Macular Society services in Scotland
We provide advice, information and support to people with macular disease in Scotland, as well as to their family and friends, helping everyone affected to retain their independence.
Our Community Engagement Manager for Scotland and Peer Support Coordinator work alongside the wider Community Networks team to offer a range of local and national services. Together, they help connect people to peer support, practical advice, and local activities. We also work in close partnership with organisations across Scotland to make sure people can access the services they need, when they need them.
Peer support
You can access a range of Macular Society peer support services in-person, over the telephone or online.
Peer support includes local support groups, working age and young people and condition-specific groups; where you can receive tailored support.
Our support services
We offer a variety of support services to help you or anyone affected by macular disease.
If you have questions or need guidance, please contact our helpline team.
For additional support, you can access our counselling service and befriending. You may also benefit from our treatment buddies.
To continue living independently, Skills for Seeing can help you make the best use of the vision you have and Connect by Tech can advise on what technology is available and how to use access it.
Want to find out more about any of our services above?
Please visit our Support for you webpage, call our helpline team on 0300 3030 111 or contact our Scotland team below. All calls are confidential.
Regional societies
Guide Dogs
Guide Dogs provides mobility for the blind and partially sighted, whilst also supporting research, raising awareness, and campaigning for people with sight loss. The Scotland team are based in Edinburgh, Forfar and Glasgow and cover all of Scotland, offering a range of services for adults and children with visual impairment. These include guide dogs, buddy dogs, life skills, sighted guiding, and information and advice.
Sight Scotland
Sight Scotland is one of Scotland’s oldest charities and has been dedicated to meeting the challenges of visual impairment for two centuries. It has a large range of services which are delivered by experienced and knowledgeable experts. Sight Scotland has a team of experts that you can call and talk through what living with sight loss means for you or the person you support, and staff can help you with finding solutions.
Visibility Scotland
Visibility Scotland is a national charity that helps and supports everyone living with a visual impairment across Scotland. It aims to help people with sight loss to live independent and fulfilling lives.
RNIB
The Royal National Institute of Blind People is the leading sight loss charity in the UK. It offers practical and emotional support to blind and partially sighted people, their families and carers. The charity raise awareness of the experiences of blind and partially sighted people and campaigns for change to make society more accessible for all.
Triple Tap Tech
Triple Tap Tech is a charity set up by people in Scotland with visual impairments to help others with a visual impairment to better understand and make the most of technology. It offers support over the phone, on digital platforms, and through social media channels. The charity also has a helpline that anyone can call in order to chat to one of their tech and sight loss experts.
Deafblind
Deafblind UK works with people with sight and hearing loss to ensure they can live life to the fullest. The charity aims to make connections and deliver quality support and information to ensure people who are deafblind can live more independently and with greater confidence and increased control. Deafblind UK offers practical support with things like daily living, getting out and about or finding information, and emotional support.
Age Scotland
Age Scotland is a national charity of older people. It works to improve the lives of everyone over the age of 50. The charity’s mission is to inspire, involve and empower older people in Scotland and influence others so that people in Scotland enjoy growing older. Age Scotland offers a number of services, and works with groups and organisations across the country to make Scotland’s communities better places for older people.
Events in Scotland
The Macular Society works in partnership with local organisations and charities in Scotland to attend, contribute to, and promote events that benefit people affected by macular disease.
These opportunities allow us to share expert information, connect with professionals such as clinicians, ECLOs, nurses or ROVIs, and strengthen our support for local communities.
Additionally, we also have bi-monthly expert run webinars and our annual .
People in Scotland are also warmly encouraged to join our national activities, including our annual Macular Disease Conference, which brings together members, volunteers, researchers and professionals from across the UK. To find out more, visit our Events webpage or call our helpline team on 0300 3030 111.
Working with policy makers in Scotland
Scottish Parliament’s Cross Party Committee on Visual Impairment
The Macular Society are members of the Cross-Party Group on Visual Impairment. The aim of the group is to pull together the blind and partially sighted sector in Scotland to identify issues to be put forward to Scottish Parliament. The group seeks to influence policy, legislation and decision makers to better reflect the needs of blind and partially sighted people.
The Scottish Sensory Hub
The Macular Society are participating in the Scottish Sensory Hub’s Scottish Sight Loss Sector Roundtable Forum. The Scottish Sensory Hubs acts as a platform for the voice of lived experience for anyone in Scotland with sight loss and hearing loss. The organisation acts as a connecting bridge between the Scottish Government, public bodies, third sector and individuals.
See Hear
The Macular Society are a member of a number of See Hear steering groups across Scotland. See Hear is a strategic framework for meeting the needs of people with sensory impairment in Scotland.
Membership of the Macular Society
You don’t have to face macular disease alone in Scotland, anyone can join our community at the Macular Society, and we’ll help you or someone you know find your way with expert advice and support.
For more info on membership please see our Membership webpage.
Volunteering in Scotland
Would you, or someone you know, be interested in volunteering for the Macular Society in Scotland?
Whether you're interested in helping to run a local group, providing peer support, or assisting with events and outreach, we'd love to hear from you.
To explore current volunteer roles and how you can make a difference, please visit Volunteering for the Macular Society. You can also get in touch with our Volunteer and Group Support Team directly on 01264 560 259 - they'll be happy to talk you through the options and help you find the right role.
Macular Society Research in Scotland
We want to beat the fear and isolation of macular disease for everyone in Scotland, by funding research to find new and better treatments, and one day a cure. We provide information on new treatments, clinical research and much more.
To find out more please visit our Explore our research webpage.
Fundraising in Scotland
Would you like to fundraise to help Beat Macular Disease in Scotland? You'll be helping fund research to find a cure faster and helping to support those living with macular disease now. We can't do this without you, and together we cannot fail.
There are plenty of ways you can get involved. Our community fundraising team is here to support you all the way. You can contact the team via email community@macularsociety.org or phone 01264 560 222.
Our work in other regions
We are proud to have staff based around the UK to give you localised support; including regional managers, peer support coordinators and a groups admin team based at our head office in Andover.
Support for you
We provide free information and support to those with macular disease, along with their family and friends, to help people keep their independence.
We'd like to thank the National Lottery Community Funds and all of the National Lottery players, for supporting our services in Wales and Scotland.
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