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This blog began as a class project for Social Media and Marketing, focusing on personal branding, but it has grown into something much deeper and more personal. My journey with vision loss is not just a story; it reflects the experiences many may resonate with and hope to share.
I was once able to see clearly, but as time passed, my vision began to change, a common experience for many. It hit me unexpectedly one day while I was working as a hairdresser. I was intensely focused on a client’s highlights when I noticed things were becoming blurry. My employer kindly remarked that now that I was in my forties, glasses were probably on the horizon.
I now pronounce you ... blind. Living with vision loss. Part 2
I needed to narrow my search down to what I needed, which, admittedly, I sometimes confused with what I wanted.
First, I needed to know about the guide canes visually impaired people use. Again, there are several videos, but I came upon one from Sam Seavey, who hosts "The BlindLife" on YouTube. What I found interesting is that he reviews accessible technology. What can be so "technical" about a guide cane? Click below for just one example.
https://youtu.be/XGv46g_P5IM?si=eTgFqpLvDb1B9-lH
Since then, Sam has reviewed several canes. In one of his videos, he even mentioned that his wife accused him of having a collection. I can understand that, I have a few as well, and one is technical. It has a light at the handle grip for walking at night, flashes red when I need help, and emits a loud noise. I used it once; it was too heavy, the light was in the wrong place as far as I was concerned (concealed chiefly by hand), and I didn't walk at night...But I love technology, so I bought it.
His reviews on the more traditional canes helped me decide. The material they're made from: Do they fold, or are they rigid? How many times do they fold? When he showed a car running over a guide cane, and it didn't damage it, I made my decision.
After I received my cane, I decided it was time I learned how to use it, right after I got over the stigma of people seeing me walking and recognizing I'm blind.
That is for Part 3 of my next blog.
Part 3
It didn't take me long to transcend the 'stigma' of using a white guide cane. I chose to embrace it as a symbol of empowerment, a tool that enables me to navigate the world with confidence.
So many visually impaired people have felt the same way as I did when they first started using their guide canes. They didn't want to draw attention to themselves using it. What's the difference between using a guide cane and a guide dog? Other than the dog is usually cuter and has more personality.
Though I didn't want to draw attention to myself with the cane, I must admit the attention I was getting was worth it. Employees in grocery stores asked if I needed help finding anything, which isn't uncommon even for people with good eyesight. Yet, somehow, it felt different. I also started to learn to ask for help, even from the other customers.
I ask for help when I need it and say no thank you to people who ask if I need help when I don't. Sometimes, I may not need or want the help, but when it's offered, I will say yes. Why? We all need to feel good about ourselves. If accepting someone's help makes them feel better, even instantly, then it's a win-win for both of us.
What I don't like is when people who knew me before being diagnosed as legally blind will tell me I can't help them because I can't see. I still can! I have to remind them I'm still able to see, but I might be slower when I try to visually focus on the task or to find an object. Telling somebody who still has some sight they can't do something because they can't see can be bad for their self-esteem. Try a different approach. Tell us no thank you, or you can manage; you don't need to remind us we have vision problems. At the same time, if you see us doing something difficult, ask if we need help, but don't take what we are doing away from us and do it yourself. We need to have independence and feel self-worth. If we struggle with it, we will ask for your help.
Above all, remember that we're visually impaired, not invisible. We're still here, contributing, and viable members of society.
ai-generated image of a visually impaired man showing he can still do things for himself.
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