I feel you.

I was in nursing school when this started, and I had to drop out because I was having trouble reading instruments that I needed to read and could no longer see well enough to evaluate a patient. I had gone to do the pre reqs for this and had my goal snatched out of my hands.

For the first two years after I started losing my vision, I was angry and I was suicidal. I had a bottle of oxy and was just waiting until the day that I couldn't handle it any more. The day that I almost did it, was the day that I could no longer pick up and read a book and read it. I was a shut in for the most part. I had been grabbed on the breast by some random turd in a parking lot on my birthday and was afraid to go out alone.

I started at my local blindness support center and everything changed. I saw people who were profoundly blind that were doing just fine. I went to their group discussions and activities. I met a lot of blind people. I had only known one previous to this.


Now I have a kindle, I can make the print large enough. Or I can get an audio book.

They talked me into doing training with the white cane, which I was surprised to learn that I could easily master. Now, I can even blindfold myself and get anywhere I need to go. It is freeing and gave me a new sense of self confidence.

I did technology training, to learn to use the tools that I would need. I am now working full time and I can get anywhere I want to go on the bus. I have a bar code reader for the market, an app that tells me what it sees. I have Blind Square, that helps me navigate.

One of the trainers at the center has an awesome guide dog. I might get one of those eventually.

You are young, I was not when this started. You can start learning braille now, *before* it's a necessity. I suck at it. You have years to learn what you need and to readjust your thinking to fold in a different set of experiences.

You have a choice, you can stay mad and get nowhere, or surrender to the process and head somewhere completely different than you ever imagined.

Don't be so hard on yourself. There are far worse things that could happen to you. This is a challenge and an opportunity to experience the world in a whole new way. You can do it.

Ooohh hugs to you. I don’t know what it is about some anniversaries or landmarks - for lack of better word they are just triggering. Trust me I know I know. Will be thinking of you and have a very good feeling about positive things ahead for you. (I’m half blind, retinal detachments, but hanging in there).

I was a year older than you when my vision nosedived. I had been a sighted 18 year old, fresh out of high school, trying to figure out my way in life. I could have started art school, or an apprenticeship as a tattoo artist, something I'd wanted to do since I was a kid, but I got real, real sick.

I was getting to high fevers, no energy, horrific pain, and it didn't let up for an entire month straight. Then, the vision loss started. In early February 2013, I started getting double vision. By April of that year, I couldn't read letters the size of my head, with any level of contrast, font, or color.

The rug was ripped out from under me, my art-related dreams dying almost instantly, but yet... I still had to go on.

Due to several disabilities related to how I lost my sight, some from negligence and malpractice, I am not employable. Instead, I aim to eventually make my income through writing, making my art in words instead of ink or pixels.

I'll be the first to tell you that the loss fucking sucks. No sugar coating, no bullshit. It's the short end of the stick, especially since you know and will remember what that loss feels like.

It's normal to grieve every step as you lose more vision, so try not to beat yourself up over that. If your therapist is someone you're comfortable with, discuss the feelings it evokes.

All in all, though, just remember that technology is shooting forward at a rapid pace. Five years ago, Braille displays were unreachable for most blind people without their state purchasing them. Now, for $500, you can have one that's on par with the more expensive models.

I hope you can find some comfort as you deal with this, and that you can find a path ahead in life before life starts to swallow you up.

Anniversaries are hard. I find difficult anniversaries tricky to navigate but usually feel relieved when they're over. Telling people close to you why you're feeling like this may help.

You’re going to be fine! It’s natural to be upset as the anniversary approaches. But there are a lot more opportunities for us blind folk now, and you’ll figure it out.

Take care!

Hey, have you thought about starting therapy? Humans process grief very differently and loss of your vision is something that most people in your environment probably won't get. It can be a good thing to have someone to talk to who is experienced with lots of different kinds of grief. Talking to non-professionals who have made or are making similar experiences might also be beneficial to you. Although I acknowledge that depending on where you live it is not necessarily easy to make contact with other vision impaired or blind people. Maybe you can find someone here?
Unfortunately I can't be of much help as I am sighted but feel free to pm me if you want to chat or need someone who listens. I like dogs (all animals but especially dogs) and baking and computer science.

I'm not visually impaired myself so I can't give you that perspective but I know a few people who are. A couple of them have got senior level careers, one got a Masters degree after sight loss. A couple I know are both blind but have brought up a family. Other people I know have bigger challenges with work and life. Having the right tools, adjustments and assistance makes a big difference.

Tools means screen readers, guide dogs, software like Seeing AI, tinted glasses, magnifiers, long canes and so on.

Adjustments can be as simple as other people not leaving stuff out or cupboard doors open where you will walk into them, or using taxis more to get around.

Assistance would be getting training to use the tools, employing people to help with correspondence or housework, going on holiday with a sighted companion who will be your assistant and guide.

Most of the above go on around me all the time and the extras eventually recedes into the hum of life.

You might be interested in the $1.

> In 1975, the UK organization Union of the Physically Impaired Against Segregation (UPIAS) claimed: "In our view it is society which disables physically impaired people. Disability is something imposed on top of our impairments by the way we are unnecessarily isolated and excluded from full participation in society."

Essentially, don't feel guilty about getting people to change things to help you just get on with life, those sighted people have just made things comfortable for themselves, with their tiny print and dull colours, without thinking about others.

You’re going to think I am kidding, but we share the same anniversary. August 16th, 2015 was the date of the glaucoma pressure spike that destroyed the vision in my right eye.

I still have a good cry sometimes. The anniversary sucks.

You have lost something precious to you. It is okay to mourn a loss. Don't let anyone, yourself included, rush you into coming to terms with it before you are ready.
If you need to cry, it's okay to cry.
For a while it's probably going to be hard.

But don't worry. In time things will become easier and happier.

When the time comes you will be able to laugh and smile again.

Everyone I know who had or has vision and has lost or is losing it laments its passing.

I was diagnosed with RP when I was 9, but we knew I had it before then (my grandfather has it and I've had glasses since I was 3). I'm 30 now and over the past few years I've had quite a bit of loss after a long period of stability. Three years ago I was still using regular contrast on my comptuer, September 2015 I switched to high contrast. Even two years ago I could still read printed material without issue, now I need lighting that is just right (both enough of it and at the right angle) and magnification. And then there's various hobby things I could do, but find increasingly difficult: games I used to be able to play, but now are too frustrating; or the amount of miniature painting I used to do.

It's completely normal and you're not alone. Unfortunately I can't really make any comment on how to overcome it, you just can't let it weigh you down to the point of inaction. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst because with RP you never know what your progression will be.

I think you're over thinking this. I would focus on the future you could have rather then a date. There is so much that can be done despite your blindness. I mostly hang out in the sighted community and find that I like it and hold up rather well. You can still do anything you want disspite your blindness.

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My mother, who's now almost 63, is blind. She went blind at 17, had me at 21, had a husband (my dad) who verbally abused her, sexually abused me, and subsequently killed himself in August of 1983. She raised me, blind, and met my stepdad and is happily married thank God. My point is she didn't give up, she doesn't give up, and even though she hasn't ever seen her daughter, husband, or grandkids doesn't stop her from pushing on. You can do it Reddit friend.

You are going to be ok.
Grief is understandable. It would be weird if you didn't have it after such a life change.
Just know that your life is far from over, and there are lots of good things ahead.
I myself am totally blind and have a good job, a wonderful wife, and an awesome child.
None of this stuff comes overnight, and you will face some challenges that are unique to you among your group of friends and family, but blindness is not a death sentence.
Now for some practical advice.
1: exercise. If you feel like you've lost confidence in your body or your ability to move, exercise can make this better. not only does it release feel good chemicals into your brain, it can give you a lot of confidence in your body and in your ability to physically affect the world around you.
2: learn braille! Audiobooks are great, but its really important to be able to read. Even if you only use it for signs on doors and the menu at cracker barrel, learn braille.
3: don't ever not do a thing because you're blind: DO chores, learn to cook if you can't already, and do all you can to be self-sufficient.
4: Even if its not in your nature right now, learn to say no. While its important to be able to ask for help, also know how to refuse it. You know your own abilities better than anyone else, and its ok to make that clear. If you need help, that is totally ok, but letting people know you don't want to be touched, guided, coddled, or overhelped is more than ok, its mandatory.
You are gonna do fine and you have a lot of good things ahead of you.
PM me if you think I can help in any way. There are a lot of good people on this sub and we're definitely rooting for you.
go get em.