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VISIONARY HORIZONS
- INTRODUCTION -
Welcome back to your monthly newsletter magazine, dedicated and produced for OOKP patients. Please consider this YOUR magazine, written for you, on topics you choose and directed by your feedback. We want to fill its pages, with all the information you wish to know regarding your OOKP journey.
This is only achievable with your input and feedback. So, please contact us giving suggestions for articles and content you wish to be included. Also, please give feedback of how we can make this newsletter better.
If you like our goals, why not become a volunteer and help us research, write and produce the magazine!
If interested, email us at
ourookpservice@gmail.com
This is our new, dedicated email address, so please enter “Newsletter” in the subject line.
Or visit our website below and click “CONTACT US”
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- TABLE OF CONTENTS -
* Introduction
* Editors Update
* Pre-OOKP Surgery
* Managing Emotions & Doubts
* Post – OOKP Surgery
* Business Opportunity
* Support Group Mission
* Technology News
* Wellness Corner
* Community Corner – Your Stories
* Upcoming Events & Resources
* Closing Thoughts
* Contributors Praises
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EDITORS UPDATE
Hi Guys, or should I be saying Ho, Ho, Ho.
That’s right, “tis the season to be jolly”, as the song goes. I love this time of year. So many parties, everyone so happy and a great feeling when you’re out and about.
And mentioning songs, here are my two favourite Christmas songs. I’m not a religious person, but the song “Oh holy night” always fills me with joy. The tune is amazing and the guys below, who sing the song, give it so much feeling. Click the video and take a look.
My second Christmas song is the one sung by Alexandra Burke. See if you can guess who wrote this one. Click the clip below and take a look.
So, that’s my little festive present to you all.
Now, as I’m sure you’re all aware, we’ve been trying to raise funds to help with our cause. At the moment, we have raised £280 of the £1000 target set.
I’m really amazed with what we’ve achieved, but at the moment, the fundraising is on a go slow.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, CONTACT EVERYONE YOU KNOW IN THIS SEASON OF GIVING AND GOOD WILL, TO ASK IF THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE. THE FUNDING LINK IS
The more we raise, the more services we can offer to YOU and other menbers. Come on guys, lets make a push and reach that target.
So, I’m about to purchase a memorable name for our website, as previously discussed and which you gave me permission to do. I’m currently looking at:
It’s available, its easy to remember and because it’s a .org, means we won’t need to change it when we become a charity. I’m hoping to have this completed before Christmas, I’m just learning how to attach it to our existing website.
See, I’m still working very hard behind the scenes (smile). One thing is, it seems prices have increased since discussing this at our July meeting, so the best price we can get is around £40 for 3 years, rather than 5 years, which would more than double in price.
Once we have the website established; and I believe there are more OOKP operations being done in the near future, we can then continue with the name when it runs out. However, 3 years is a substantial time and it gets us a brand for people to follow.
If anyone objects to this, can you please let me know before 16 December, which is when I expect to make the purchase.
I think this is all I have to report. So, lets keep chatting on WhatsApp, to let others know what we’re doing. Lets get some fundraising on the cards, so I can include it on the homepage of the website and lets get a service which is funded, so it can help us all.
It was a shame, nobody actually got back to me about arranging a Christmas meeting. I would have loved to have met you all again.
I can only make things happen, if people let me know and give a reply to my suggestions. If not, then we’ll never do anything and all we’ll be is a group who make a lot of noise, but never get together.
I can make this as big as you want it to be and have everything other groups have, but we need input from you all.
Please think about this. This group is to give you what you’ve been missing and have been asking for all these years, so we need more input and communications.
Call me Father Christmas and send me your wish lists. As you’ll see in this months story of my life, there’s virtually nothing I can’t make happen, so please, put me to the test and support what we’re doing.
Until next month, let me wish you a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year and may next year bring you everything you desire.
Take care and speak soon and let’s continue with this months newsletter..
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PRE-OOKP SURGERY – EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE, PREPARING YOUR MIND FOR SURGERY.
When facing OOKP surgery, it’s natural to focus on the physical preparation, appointments, medical tests, and lifestyle adjustments. But equally important is preparing your mind. Emotional resilience is the ability to recover from stress, adapt to challenges, and keep moving forward, even when the path feels uncertain.
Here’s some practical ways to build resilience before surgery:
Acknowledge Your Feelings. Fear, sadness, or even frustration are all normal emotions. Instead of pushing them aside, give yourself permission to feel them. Speaking openly with a friend, partner, or peer can lighten the load, providing helpful skills to achieve your goals, even with limited sight. Take a look at our website, or contact us if you require support or assistance.
Develop a Coping Routine. Simple daily practices such as breathing exercises, journaling (using audio notes if writing is difficult), or listening to calming music can strengthen your mental balance. The more you practice before surgery, the more natural it will feel during stressful moments throughout your life. See the “TUTORIAL VIDEO” section on our website for note taking apps and other apps to help develop a coping routine.
Visualise Positive Outcomes. Spend a few minutes each day imagining yourself after surgery, walking outdoors with confidence, reading a book through audio technology, or enjoying a meal with friends. These positive images train your mind to look beyond fear and towards hope. It’s recognised, it only takes around 27 days of a continued action to form a habit. Therefore, by practising visualisation for around 1 month, your actions become habits and the positive outcomes become your norm.
Lean on Support. Resilience isn’t about being a maverick and doing everything alone. It’s about knowing when to ask for help and when to accept it. By leaning on peers and professionals, who already possess the experience and skills necessary, you share the burden and increase your strength.
Emotional resilience is like a muscle — the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes. Preparing your mind is one of the best gifts you can give yourself before, during and after surgery. Decide what you require, then ask those in the know; like our OOKP members; for help. Don’t waste time and energy reinventing the wheel.
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MANAGING EMOTIONS & DOUBTS – THE POWER OF PEER CONNECTIONS.
When doubts creep in, one of the most effective remedies is speaking to someone who’s walked the same path. Peer connection is powerful because it combines empathy with experience, not just sympathy, but real understanding.
Patients often describe the relief they feel when talking to another OOKP client who says, “I know exactly what you mean.” That moment of shared recognition can calm worries in a way that even the most detailed medical explanation can’t. This is why we created the OOKP Support Service, so you can instantly access peer connection and have all your fears and anxieties understood and resolved.
Benefits of connecting with peers include:
Practical Guidance. Hearing how others managed challenges, from hospital stays to post-surgery routines, can provide tips and skills which aren’t written in leaflets, but instantly reduce stress.
Emotional Reassurance. Knowing you’re not the only one who feels anxious, impatient, or uncertain, reduces feelings of isolation, allowing you to develop and grow confident. This means your OOKP journey will be made more enjoyable, knowing you have emotional support you can depend on.
Building Hope. Seeing or hearing from someone who’s been through the process and is now enjoying life, provides proof, recovery is not only possible, but it’s temporary.
Friendship and Belonging. Beyond surgery, peer groups can become lasting friendships. Shared experiences often create bonds that feel more like family than community. This is one of the missions of our OOKP support service. Friendship, support and reliability.
If you’ve not yet reached out to fellow OOKP members, consider joining our virtual meetings or speaking one-to-one with someone who’s already had surgery. Sometimes, the greatest medicine is simply another voice saying, “You’re not alone, we can help.”
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POST-OOKP SURGERY- ADOPTING A DAILY POST SURGERY ROUTINE.
Life after OOKP surgery brings changes, and adapting your daily routine is key to long-term success. Recovery’s not only about healing the eye but also about creating habits that support comfort, safety, and independence.
Here’s some suggestions which may help:
Morning Routine. It’s recommended beginning the day with eye care. Carefully wash your hands, apply any prescribed drops, and put on protective eyewear before leaving your room. Keeping everything you need (drops, tissues, water) in one place makes this process easier and less prone to forgetting a stage or encountering accidents.
Home Environment. Adjust your surroundings for safety and comfort. Keep pathways clear, place non-slip mats where needed, and ensure lighting (whether natural or from lamps) is gentle and even. Keep remote controls and phones together and any other items you use frequently. It’s recommended purchasing a basket or container of some kind, so such items do not become lost.
Rest and Activity Balance. Plan your day to include both rest and gentle movement. Overexertion may slow your healing, but light walking or stretching supports circulation and mood. Aim for regular breaks instead of long, exhausting activities. Little and often is the rule of thumb generally adopted.
Mealtimes. Maintain a steady pattern of balanced meals; as described in previous newsletters; to support recovery. Preparing snacks in advance can save effort when you feel tired.
Evening Wind-Down. Before bed, ensure your protective eyewear is safely stored, take your prescribed medication, and use relaxation techniques such as deep breathing; described in a previous newsletter; to ease into sleep. Sleep is important for maintaining the healing process, so ensure you receive a minimum 7-8 hours per night.
By building consistent routines, you reduce uncertainty and create a stable rhythm for healing. Over time, these small habits become second nature, giving you confidence and peace of mind, while producing a healthy lifestyle.
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- BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY -
If you wish to learn a new vocation, I offer a course, teaching individuals how to become a “Blind Awareness Trainer,” where you train front-line staff, to correctly assist blind and visually impaired customers.
This is my vocation, where earnings are considerable, it provides fun and interesting social opportunities and I increase the number of people who can offer assistance to visually impaired individuals.
If you’re interested, send an email with “TRAINING” in the subject line, for more details
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- THE SUPPORT GROUP MISSION -
Our mission, is to empower people facing OOKP (“tooth‐in‐eye”) surgery and their families, by providing clear and accessible information, practical help and a caring community. We exist, to relieve the stress and isolation of this rare procedure, by advancing patients’ health and well‐being, through education and support. In practice, we aim to give everyone affected by OOKP, the knowledge, tools and emotional support they need to feel informed and confident about their care. This means offering up‑to‑date guidance on the emotions of surgery and follow‑up support, building peer networks to share experiences, involving families in the process, and partnering with eye clinics and charities, to deliver the best possible outcomes. This can only be achieved with YOUR help!
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TECHNOLOGY NEWS – EXPLORING WEARABLE TECH.
Wearable technology is opening new doors for people with visual impairment. These are devices you can wear; like glasses, watches, or bands; that provide information and assistance in real time.
Here’s some exciting options already making a difference:
Smart Glasses (Envision Glasses, Or Cam My Eye). These can read text aloud, describe objects, and even recognise faces. Imagine pointing your head towards a document and hearing it read aloud instantly. Some models are voice-controlled,making them accessible hands-free. As there are various versions available, ask your consultant for more information. RNIB and the Moorfields ECLO assistance can also be contacted for more information and possible demonstrations. There contact details are on our website, in the “PARTNER ORGANISATIONS” section.
Smartwatches (Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch). With built-in screen readers, smartwatches can give vibration alerts for appointments, guide you with walking directions, or notify you about calls and messages. The tactile feedback is especially helpful if you prefer touch over sound. Again, there are many versions available, so contact RNIB, Moorfields ECLO assistance or even your local visual impairment society, who may be able to help and provide demonstrations. See the “TUTORIAL VIDEO” section of our website for more help with what’s available.
Fitness Trackers. Devices like Fitbit can monitor heart rate, steps, and sleep. They often link with accessible apps that provide spoken feedback, helping you maintain health routines. Many are now quite inexpensive, but allow you to create a healthier approach to life.
Bone Conduction Headphones. While not strictly wearable tech in the medical sense, these headphones sit just in front of the ears, leaving them open to surrounding sounds. They’re excellent for navigation apps, as you can hear instructions while staying aware of traffic or conversation. They connect to your devices via bluetooth, so are very versatile and adaptive.
These devices can be expensive, but some charities and support services provide grants or trial schemes. As technology continues to evolve, wearable tech is becoming more intuitive, affordable, and life-changing for OOKP patients.
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WELLNESS CORNER – BALANCING YOUR BODY & MIND.
Recovery after surgery is not just about the body, it’s also about the mind. One way to nurture both is through mindful movement practices such as gentle yoga or stretching. These can be adapted for all abilities, and no vision is required to benefit.
Here’s some beginner-friendly practices:
Gentle Breathing with Movement. Sit comfortably. As you raise your arms slowly upwards, breathe in. As you lower them, breathe out. Focus on the flow of air and the feeling of movement, rather than appearance. Repeat this 10 times, or until you feel the calmness you wish to achieve. Not only does this help with mobility, it also reduces stress and anxiety.
Seated Side Stretch. While seated, place your right hand on the chair for support. Slowly raise your left arm and lean gently to the right. Feel the stretch along your side. Hold for a few breaths, then repeat on the other side. This improves the core strength, increases mobility and helps prevent lower back problems.
Neck and Shoulder Release. Sit tall, gently roll your shoulders backward in slow circles, then forward. Tilt your head to one side, hold, then switch. This eases tension that builds from stress or screen use. It can also help relieve headache or help prevent migranes.
Guided Audio Yoga. Many free audio-based yoga classes are available online, designed specifically for those with sight loss. These classes give clear, step-by-step spoken instructions. Ensure the chosen Yoga regime suits your current mobility needs. Begin slowly and once comfortable with your progress, increase your intensity. Check out the “TUTORIAL VIDEO” section of our website for help with choosing a suitable yoga course.
These movements don’t just stretch muscles, they also calm the mind. Combining breath and motion creates a deep sense of balance, reminding you that your healing journey is about the whole self, not just the eye. Always consult your medical professional before attempting any form of exercise, to ensure it will not interfere with the healing process.
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COMMUNITY CORNER: YOUR VOICE, YOUR STORIES
It seems you’re still interested in my story and how I coped with becoming blind at age 29. So, it looks like I’ll have to continue my J. K. Rowling impersination.
To recap our progress. I was healing well and had some mobility skills. I’d been released (I mean discharged) from my hospital bed and 2 days later, was holidaying in Malta, with my family.
So, after being led to a broom cupboard, instead of the toilet, by my nephew, we had a fantastic break and it really gave me the strength to manage how I was going to live without sight; how I was going to cope with living with Mummy bear again, and what I was going to do now I was unemployed.
I had been a self employed builder, but this was now not possible. For one thing, I would keep falling off the scaffolding. (smile). What could I do? I had been in the building and labouring game almost from leaving school, but there’s no career for a blind builder. .I had my old contractors calling me and asking if I could “just” come and look at a job. I used to say, how can I do that when I’m blind. They used to get really upset. I was having the time of my life, because I could still have a laugh, even though I’d lost my sight.
To survive in this world, you must recognise the problem; confront the issue; find a solution or work around, then create a plan of action, to obtain the goal. If the plan of action seems to difficult, don’t give up, simply split it in 2, until the action is achievable. It’s irrelevant how many steps there are to get to the place you want to be, the fact is, you begin the steps and the easier those steps seem, the more enthusiasm you have in starting; and continuing; your journey. As Albert Einstein said, to achieve success, break every action down into its simplest form. I’ve continually lived by this concept and have achieved many accomplishments. When the steps are easy, the journey is enjoyable. When the steps are difficult, the journey is impossible and you consider yourself a failure. Why put yourself under that amount of pressure, when all it takes is a little refining and thought?
For example, in July, we had no website for our group. I was unsure of how to build a website. Therefore, I considered what services we needed for our members. I split each category into smaller categories and made a list. Then, rather than be daunted by producing a full website, I was only daunted by creating a single page. Once I created one page, I could then rinse and repeat for as many pages as we needed. I learned how to produce a web page from YouTube videos, and now we have a website in construction, which has videos, downloadable checklists, clickable buttons to take you to specific sections etc. If you want it enough, you’ll make it as easy as possible, then learn and implement. However, I digress.
So first, I moved into Mummy bears and arranged my bedroom, so I knew where everything was. This was not so difficult, as I was so used to living in bedsits, I was used to small rooms. Even though I say it myself, I had everything I needed. My books were now from the RNIB talking library, meaning I could still learn new skills, but just used my hearing instead of my sight to access books. I did have to learn not to fall asleep while listening to books (smile) but, no real harm. I had my talking computer, which I was using to learn how to type using a cassette tutorial. I had my music coming through my talking book headphones. (yes, this was long before bluetooth, back in the black and white days as my nephew put it) and I had my various mobility gadgets ready for when I went out. To be honest, I had quite a neat little set up.
Once I was comfortable with finding my way around my new home, I attended a 13 week course with our local council, which taught me basic living skills for the blind. I learned to cook with the microwave. Not just warming up food, but actually cooking full meals. Let me tell you, I cook a mean sweet and sour chicken and rice, from scratch, followed by banana cake and custard. My mother and wife still ask for this delicacy today. I also learned to read MOON. An alternative to Braille, as I’m sure you can remember what happened there. I also learned to label items for easy location.
Like when I was in the hospital, I found this quite easy and before long, I was helping the manager of the support centre, teaching newcomers all the skills I had learned. However, the main skill I learned here, was how to touch type. I was lent an electric typewriter, a tutorial course and a 30 minute 1 to 1 tutorial each week, where I could perfect my skill.
This, along with my mobility skills, taught by my social worker, Pat Ross, have been the most important skills I have ever learned. They allow me to communicate with others and move around without having to totally rely on others. I wish I could find the typing tutorial again, as I would love to put it on our website for others to learn this lifelong skill. It is so empowering, encouraging people to progress to more technical skills, to keep up with this ever changing world.
So, my next step was finding some way of supporting myself. I’d always earned a living, but this wasn’t possible now, as there are few openings for a blind builder. It seems people get so annoyed when the staircase is on the outside, the kitchen is built across the front porch and the bedroom is built around the bathroom, which has no door. (smile.)
What was I to do? Well, I took the very common route most disabled people take and that’s to become a qualified counsellor, so I could help others. I was already a qualified hypnotherapist (using this to become a stage hypnotist, but that’s another story) so I thought, developing this shouldn’t be too difficultt.
It took me 5 years, but I obtained my counsellors degree and thought this would provide me with an income. However, I found it wasn’t that easy. I had a placement, but to receive an income from counselling, it’s necessary to undergo peer counselling yourself, so you don’t take on the issues you’re discussing with clients. This was difficult to obtain, for the area I wished to practice in
Also, there were strict regulations regarding patient confidentiality and how reports should be submitted. I found the amount of strict formatting to be followed, was taking away my enthusiasm. Along with this, I found, only dealing with blind and visual impairment issues, continued to reserect my own issues, which I began to find draining.
I’d addressed my issues and was happy with my acceptance and how I was dealing with the matter. However, when others came for counselling, I was continually giving the same advice, which in turn, did not allow me to be impartial.
I spoke with my peer, who said, this is a common issue when dealing with incidents which affect the counsellor. For example, marriage counsellors have similar feelings if counselling couples after facing divorce themselves. Child counsellors have difficulty, if they experienced child issues. I agreed with my peer, I needed to remove myself from the trauma I experienced and choose a different area of counselling.
This is what I did. I found another placement with a service for people feeling alone, who offered a counselling service. This was much better, but payment was limited, as it was a charity with limited funding. Although I stayed 3 years and enjoyed the experience, I needed something else, in order to provide an income.
It was while providing counselling, I met a good friend who worked for the local credit union. For those unfamiliar with credit unions, they’re very similar to a bank, offering savings facilities and loans, but are run as close to non-profit as possible and their loan rates are far less than a bank, but still have the money protection offered by banks.
I met Jonathan, who worked in the office across from where I provided my counselling service. We began talking and he was interested how Credit Unions could adapt to meet the needs of the blind. We worked together on various projects and Jonathan was impressed with my skills and abilities. He informed me, there was a free training session for delivering book-keeping training to community groups and he thought I would be ideal for the course. He said, if there were any issues regarding accessability, he would be only too willing to help.
To cut a long story short, we both passed the course and I began providing training to community groups needing financial assistance for applying for charity funds and how to maintain their books, so they had the best chance of being issued charity money.
This is the skill I’m hoping to offer our OOKP support group. To encourage members to form a committee, where we can then obtain officers to form a registered charity, then apply for funds to provide more services for our remaining members. It;s not difficult, but there’s certain rules which must be followed, the initial one is finding at least 3 people who are prepared to become the committee of the charity. So please, if anyone is interested, let me know as soon as possible.
We travelled all over the north of England, offering training to various community groups and the feedback we received was amazing. For example, we gave training to a Lincoln community group who wanted to begin a festival for the city, but had no financial experience.
We taught them a recognised form of book-keeping and gave them real life situations to develop their new found skills. They were amazing, Within two months of starting the course, they secured funding for a PA system, used to announce the acts at the festival. We gave them ideas of how they could raise more funds. For example, they needed fencing for the festival grounds, but couldn’t afford it. I suggested offering each fence panel as an advertising area, which they could sell to local businesses. They sold every advertising space in seventeen days and not only could afford the fencing, but had sufficient funds to meet half the advertising costs.
I really enjoyed what I was doing. I was helping others, which I love. The results were more positive than those obtained from counselling, and the enthusiasm was amazing. In fact, the group were so happy with what we’d provided, they asked if we’d attend the first festival. We accepted and to our surprise, when we arrived at Lincoln train station to make our way to the festival, they’d sent a limo (one of the advertisers on the fence panels) to collect us and we received VIP treatment. They said, if it was not for me an Jonathan, they’d never have had the confidence or skills to make it happen. This festival has gone from strength to strength and is still being performed to this day.
That was such a thrill, I began thinking, this teaching gig could be just what I was looking for. It provided an income. It gave me a sense of achievement and the participants were so appreciative.
So, I’ll leave it there, but don’t forget to return to see how I get on in my new venture next month. You’ll never believe what my teaching journey lead to.
Want to know more? Really intrigued about what happened? Well, you’ll just have to be patient and wait until next month.
Take care and see you soon
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- UPCOMING EVENTS & RESOURCES -
As we develop the support service, website, newsletter magazine and WhatsApp group, we want to produce podcasts, webinars, workshops, fundraising events and other accessible materials members can access.
If you have news to share, please let us know by email, and we’ll advertise it here, for all to access and join. The more we can inform people, the more this service will grow. Lets make it a service to be respected, one which others aim to imitate for their group.
Keep communicating with us and others, it’s the only way we learn and progress, to make life easier.
So come on all you budding bakers, crafters and sales gurus, lets get some events planned to raise money. Maybe, we can raise enough money to have a Christmas trip to London, to see a show, after we ‘ve discussed our progress.
“Sound good? Only we can make it happen”
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CLOSING THOUGHTS: EMBRACE YOUR VISIONARY HORIZONS
We’re moving so fast with this group, it’s really encouraging. We’ve welcomed new members; we’re on our 5th newsletter; we’re almost there with a memorable name for our website and we’re getting members writing their OOKP stories, to help other members.
Irene, our new member, has given a lovely insight into her OOKP journey. I’ll be including it in our newsletter shortly,. Rachael is in the middle of arranging a fundraising quiz and raffle at her local hostelry, so let’s give her a big cheer and hope it raises funds for our cause.
In fact, there must be something we can all do to fundraise. How about a cake and coffee morning with your friends. Or, what about an evening dinner and auction with gifts from local businesses. What about a sky-dive? Well, maybe that’s a little over the top (unless you really want to do it. Trust me, it’s a fantastic feeling.) But, lets get our thinking caps on and see what we can do.
So, I think that’s it for this month. I’m going to tutor myself on adding the new name to our website and hopefully, I’ll be contacting you before Christmas, with the new link.
This is the best time of the year, so have a great Christmas and a fabulous New Year, and let’s make 2026, better than 2025.
Take care and speak soon.
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Website
Phone
07483 880268
E-Mail
This is our new, dedicated email address.
ourookpservice@gmail.com
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CONTRIBUTORS PRAISES
A big thank you to the following, for helping to produce this monthly newsletter and assisting with the services.
Martin Jones
Rotherham, Editor
Caroline Williams
Newcastle, Communications Officer
Rachael Keon
Ireland, International Recruitment Officer
Irene Wogan
Wales, Storyteller
All other members for their support
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