Welcome to RNIB's public discussion boards! Here you can post messages and engage in discussion with other visitors to the RNIB website.
Who uses these discussion boards?
The discussion boards are designed for all members of the public who wish to discuss the issues that affect blind and partially sighted people.
You may have a sight problem yourself, know someone who does, be a carer or support worker, or perhaps you are simply interested in these topics. The discussions are open to all.
Anyone may read the messages posted on the discussion boards. To post a reply or to respond to an existing post, you must register with the website.
What topics are discussed?
Our discussion boards cover areas such as living with sight loss, eye health and research. We also have discussion boards for parents, family, carers and friends and music makers.
Within each of these boards you will find many discussion threads covering a broad range of subjects. And if you can't find a thread you wish to contribute to, feel free to start a new one yourself!
The discussions are not intended to provide medical advice or any other kind of professional recommendation. If you require any practical or emotional support, please contact the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999.
How to register with the website
The RNIB discussion boards may be read by anyone. However, if you want to add a message to the discussions, you will need to register. If you are already registered you will need to login to add a new notice.
To register as a user, select the 'Register' link, which is available on all pages on the RNIB website. This takes you to the Registration for website form.
You will need to complete the registration form, which requires a verifiable email address. You will also need to choose a password and a display name, which will be used to identify your posted messages.
We strongly recommend all registered users keep their postings anonymous - do not use your full name as your display name. We also recommend you avoid sharing any personal information that can be used to identify you (such as your name, age, address, name of employer and so on).
Once you have submitted the registration form, you will receive an email from RNIB. This email will contain a link to the discussion board that will complete the registration procedure. After this, you will be able to log onto the RNIB website and post messages on the discussion boards.
Once registered, you will also be able to add events, receive e-newsletters, comment on blogs and become a Web Pal! Find out more about the benefits of website registration
Browsing topics
Each discussion board homepage displays ten topics. To view more topics activate the numerical links at the top of the page. Click the link 'oldest' or 'newest' to see messages in date or reverse date order.
Adding a new message
You can either start a new topic for other users to reply to, or reply to an existing topic yourself. There is no limit to the number of messages you can add. You could even post new messages to your own topic to respond to what other people have said.
Starting a new topic
First, find the discussion board you want. There are many to choose from, and each has a description to let you know what sort of topics are suitable for each.
Within each discussion board, you will see a list of existing topics. A topic can have many messages from different users within it.
Click on the 'New topic' link. This will bring up a page where you can add the details of your topic:
-
Topic name: Make this as short and self-explanatory as possible, for example 'Advice needed on dealing with glaucoma' or 'Where can I buy a mobility cane?'
-
Topic description: This will become the first, introductory message on your topic. Explain in detail whatever you wish to discuss.
Then click the Submit button. Your new topic will be moderated and, once approved, will go live on the discussion board for all to see and respond to. See further on in this page for details of how the discussions are moderated.
Replying to an existing topic
In each discussion board you will find a list of existing topics. Click on the topic name to see the original message and all replies.
To post a reply yourself, click on the 'Reply' link at the bottom of the topic. This will bring up a page where you can add the details of your message. Simply type your message into the text box.
Then click the Submit button. Your new topic will be moderated and, once approved, will go live on the discussion board for all to see and respond to. See further on in this page for details of how the discussions are moderated.
Not approved - what did I do wrong?
Don't worry if you see the words 'Not approved' next to your message. This doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it. All posts are moderated before they go live. 'Not approved' simply means that your post is awaiting moderator approval. It will go live as soon as one of our moderators gets to it - usually within 24 working hours, Monday to Friday.
Finding my message
If you've successfully added a message, you can find it again by clicking on 'View my notice'. You must be logged in to do this. There's guidance further down on this page that explains how to find out if you're logged in or not.
Editing my message
You can't edit your message once posted - you'll have to delete it and add a new one. Remember that you will need to be logged in to do this. There's guidance further down on this page that explains how to find out if you're logged in or not.
Deleting my message
If you are logged in, you can delete your own message.
Click on the link that says 'View my message'. You must be logged in to do this. Then you can delete your message using the 'Delete' link.
Remember that you must be logged in to delete your message.
Logged in or logged out - how do I know?
You can only log in to the website if you are registered with the website.
If you are logged in, there will be a message at the top right hand side of the screen saying "Hi" and then your name. There will also be a link at the top right hand side of the screen saying 'Logout'.
If you're logged out, there won't be a "Hi" message, and the links at the top right will say 'Login' and 'Register'. If you're not logged in and you want to login, you should click on the 'Login' link at the top right hand side of the page.
When you login, there is a tick box that says 'Automatically log me in on this computer'. If you tick that box your computer should remember to log you in automatically to RNIB's website next time you visit (but only if you're using the same computer you used when you ticked the box. Don't use the tick box if you're using a public computer, at a library for instance).
Automatic login will only work if you have 'cookies' enabled on your browser. You should refer to your broswer's help pages for information about how to enable cookies. A browser is what you use to access the Internet (such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera).
How the discussion boards are moderated
All discussion boards are moderated by RNIB. This means messages are reviewed by RNIB to ensure they meet our content standards. Once approved, they are published on the discussion board.
When you post a new message, or a reply to an existing one, RNIB is alerted and your message is reviewed as soon as possible. If the message is approved, it will be published on the discussion board.
Once you have successfully published three messages, you will then be able to post messages without moderation. Your messages will be automatically published without delay.
RNIB will continue to review all messages and remove any that do not adhere to our content standards.
All posts to the Research board are moderated before publication.
Content standards
RNIB approves all messages according to our terms and conditions. As a registered user, you agree to abide by these terms and conditions regardless of whether or not you have read them.
Whenever you submit your content to our website or contact other registered users, you must comply with our content standards. If you do not comply, we reserve the right to suspend or ban you from using the website and the Registered User Areas without notice.
For further information on content standards, refer to our Terms and conditions for registered users.
Still having trouble?
If you've followed all the advice on this page and you're still having trouble, you can send us an email. We'll get back to you as soon as we can.
Please give us as much detail as possible about what you did and what happened. We will definitely need your full name and the email address you tried to register with. What we will
never need (and you should never share) is your password.
Send an email with all the relevant details to
webeditor@rnib.org.uk
Lacking confidence?
Could some of your problems be because you're not too confident using your computer, or the internet, or your access technology? It seems that technology is everywhere, but we know that not everyone is a computer whizz!
Try reading our
Technology section for some advice and to learn a bit more.
You might also like to check out our
Technology discussion board and our
TechKnowMore blog - they're for all ages and abilities.
Contact our Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or email
helpline@rnib.org.uk - ask them if there's an IT volunteer who could spend some time helping you to learn more about computers and websites.