Programme

9.00 Registration and refreshments

9.45     Welcome: Keziah Latham

9.55 - 10.35     Lecture One: wearable Electronic Vision Enhancement Systems. First developed in the early 1990s, wEVES are now re-emerging with smarter, sleeker designs. But do they truly deliver on their promise for older adults with AMD? This talk presents evidence-based insights into the real-world impact of wEVES - assessing real-world impact versus theoretical promise

- Andrew Miller, Optometry Lecturer

10.35 - 11.00     RWPN Annual General Meeting

11.00 - 11.25     break

11.25 - 12.15  Lecture Two: Consequences of Eye Diseases – an Optometrist’s Perspective for Vision Rehabilitation Specialists

-  Keziah Latham Professor of Optometry, Director of Vision & Hearing Sciences, Vision and Eye Research Institute

12.15 - 13.15 Lunch

13.15 - 14.05 Workshop: One of three from: 

a) Understanding filters  Richard Bowring, Associated Optical and Jane MacNaughton, Anglia Ruskin University

b) Should there be a qualification for VRS assistants?  Widening professional opportunities, growing the profession and meeting unmet needs or a potential threat to the survival of the profession by accident?   A session that will guide RWPN’s position on the issue. Discussion and debate led by Simon Labbett and Shaun Basham

c) Exploring Voice Vista for supporting and enhancing independent mobility –Tommy Dean Guide Dogs

VoiceVista is a free, accessible navigation app on iOS (Iphone) designed for blind and vision-impaired users. It’s built on Microsoft’s Soundscape audio-based navigation system, offering 3D spatial audio cues to describe surroundings, help users stay oriented, and build mental maps. Users can set and navigate to beacons, explore nearby points of interest, and get real-time directional information without needing to look at a screen. The app is best used with bone conduction/ open ear headphones to keep ears open for environmental sounds.

14.05 - 14.30    break 

14.30 - 15.20    Workshop: One from the three above

15.20 - Closing comments

Notes

£47 per person including buffet lunch and refreshments

Support workers no charge (but must be included for numbers in the booking)

Park & Ride

5 sites around Cambridge, car park free up to 18 hours, £4 return, bus station to ARU is 0.5 mile walk.

Parking near ARU

Queen Anne Terrace, over 6 hours is £21, walk to ARU 0.2 miles.

Grafton Centre, over 5 hours is £30, walk to ARU 0.3 miles.

Train Station

1 mile walk to ARU

Hotels

Premier Inn Newmarket Road – 0.6 miles

Premier Inn City Centre – 0.7 miles

Travelodge Newmarket Road – 0.5 miles

Travelodge City Centre – 1.1 miles

Granville Hotel – 0.3 miles