Retina SA - A cure in sight

27/08/2026

Retina SA is proud to support the Retina International World Youth Conference!

If you're 18–35 and living with a retinal condition, this is your chance to connect with young people from across the globe, share experiences, and be part of important conversations on mental health, AI, assistive technology, and more. Registration is open — don't miss it! 🌍

Retina International World Youth Conference is here! 🌍

Something exciting is coming for the young people in our global retinal community.

Date: 18 September 2026
Time: 9 AM CET | 3 PM CET
Location: Online
Eligibility: For young people aged 18–35

This year, we're bringing young people from around the world together for real conversations, shared experiences, new ideas and plenty of opportunities to connect.

We'll be talking about mental health, AI, assistive technology and navigating everyday life with a retinal condition and, most importantly, creating space for young people to hear from and learn from each other.

And we're not giving everything away just yet! This year's Youth Conference is the beginning of something bigger.

More speakers, more details and more exciting plans are coming soon.

Registration is now open!

Use this link to register for 9 AM CET (4:30 PM ACST/7 PM NZST) - https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ejQzySn-TIav0q8eNswt5g

Use this link to register for 3 PM CET (9 AM EDT) - https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/GH77ahoySj6rCvbNtuIo1A

Know a young person living with a retinal condition who should be there? Tag them or share this with them!

We can't wait to see you there 💙



[ID: A promotional graphic for the RI Youth Council World Youth Conference, featuring the event date, two CET session times, and online Zoom format.]

27/08/2026

Celebrating Caryl Baum - A Woman of Leadership, Resilience & Service 💙

Today, we celebrate Caryl Baum, Chairperson of Retina South Africa — a remarkable woman whose journey reflects courage, dedication and a commitment to making a difference.

A retired attorney who practised law for more than 40 years, Caryl has also been living with age-related macular degeneration for over a decade. Rather than allowing her own experience to limit her, she has chosen to use her time and voice to support others living with retinal conditions. 💙

As Chairperson of Retina South Africa, Caryl continues to contribute to advocacy, awareness and support for people living with vision loss. She also represents Retina South Africa on the Consumer Committee of the South African Council for the Blind.

🌟 Caryl’s story reminds us that true leadership is not only about where you have been, but about how you use your experience to uplift others.

Join us in celebrating Caryl and the many women who continue to inspire, lead and create positive change in the vision-loss community.

26/08/2026

Day 1 at the Assistive Technology Conference at Unisa - The University of South Africa !

We had a wonderful first day at the Advocacy and Resource Centre for Students.
It was great meeting so many amazing people.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our exhibit. Will you be on campus tomorrow?

Come find us again!

We will be at our booth all day tomorrow.

Stop by to chat with our team.

See you there!

26/08/2026

This Women's Month, we're celebrating fresh energy and new beginnings on our team! 💙✨

Meet Nhlanhla Makhubela, one of the newest additions to the Retina South Africa family 🌟

Nhlanhla recently joined our Fundraising and Marketing Department as an intern, bringing fresh energy and enthusiasm to the team. Though new to Retina SA, she's already embracing the opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute to work that makes a real difference in the lives of people living with vision loss.

We're excited to have Nhlanhla on this journey with us and can't wait to see the impact she'll make! 🌟

26/08/2026

Did you know?

"Comprehension is better when you read with your ears." That's the philosophy behind Tape Aids for the Blind's library and education services — and we're excited to share that they're both an exhibitor AND our host for this year's KZN Members Meeting!

Tape Aids for the Blind offers:
🎧 Avid Readers Audio Library – thousands of fiction and non-fiction audiobooks and audio magazines, posted anywhere in South Africa, free of charge
📖 Student education services – audio versions of textbooks and study material for visually impaired and print-disabled dyslexic students, produced by trained volunteer "home readers"
🏫 Mini-libraries – curated audiobook collections for schools, care facilities and public libraries
🎙️Tape Aids NPC – professional audio production of books, reports and manuals for organisations

📅 Saturday, 29 August 2026 📍 Tape Aids for the Blind, 14 Mitchell Crescent, Essenwood, Berea, Durban

Come visit every stand, try the technology on offer, and discover solutions that help you live, learn and work independently.

26/08/2026

Connecting communities and spreading awareness across the digital space! 📱✨

Meet Sandra Lawson Brown, Social Media Manager at Retina South Africa.

For the past six years, Sandy has been the creative force behind Retina SA’s digital communications. She leads our online awareness initiatives and fosters a supportive digital community—ensuring individuals and families affected by retinal conditions stay connected, informed, and empowered. 👁️💙

Thank you, Sandy, for your dedication to sharing our mission and building a stronger, more connected vision health community every day! 🌟

25/08/2026

Spotlighting dedicated hearts behind impactful causes! 💙✨

Meet Kaithlin King events personal assistant at Retina South Africa🌟

Kaithlin is passionate about creativity, organisation and making a meaningful difference through the work she does. As part of the Retina SA team, she supports the Events Manager with the planning, coordination and marketing of events and fundraising initiatives.

She enjoys bringing creative ideas to life, connecting with people and contributing to initiatives that support and empower people living with vision loss.

We are so grateful for Kaithlin's dedication to our community! 🌟

25/08/2026

We proud to welcome the KwaZulu-Natal Blind and Deaf Society to our KZN Members Meeting on Saturday 29 August! 👋

Established in 1936, the Society has spent almost 90 years providing services and opportunities that improve the quality of life of blind and partially sighted people, extending their work to the Deaf and hard of hearing community in the 1960s.

Today, much of their focus is on reaching people in rural areas who face financial and access barriers to the support they need — many of whom receive little to no external assistance. Their ongoing challenge is finding ways to reach and uplift these communities.

We look forward to seeing you there.

25/08/2026

Celebrating decades of visionary leadership, advocacy, and unwavering support! 🌟

Meet Claudette Medefindt, National Secretary and Head of Science at Retina South Africa.

Living with Retinitis Pigmentosa, Claudette has dedicated her life to empowering others through knowledge and connection. A full-time volunteer with Retina SA since 1980, her impact spans globally—having served as Deputy President of Retina International and lecturing both locally and internationally on retinal conditions. 🔬👁️

From guiding cutting-edge scientific awareness to providing compassionate peer mentorship and support for newly diagnosed patients, Claudette continues to be a guiding light for our community. 💙✨

Thank you, Claudette, for your extraordinary commitment, wisdom, and lifelong service to vision health! 🌍🤝

24/08/2026

We are excited to share that Higher Ground will be joining us at our KZN Members Meeting on Saturday, 29 August!

Higher Ground is a Durban-based non-profit that has been running therapeutic adventure holidays since 2004 for people who are blind or partially sighted, people with intellectual impairments, and people with acquired brain injuries — helping to boost emotional, social, spiritual and physical wellbeing. Since 2020, they've expanded their offering with even more programmes designed to bring positive, lasting change to the people they serve.

Come meet the team and find out how Higher Ground is changing lives, one adventure at a time.