SUPPORT workers from a Gwent-based sight charity have won a national award for their work in helping people who attend the Royal Gwent Hospital due to eye problems.

Lissa Gomer, eye clinic liaison officer and her team - Emma Richards and Jason Grubb - from Pontypool-based Sight Support have received the Macular Disease Society’s annual Support Service of the Year award, for their efforts to help improve treatment, care, and quality of life for people with the condition.

Macular disease (MD) affects the eye and causes loss of central vision, which can make everyday tasks such as shopping, reading, watching television and even recognising the faces of other people, very difficult.

Sight Support, formally known as Gwent Association for the Blind, aims to help people who have lost or are losing their sight, and prevent unnecessary sight loss. It also helps councils provide rehabilitation services and offers advice to professionals, carers and the families of people affected by sight loss.

"The team and I are very excited to win. We’re delighted," said Ms Gomer.

"The work at the clinic makes a difference to the patient. Just to comfort them before treatment can make such a difference.

"We can help patients at a grass roots stage. Hospital staff are extremely busy, but we can spend some extra time with patients, which is really valuable.

"People will often begin by being devastated about their sight loss, but with help, support and encouragement to engage with activities or groups, they can begin to come to terms with their situation and develop in confidence.

"I have a parent and grandparent who have experienced some degree of sight loss. My grandparent had no such help when an eye was removed many years ago. She would have loved to join a club or had some mobility training."

The service has had a presence in the Royal Gwent’s eye clinic for six years.

Sight Support chief executive Sharon Beckett said the team has done "exceptionally well."

"We find it really difficult with limited resources but this is one area of work we are determined to keep going because it is so important," she said.

"Sometimes Lissa finds herself acting as counsellor and mentor to people who are in huge distress, but she and her team are always professional and always a huge support for the patient."