The Australian Childhood Vision Impairment Register is sponsored by the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children, in partnership with Guide Dogs, Vision Australia, other low vision service providers, children with vision impairment and their families. The Register is the first of its kind in Australia, and is capturing uniquely Australian data which will be used to improve services for children with vision impairment. The data is also available to researchers who work in the area of eye disease and disorders of vision. Currently in Australia we don’t know how many Australian children have a vision impairment. This makes it hard to plan for the services these children need, or to argue for research into preventing conditions which cause vision impairment. RIDBC Renwick Centre, in partnership with key Australian service providers, corporate donors, government departments and health professionals has undertaken a major research project to develop and maintain an Australia wide record of children with vision impairment. It will be known as the Australian Childhood Vision Impairment Register. The register will collect accurate information on children who have been formally diagnosed. This information will then be used to establish the number of affected children, the causes and level of vision impairment and whether these children have additional disabilities. The information will then be used to provide better services and treatment for children. If you are a child or a parent or guardian of a child with a vision impairment, between the ages of 0-18 years, you are invited to join the Australian Childhood Vision Impairment Register. Once a child has joined they will be offered membership to Oz-VisKids – a free club for children and parents to learn more about vision impairment and the services offered in Australia.
