Sophie's Story 

Sophie was diagnosed in her mid 20's with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a condition causing ongoing peripheral vision loss, which is often described as tunnel vision.

Despite challenges in low-light and sunny environments, Sophie still enjoys activities like reading and watching TV, thanks to her remaining central vision.

"It’s a degenerative unpredictable condition, so I could end up with no vision at all in the future", Sophie explains.

Additionally, she manages a hearing impairment with the help of hearing aids, stemming from Usher's Syndrome, a genetic condition inherited from her parents. She has learned to cope with profound hearing loss from a yong age. Sophie's positive outlook and adaptability inspire us all.

"The support I’ve received from Vision Australia Seeing Eye Dogs has changed my life. From when I received my first visibility cane to going through training with my second SED, I have felt so welcome, heard and valued. I have always been independent, which can be challenging when you live with limited sight. I feel incredibly lucky to have met such lovely people and to have my Seeing Eye Dog Winnie" Sophie said.

 About Vision Australia 

Vision Australia is a leading national provider of blindness and low vision services in Australia. We work in partnership with Australians who are blind or have low vision to help them achieve the possibilities they choose in life.

We support more than 25,500 people of all ages and life stages, and circumstances. We do this through 35 Vision Australia centres in Victoria, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia; and through outreach programs in the Northern Territory and Tasmania.

We are a not-for-profit organisation and a major participant and partner in the international blindness community.

You can read more about Vision Australia on the website here.