Couple of sayings for you. The first is "play the hand your dealt", which I suspect is used widely in the English speaking world. The second is (to the best of my knowledge) specific to Australia: "she'll be right mate". With regard to the former, the circumstances you've found yourself in are out of your control. You need to to do your best to manage them for an optimum outcome, but at the end of the day, don't play hypotheticals and beat yourself up over it. The second is quite simply don't worry, things will be ok.

I have retinitis pigmentosa. My retina is dying at an accelerated rate and I will one day be totally blind. I've always known this would happen and was officially diagnosed at 9. My condition is genetic (linked to the X chromosome), and my grandfather is totally blind. He was totally blind around 55-60, my progression is worse than his. I am hopefully I'll make it to 40, I'm currently 29.

Like you the bulk of my hobbies are sight reliant - particularly tabletop wargaming, for which I paint miniatures and make my own terrain - but over the past few years my sight has deteriorated. I'm finding it much harder to read, and I've stopped playing a few PC games due to the difficulty (e.g. League of Legends). While that sucks, ultimately I know my interests will just need to change. Tabletop gaming is still very possible, even when totally blind, you just need some assistance (even now I get my opponent to verify my dice rolls). You can listen to audio books, or learn Braille and read things in that (I accept it isn't identical to reading with your eyes, but beggars can't be choosers). That's just a couple of things, but point is to take a hobby and examine how it could be done without sight. And believe me, there is plenty of opportunity.

For me, the biggest driver has been a desire to ensure I can live independently. In Australia, if you own your own home, you can live comfortably on the pension. If you don't, then you're toeing subsistence. I went with study and a job that was suitable for someone with vision loss, and I've focused very hard on achieving the goal of financial security and independence. Achieve that, then who cares what else happens, you've got yourself sorted.

I recommend you have a think about what you really want to get out of life, write it down, consider the timeframes, and set some milestones. Also consider what it is you fear, the absolute worst case scenario of that fear being realised, and strategies to prevent, mitigate, or manage those fears.

Best of luck.

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Hi. I have an eye disorder called Aniridia. Both my eyes suck and doctors don't know what my site will be as I age. The not knowing really bothers me and I have had some loss in my vision due to this and that. When I tell the doctors my vision changed for the worse they couldn't tell. They said likely my vision was already so bad that a big difference to me was nothing to them. However, I was raised the opposite and when I talk about how different I feel I get scolded and told to get over it. High school and middle school were the worst. That's really the time when having any difference is awful. College is way better. Your world is your campus and you don't need a car if you are attending school events. I know how you feel on going blind. I am 31 and if I were to wake up blind I couldn't do my job anymore. Unfortunately, you just need to stop thinking what if. If your in school put your self out there. Join some clubs talk to people. Let them know if they have questions about your vision it's ok for them to ask. Having a social circle of any kind is a big help. Don't expect others to know how to help or when. If you need help ask. I cannot read the menu at 99% restaurants. So I try and look at menus online before going. Now that I am married my husband helps with that a lot. He has no disability. But he grew up with a disabled Dad and had other friends with disabilities. So to him it's nothing. There are people out there that will get it and some won't. Don't let those get to you. Always keep trying to make friends. If you are worried at all financially try and save a little extra while you work.