Teenagers Day on the 18 July 2015.
Professor McCluskey is the director of the Save Sight Institute.
His talk is targeted at blind, and low vision (visually impaired) teenagers.