February 21 - Blindness Demands

I like to read books about blindness. Sometimes they are memoirs and at other times they share new insights and medical updates.  I am especially interested in autobiographies and learning how different people react to blindness and vision loss. Perhaps that is even the reason that some of you are reading this blog.

The other day I came across a very interesting statement. The author of the book I was reading had had sight as a young man, lost his sight completely in his mid-forties, and after fifteen years of blindness, had his sight restored through a new surgical procedure. The comment that caught my attention was his perception that “blindness demands dependency and co-operation”.

I think that most people with partial or no sight would agree that not being able to see does indeed demand a certain dependency on others. How dependent we are might be influenced by our level of sight or just by our specific personality. I like to be as independent as possible but at the same time, my vision requires that I must rely on other people for certain things. For instance, I am unable to drive a vehicle, or read the flashing overhead menu at a fast food outlet, or read the directional signs at an airport. For these basic tasks I must rely on other people.

I think that the more important lesson to be learned with this dependency is one of courtesy, or as the author put it, of co-operation. When I rely on other people I know that I need to be even more aware of how I respond to them. I need to be on time if someone is offering to drive me somewhere. I need to say thank you if someone helps me with whatever it is that I am incapable of doing on my own. I need to be even a little more than just polite. I need to be gracious and grateful for the kindness of others.

In the book that I was reading, it was interesting to me that it was only after the author had experienced blindness that he was able to come to similar conclusions. Until his vision loss, he was accustomed to taking the people in his life for granted. When his sight was eventually restored, the lesson of co-operation, consideration and courtesy was a lesson he resolved to take with him in this phase of his life with regained sight.

 

February 9 - Vision Assistive Devices

Sometimes I can scarcely believe just how much technology has changed since my initial sight loss. At the time, finding devices or aides to help me “see better” was a real challenge. Mostly, I ended up with a drawer full of hand held magnifiers that did nothing to improve my ability to see print.

As you have likely realized from reading this blog, sight loss extends over a wide spectrum. Those of us who have limited sight don’t all see the same way. A device that works for one person might not necessarily work for another. For instance, at our last support group meeting Denis had brought an electronic magnifier. I am able to capture only one word using the magnifier and yet, Denis uses the device each night to read the local paper. I had brought along a set of large print playing cards. I need to hold these very close to see the print, but Carol was thrilled that she could see the print on the cards and could use them to play with her grandson. In turn, Carol had brought a Victor Reading machine to show the group. While this worked really well for her, the low volume was of no use to another two members who experience hearing loss. Nobody in our group reads Braille, but that would have opened up another avenue of assistive devices.

The good part about our meeting was that we were able to use the hands on approach to try out some of these small assistive devices. For someone with vision loss, and perhaps for anyone, it is very difficult to order something from a picture and a brief description in a catalogue.  Unfortunately with budget cuts, a few years ago CNIB found it necessary to close their sales rooms. This means that clients are no longer able to try out devices before purchase. Sharing in small group situations might be one way to partly overcome this deficit.

These days I feel fairly comfortable with the assistive devices that I use. I use an audible reading machine, an audible program on my phone and my computer. I have a CCTV reading machine and a hand held audible GPs. These devices and programs help me through my days of vision loss. However, the market is constantly changing and improving and I am always open to trying out new assistive devices and products.