The team will start testing on the ‘bionic’ eye in March. This follows a successful trial in Germany where three patients were able to see again just days after being fitted with the implant. In the German trial, the chip was taken out after three months but the UK patients will have it implanted for life as scientists have developed a new coating which is safer for permanent use. The device is packed with 1,500 light sensors designed to replace those in the retina lost to the most common form of eye disease, retinitis pigmentosa. The inherited condition gradually destroys the light sensitive retina at the back of the eye, causing blindness.

About six patients will be chosen for the King’s trial by the start of February. It will then take experts a month to tailor the implant for each individual patient. Another six patients will be recruited for a trial at the Oxford Eye Hospital.

Bionic eyes have been piloted before. But this battery-powered implant is the first that doesn’t require cumbersome accessories such as a camera mounted on dark glasses. The implant is tiny –  only three millimetres square. It is fitted with sensors which trigger an electronic pulse that stimulates nerves leading to the brain enabling patients to see a rough black and white image.

The German company, Retina Implant AG, which is behind the implant hopes it will become widely available within five years. Miikka Terho was one of the first patients treated with the implant in the German trial. Completely blind before, he was able to tell the time from a clock face, read his name and correct spelling errors.

So what does this amazing new treatment mean for people? Well, according to one of the surgeons, this artificial vision could greatly enhance the quality of life for people with retinitis pigmentosa. Doctors hope it could also be used to treat blindness caused by age-related macular degeneration. This is the most common cause of blindness in the elderly and affects about 500,000 people in Britain.

At AllClear, we are pretty impressed by this treatment because although it sounds like it could be something out of a science fiction film, it really can help people who are blind change their life entirely. This is important to us because we believe that everyone deserves to travel, and experience other parts of the world, and this new ‘bionic eye’ could really help people do just that. You can read more about travelling with a disability here, or check out AllClear to get travel insurance that covers medical conditions….

For example, if you have a bad back, you might find flying very difficult – what with the cramped seats, and long enforced periods of sitting still. Cruising might be a preferred option for you as you are free to move around the ship as you travel to each of your destinations! It saves you starting off your holiday tired, aching and in a bad mood, as you might do if you have a bad flight experience!

Another advantage of flying compared to cruising is the increased baggage allowance, and this can be particularly important if you suffer from medical conditions. For example, you may have a lot of medication or a wheelchair that you need to take with you. If you tend to end up paying for extra baggage allowance when you fly, the benefit is that a cruise has no restriction at all – as long as it will all fit in your stateroom, you can bring as many bags as you wish.

What about the facilities actually on board ship? Well if you have a disability, many cruise lines now have adapted cabins for wheelchair users. For more information on cruises for the disabled, visit www.disabilitytravel.com. What is more, if you do have any medical problems on board ship, they are often exceptionally well equipped. In fact, they are apparently able to carry out open heart surgery on board!

 So I hope this blog has provided a little information which might be useful to you about travelling with medical conditions, particularly if you are considering whether ‘to cruise or not to cruise.’

Accessible travel for travellers with impaired vision

You might find it hard to believe, given Alison Steadman’s ditzy cheerful character in Gavin and Stacey, but over 20 years ago, Alison real life was far more complicated when she suffered a severe threat to her eyes.

According to this article in the Daily Mail, Alison was struck down with flu while she was acting in a play. She was recovering from the flu, but then started getting pain in her eyes.

The pain got so bad, especially when looking at light, that she started worrying that she was going blind. Eventually, she was examined by a consultant and it was discovered that a virus had attacked her eyes. Left untreated, it is a condition that can leave you with permanent impaired vision.

Alison was prescribed two sets of drops to be taken four times every day for six weeks. One dose of antibiotic drops was used to kill off the virus, while dilating drops enlarged the pupils, effectively freezing the muscles in the eye so they were not straining to work so hard.

According to Alistair Laidlaw, consultant eye surgeon at the London Clinic and St Thomas’ Hospital, Alison almost certainly had adenovirus which brings with it all the traditional flu symptoms of aches, pains, a temperature and which goes on to affect the eyes in 10% of cases.

Her experience really heightened her awareness of blind and visually impaired people. Alison is patron for a small local charity called the Haringey Phoenix Group, which helps the blind and visually impaired in the borough. A big focus for them at the moment is the Losing Patients campaign.  This is an initiative launched by the Royal National Institute for the Blind. It aims to ensure that appointment letters, test results and medical warning etc can be printed in a type size that visually impaired people can read. There are 1.8 million people in the UK that are visually impaired and it is all about making information available in an accessible form.

At AllClear, we completely agree with the importance of accessibility for blind people, particularly when it is do with peoples medical information. We also believe that it is important that all visually impaired people have the right to travel. You can look here for more information on accessible travel or check out AllClear to book travel insurance for travelling with a medical condition.

Shopping, shopping and more shopping!

In this three-part special, Gok met three disabled women with low body confidence. And Hollyoaks actress Kelly Marie Stewart and opera singer Denise Leigh gave an insight into their lives as the public faces of disability.

In Episode 1, shown on the 19^th Jan, Gok met single-mum Tracy Warren from Leicestershire, who has been using a wheelchair since 2007. Gok helped give Tracy confidence to wheel down the runway in front of thousands. In Episode 2, shown on the 26^th Jan, Gok met 44-year-old mother-of-three Clare Smith, who had her leg amputated four years ago following a motorbike accident – and gave her a whole new look. In the final episode, on the 2^nd Feb, and Gok helped Di Cram, a 54-year-old magistrate from Exeter who is blind, to get a better sense of her actual body shape through touch.

Overall, we thought the series was really useful and an interesting insight on living with a disability – it was amazing how Gok could use clothes and small changes in appearance to really improves the participant’s body confidence so drastically. The only complaint is that it is a shame it was only a 3 part series – it would have been better if it was more episodes.

Here is what Gok Wan had to say about the series… “The women, who gave their stories to us to film, are courageous members of our society who just wanted to be heard regardless of their disabilities. These shows go beyond clothes and haircuts: they carefully and compassionately illustrate that all women, without prejudice, deserve to feel good in their own skin. It is hard to believe there are still taboos around discussing disabilities when so many people in the UK are living with them. We cannot take this lightly, and a difference needs to be made. How To Look Good Naked is an inclusive show which tackles many body issues, from weight gain to weight loss, from body hatred to lack of body identity, and there was a need to include disabilities within its ethos. I am very proud of what we have produced and I truly believe these three incredible programmes will help us to break down some archaic stereotypes and also to find a way to accept that we are all individuals.”

Gok’s Top Tips for Dressing with a Difference:
-Don’t be afraid of fashion just because you have a disability.
-Like any able bodied person, underwear is key to getting your outfit right.
-Customizing is a must! Find a local tailor/seamstress that can work her magic – it will open up your options.
-Commit to a couple of different of styles each season and this will help with your body confidence.
-The most important thing to remember is that people are looking at you and NOT at your disability – so hold your head high and feel proud of who you are!

There is a How to Look Good naked survey that you might want to look at and fill in too?

How many of you saw the programmes? We would be interested to know what you thought of them? Did the show meet your expectations? Are there any similar shows that you would like to see in the future? Any thoughts on Dancing On Wheels, first episode on the 11^th February.

1. Plan Ahead: This is the most important tip really. Invest in a guidebook, use the internet and contact the places you want to go in advance. Planning can greatly reduce the possibility of turning up somewhere inaccessible. Also make sure that your travel insurance covers you for your disability – take a look here for more info.
2. Parking: Don’t forget your blue badge. It lets you benefit from parking concessions across the 27 members of the EU (including Europe’s most congested cities), but it is also recognised further afield – specifically in Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, New Zealand and the US. For more info look on the AA website
3. Be imaginative. Being disabled doesn’t mean you need to strike that ‘holiday of a lifetime’ experience off your list; you just need to come up with ways of doing them differently. For example, you can still experience the exhilaration of skiing down Mont Blanc’s Vallee Blanche in a guide operated sit ski.

 For more information on travelling with a disability, check out Allclear4you.

Don't spoil your holiday, be sure to plan ahead.

But going back to the Olympics – what about accessibility for people travelling into or around the UK? It is a long trek for people to travel down from Scotland to watch the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London – but I am sure a lot of people will. So what will their travel experience be like?

Well, in a perfectly timed survey,  the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) wants to know about disabled people’s tourism experiences. The Accessible Tourism Stakeholders Forum is seeking information from disabled people about their tourism experiences. 

You’ll be able to tell the DCMS exactly what you expect when you stay overnight in accommodation or take a day trip to a UK tourist attraction and give them details of any problems you experienced. The survey’s findings will be used to help businesses improve accessible tourism services for disabled people.

 If you would like to air your views, Take part in the DCMS survey (opens in new window) As a thank you for taking part, you’ll have the opportunity to enter a free prize draw. And please also let us know any comments you have about travelling with a disability in the comments box below. We look forward to hearing from you!