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Relearning how to drive after loosing sight in one eye (self.Blind)
submitted by justbuyamac
tl;dr I'm a 26 year old male who has diabetic retinopathy. Diagnosed type 1 diabetic at age 5. Right eye has some vision but overall not really useable. Left eye good with monthly injections.
So, has anyone "re-learned" how to drive after losing sight in one eye? Before I really enjoyed driving. I was a good driver, no tickets, no accidents. I can still legally drive but I haven't in over a year because I get really scared since I don't have peripheral out of the right eye. I live in the suburbs of Chicago so I basically have no public transit, don't qualify for any on demand transit service, and Uber is hit or miss (usually miss). So.. I guess my question is if anyone has relearned to drive with only sight out of one eye. In the past year I've basically became a hermit compared to how social I was before. Not all of that is because it's hard for me to get places, but for the majority it is. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
So, has anyone "re-learned" how to drive after losing sight in one eye? Before I really enjoyed driving. I was a good driver, no tickets, no accidents. I can still legally drive but I haven't in over a year because I get really scared since I don't have peripheral out of the right eye. I live in the suburbs of Chicago so I basically have no public transit, don't qualify for any on demand transit service, and Uber is hit or miss (usually miss). So.. I guess my question is if anyone has relearned to drive with only sight out of one eye. In the past year I've basically became a hermit compared to how social I was before. Not all of that is because it's hard for me to get places, but for the majority it is. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
bug8604 1 points 7y ago
I hardly belong here but thought I'd throw in my two cents in case it helps lol I have lower vision in my dominant right eye due to retinal detachment and scleral buckle surgery to correct it. Bad vision to begin with plus uneven double vision (helped with a prism) and poor fine detail vision resulting in depth perception issues and better vision peripherally. I find the best way to deal with depth perception is to understand what the distance means to you; for example I see a car a certain distance from me and I know the distance because I've see it before (like if I'm at a certain sign and the car is at a certain sign). Does tha make sense? When driving, I tend to err on the side of caution and give myself more room than I used to before the surgery. If I'm with someone I have them help me out confirming if I have room to do the action I need to. I quadruple check every move. Also, flickering or flashing lights can throw you off, exits are sometimes sudden, and parking can be tricky. If I'm not sure I can make it, I wait. It sucks because making left handed turns is really anxiety inducing sometimes but way better to wait than get into an accident lol Also, watch out for headaches from focusing more and making your eyes work harder than normal. I also have floaters so sometimes I can't trust my vision when I see something it may or may not actual be there and I have to give myself time to make sure which it is.
justbuyamac [OP] 2 points 7y ago
I think we may be the same person. Our vision is almost exactly alike. I had/have bad double vision and I just got prisms (literally a week ago) but I'm not putting much hope into them helping because I'm out of hope for my vision getting better. I've been wearing them full time for three days now. I had a bleed in my good eye a few weeks ago so I still have some major floaters going on. So far I've just been outside once or twice (summer break, don't judge :P) and crossing a busy street is like making a left hand turn in a car. I obv walk a lot and cross some roads that I probably shouldn't be. With the prism looking down a block or two the street sends my eyes into a frenzy. It has no idea what's going on. Distance it going to be hard, but I have to test it out and train myself. It's been super super sunny so I doubt that's helping. If I can get the double vision down and be able to see distance again without double vision I'm getting in the first car I have to relearn like I'm 15 in drivers ed. Thank you so much for your thoughts.
bug8604 1 points 7y ago
Good luck! :) It's definitely doable but I think the biggest thing is having confidence in yourself and not overthinking things. Hard, I know lol But I know you can do it!
impablomations 1 points 7y ago
It sounds like your main stumbling block is confidence.
Have you thought about a few driving lessons with a local instructor?
Maybe driving again with the knowledge that someone can hit the brakes if necessary may help you build up your confidence and enable you to practice driving in a fairly safe environment.
Have you thought about a few driving lessons with a local instructor?
Maybe driving again with the knowledge that someone can hit the brakes if necessary may help you build up your confidence and enable you to practice driving in a fairly safe environment.
justbuyamac [OP] 1 points 7y ago
You hit the nail on the head. I feel like I'm 15 again and getting my permit. I'm trying to ease my way in. My friend keeps trying to get me to drive around residential streets on a weekend afternoon when there's no one else on the road but I shut her down. I think I'll try when I see her next in two weeks. I say that now but I have two weeks to talk myself out of it.
impablomations 1 points 7y ago
If you're with a driving instructor in their car, one with dual controls - you might relax a bit since they can take over if necessary.
I think all you need is that initial confidence boost - that 1st step getting back into the drivers seat. Once you do some simple driving, even if just round an empty parking lot and doing some simple maneuvers like three point turn, parking the car etc.
You have to take that first step though - remember the feeling when you 1st got your licence and the sense of freedom & independence it gave you - focus on that.
I'd kill to be able to drive again, although we have (mostly) great public transport here I can't use it due to mobility problems so I'm pretty much like yourself trapped in my local area.
I saw someone else mentioned driving simulators - 1 game you could try, that I've played myself is European Driving Simulator (I think there's an American truck version too).
Obviously the act of driving is going to be different than a car, but - it's almost like driving with reduced peripheral vision. Your mouse controls your view, you have to look around the cab while driving, turn view/head to look at the mirrors, turn your view to check if the road is clear at junctions etc.
It might help you learn a bit about how much you will have to compensate by turning your head more to make sure you are aware of any hazards (which I think is possibly one of your biggest fears - not seeing hazards etc)
I have Homonymous Hemianopsia which means I basically have no visual field on the left side of both eyes. Had a stroke during heart surgery so I went from 20/20 vision to my current state instantly - a big shock to the system.
Playing FPS games helped me as well - teaching myself how to look around more with my head and not just moving my eyes.
I know where you're coming from with the lack of confidence, I took a major confidence hit but I'm a stubborn bugger.
Focus on regaining your freedom and independance again. Book some lessons with an instructor with dual controls, go for a simple drive with your friend - even if just driving in a straight line down a dead road.
You can do it, I know you can, your friend knows you can, you know you can!
I think all you need is that initial confidence boost - that 1st step getting back into the drivers seat. Once you do some simple driving, even if just round an empty parking lot and doing some simple maneuvers like three point turn, parking the car etc.
You have to take that first step though - remember the feeling when you 1st got your licence and the sense of freedom & independence it gave you - focus on that.
I'd kill to be able to drive again, although we have (mostly) great public transport here I can't use it due to mobility problems so I'm pretty much like yourself trapped in my local area.
I saw someone else mentioned driving simulators - 1 game you could try, that I've played myself is European Driving Simulator (I think there's an American truck version too).
Obviously the act of driving is going to be different than a car, but - it's almost like driving with reduced peripheral vision. Your mouse controls your view, you have to look around the cab while driving, turn view/head to look at the mirrors, turn your view to check if the road is clear at junctions etc.
It might help you learn a bit about how much you will have to compensate by turning your head more to make sure you are aware of any hazards (which I think is possibly one of your biggest fears - not seeing hazards etc)
I have Homonymous Hemianopsia which means I basically have no visual field on the left side of both eyes. Had a stroke during heart surgery so I went from 20/20 vision to my current state instantly - a big shock to the system.
Playing FPS games helped me as well - teaching myself how to look around more with my head and not just moving my eyes.
I know where you're coming from with the lack of confidence, I took a major confidence hit but I'm a stubborn bugger.
Focus on regaining your freedom and independance again. Book some lessons with an instructor with dual controls, go for a simple drive with your friend - even if just driving in a straight line down a dead road.
You can do it, I know you can, your friend knows you can, you know you can!
Lion_the_Bunny 1 points 7y ago
I just got my license at the age of 29 through the bioptic driving program. I'm legally blind (hereditary form of optic nerve atrophy) and my license is restricted to only daytime driving, but it's a vast improvement to no driving. My mom had a license until last year - it was revoked because her vision had deteriorated due to her optic nerve atrophy. She's just finished her bioptic program and is driving again. She only has a bioptic over one eye though, and she didn't have to spend nearly as much time training as me since she'd already had her license. We got the information for the assisted driving program through our local Vocational Rehabilitation, which you should definitely check out if you haven't. If you have any questions let me know!
P.S. Added a picture of the glasses for you - https://imgur.com/gallery/iC6GGKU
P.S. Added a picture of the glasses for you - https://imgur.com/gallery/iC6GGKU
justbuyamac [OP] 2 points 7y ago
thanks so much. :) i should of added that under Illinois state law I am legal to drive without any restrictions, so this is a personal learning thing. tbh i've wanted to post this question for a long time but have resisted embracing resources like /r/blind because i haven't accepted that this is my new reality. i've had three vitrectomies (first one attached the retina but filled the eye with blood, second one left eye blood free for two weeks, third one is on and off bleeding inside) and an IOL put in within six months -- all while working on my bachelors of social work. thanks for being welcoming.
Lion_the_Bunny 1 points 7y ago
Of course : ) Vision loss is scary and it can be an alienating experience. You're definitely not alone!
OneFishTwoFish 1 points 7y ago
I can't speak from direct personal experience, but I had a roommate who only had sight in one eye. He was able to drive, and it wasn't any scarier riding with him than with any other late teen / early twenty-something driver. He used a variety of techniques to determine speed and distance without depth perception -- reference objects, rate of changing size, etc. He was an engineer and had a pretty sophisticated system worked out, but he was aware of the limitations and drove cautiously.
Pilots use simulators to gain experience without risk, and there are some good driving simulators out there. The false 3D on a 2D screen might actually be a bonus in your case. I've heard good things about $1, but it's a game and there are probably more realistic options out there.
tl;dr Best of luck, you can definitely do this.
Pilots use simulators to gain experience without risk, and there are some good driving simulators out there. The false 3D on a 2D screen might actually be a bonus in your case. I've heard good things about $1, but it's a game and there are probably more realistic options out there.
tl;dr Best of luck, you can definitely do this.
justbuyamac [OP] 2 points 7y ago
you are my favorite person today! that idea got me looking and googling simulators and the idea of google cardboard + driving simulator + iphone came to me. i will report back once i get my cardboard.
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