Understand that it’s normal to ask questions about your eye condition and it won’t be considered “silly” or “weird. ” Other than your doctor, you can also seek out information from therapists, eye care and vision specialists, and national organizations that serve people with visual impairments. If you know any people who also have a visual impairment, you can also ask them about what having this impairment is like.
There’s no set amount of time that it takes a person to grieve the loss of their vision. It’s important to understand that there’s no right or wrong amount of time for you to feel upset about your visual impairment. Talk to family or friends during the grieving process. It will be much easier for you to go through if you’re not alone. Talking to others about the way you feel can be very comforting and relieving.
For example, there are lots of devices that help blind and visually impaired people do daily life tasks such as cooking meals, getting around your home, doing basic hygiene, and traveling. There are also lots of apps on smartphones and computers you can use that are made for the blind and visually impaired.
For example, even with your impairment you can still do things like attend family activities, travel around the world, and do volunteer work around your community.
For instance, being blind doesn’t make you any less of a member of your family or community, nor do you have to sacrifice your career goals. You can still accomplish nearly all the same tasks that a sighted person would be able to.
Your doctor will probably be able to refer you to a local counselor or to an organization for the visually impaired that can help you locate these resources. Professional organizations, university-affiliated hospitals, and national organizations for the blind and visually impaired are good sources to help you get the support you need.
Take steps to be engaged in your local blind community. For example, sign up for classes and recreational activities with your local association for the blind to interact with and meet other vision-impaired people. Friends who have a visual impairment can also provide plenty of emotional support, suggestions, tips, and resources for yourself. Meeting other blind or visually impaired people can also help you recognize that you’re not alone and that you can have an enjoyable, pleasant life.
For instance, take note of the fact that you can still take care of yourself daily, spend time with the people you love, and do the things you enjoy doing. It’s important to remember that, although you will have many challenges, you’ll also have many accomplishments, just like any other sighted person does.
Some useful tools for the visually impaired include telescopic glasses, lenses that can filter light, magnifying glasses, hand magnifiers, and reading prisms. You can also install certain software on your phone or computer to make texts easier to see or to have voices say certain movements or actions aloud.
Equipment you can add or install in your home include larger buttons for telephones, brighter lighting, screen display software on your computer, or a wearable alarm you can use in medical emergencies.
Note that braille isn’t only useful for literary pursuits. It’s also used in such everyday items as door signs, elevator buttons, and clothing tags.
For example, if you’re a college student, your university can work with you and your professors to make sure you have the resources you need to learn the material, such as accessible PowerPoint presentations instead of traditional lectures. Examples of jobs that the blind can readily perform include teaching, customer service, social work, and motivational speaking. Visit career sites for the blind and visually impaired to find ways to make it easier to work with a visual impairment.
If you can’t afford a professional guide service, try asking a friend or coworker to drive you when you need to go somewhere (e. g. , to the grocery store or to work).
