Top 10 Qualities About Visually Impaired People That Makes Us Awesome

1.  When eyesight has been compromised whether from an illness, accident , etc., the other four senses "kick-in" giving usheightened perception.

2.  We are not ashamed of having a visual impairment. We have learned how to deal with it and manage to live life to the fullest.

3.  We do not always need acute supervision.

4.  We feel as unsettled (patronized) by over-compensating kindness as by judgment from others.

5.  We enjoy being spoken to in normal language as fully sighted people. Baby talk is not appreciated.

6.  Also, We dream while we sleep just like fully sighted people.

7.  We are responsive and engaging within our environment just as anyone else.

8.  We understand color in unique ways.

9.  Not all of us use white canes or use seeing-eye dogs, although we do love animals.

10.  We are open to curious inquiries about our situation.

And here's a BONUS: 
Our success hinges on we view life.

Top 10 Things NEVER to Do to a Person Who is Visually Impaired

Now that we've gone over what NOT to say to someone dealing with any level of blindness or visual impairment in the previous blog post, we would also greatly appreciate if you do not do the following to us:

1.  Yell or raising your voice at us.
We can still hear you, we just have a difficult time seeing.

2.  Get into our "blind spot", sneaking up behind us. 
Although we cannot see you too well, we do sense that you are there.

NOTE:  When one of the five senses get compromised, the 4 will kick in and an additional one called "intuition" is ever present.

3.  If you want to get our attention, gently tap our shoulder where we can see you. Again with the sneaking!

4.  Playing childish stupid games by sneaking up behind us covering our eyes with your hands saying "guess who?" 
We hate that... really we do.

5.  Following us while being silent. 
Guess what? We can still feel your vibe.

6.  Use sign language on us - it would be a waste of time 
WE ARE NOT DEAF! We can hear you just fine, thank you.

7.  Telling Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles or Helen Keller jokes.
Very disrespectful in any setting.

8.  Ignoring us or talking about us as though we don't exist.
How would you feel if you were in our shoes?

9.  Another stupid game - holding up your fingers in our face saying "how many fingers am I holding up?"
Grow up already!

10.  Totally getting into our face as if...
Please see #2 and the note that follows.

We don't ask for much.  Just treat us with respect and dignity as you would any other individual, regardless of disability or medical status.

Top 10 Things NEVER to Say to a Person Who Is Visually Impaired

Living everyday life as a visually impaired individual has its challenges at home and in the general public.  Things are hard enough indoors at home, depending on your own situation (living solo, with a spouse, roommates, family, etc.)... in your own space you are pretty familiar with the space and settings within your dwelling place.  However, once you leave from the familiar environment of your domicile into the outside world, it can be pretty overwhelming.

Where I currently reside, I live in a large apartment complex where having been there for the last 4 years, I know where everything is before having eye sight issues. Now that I've been determined to be legally blind by my ophthalmologist, I can no longer drive myself anywhere.  Although I do have a certain amount of sight, my peripheral vision is off, making it really difficult to drive - my one source of independence.  Thankfully I an able to walk a block to the grocery store, although being the particular person that I am, it is not Trade Joe's, Sprouts of Whole Foods when I lived in the city- there I am reasonable walking distance fro these stores where they carry mostly organic items (don't worry, I'm getting to the point of the subject in a few).

While at the grocery store, I have my list of healthy items and money burning in my wallet armed to shop.  Of course depending on the season, some feature items have been moved to the front of the store, thus having to move nearly everything else.  Mind you after my eye surgeries - 6 of them to be exact - a sistah's gotta eat! So I'm doing my shopping business; I've always been a label reader to make sure I'm getting the right thing without getting ripped -off, which I've done on some occasions.

Now when I shop, I must be present in the moment, have 100% focus on what I am purchasing and to not be disturbed.  Yes, I get that there are many other people doing their shopping too, but when your sight has been compromised, you need all the time you need to do so.  So when someone says "Excuse me", I do my best to be polite, even though my focus has been disturbed.  Now I'm really getting a little irritable - wanting to shop with the ease and confidence I once knew before my vision changed.

Checkout time:  I think some of the cashiers that know me can sense I have a hard time seeing (why I spend nearly 2 hours shopping), but they are patient with me.  So after I'm all done with the transaction, I get out my smartphone to summons my Lyft ride.  I'm near the exit when a man notices I have my magnifier to better view my phone.  He asked "Do you need any help Ma'am?"
First of all, I'm not that old, and second you don't know me and I don't know you so keep on steppin'.  He was nice about everything, but in this day and age where you may look at someone funny and there's problems.

Here are the top 10 things never to say to a person who is visually impaired:

1.  Iam so sorry this happened to you.

2.  Why are you using that (magnifying glass)?

3.  Just put on a pair of glasses.

4.  Here... let me help you with that.

5.  I know someone who is blind... want to meet them?

6.  Can you use a computer/cell phone/tablet?

7.  This is all a part of God's plan. (So patronizing!)

8. This  must have happened to you for a reason.

9.  You don't look like you're blind... where's your white cane or your seeing eye dog?

10.  How do you function like read books and labels, get around town, get around town?

This Is My Story

This is my story...

Seeing Life in a Whole New Way is the premier blog for those:

Living life Blind
Living with Low Vision/Vision Loss
Has a loved one living with blindness or Low Vision

The purpose of this blog is to educate those who are dealing with visual impairments at some level and their family members, friends, co-workers and others who can lend support.  

Here's my story:

Hello, my name is Lauren and I am living with low vision.  In September 2002, I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes - having a blood sugar level of 345 - and been fighting ever since.  Fortunately, this is a day and age where T2D is manageable, preventable and even reversible through nutrition, meds and exercise.  

I remember going to my first eye exam and what was shown to me was pretty scary.  The ophthalmologist (the eye specialist) revealed to me that in the back of eye were all these capillaries, and one of them had a dark spot - that was a blood vessel that was about to "pop".  I was told that this is progressive and that with careful monitoring and strict control (ha!) the blood vessel could shrink. But if this goes uncontrolled, the vessel could burst, causing visual impairment, even blindness.  

Fast forward - July 2012:  Nearly 10 years to the time I was first diagnosed, I was about to go to bed.  I noticed a few little black dots floating before my left eye, but shrugged it off as gnats - but gnats don't fly at night.  The next day as I was about to take a shower, I saw the little black dots again and then it hit me that something was not right.    I immediately went to my doctor for an eye exam and sure enough that blood vessel that was found ten years earlier had finally exploded.  I was then given a referral to go see a specialist across town.  As anyone could imagine, I was terrified.  As time when by, the black dots grew larger to where it was interfering with my daily life.  After procrastinating and hesitating, a friend had urged me to just drop everything - including me fear, pride and apprehension and just so admit myself to ER and see the eye specialist ASAP.  

Once I was admitted, examined and had seen the specialist, I was told that I had Diabetic Retinopathy where the retina was torn on two.  The doctor showed me the X-ray and I was totally freaked out! This was a really crazy time in my life as I was living between places, working between freelance gigs and on top of that, my dad was very ill.  The added stress had exacerbated the progression of the eye disease.   

Fast forward 2017:  Currently I am under the care of an awesome ophthalmology team at The Inland Eye Institute in Colton, CA.  Since March 2015, I've had a total of six(6) eye surgeries - 4 vitrectomies for the Retinopathy and 2 Cataract procedures and at least an injection in each eye every 6 to 8 weeks to save my vision.  The right eye has had more damage although it all started with the left eye (more about that in a later submission). I have been declared legally blind by the ophthalmologist who is a top retinal specialist - highly recommended by USC Medical.  My peripheral vision in my left eye is practically gone, my right eye there are sometimes wavy lines; my vision is 20/70 in the left eye and 20/400 in my right eye. I may never be able to drive again, but thankfully there's Uber and Lyft - plus in California I'm not so sure if I want to anyway!

But all in all God is good and each morning I am truly grateful to be able to open up the two greatest gifts - my eyes and having a measure of vision.  This is what it's like to walk by faith and not by sight!