Try to have friends out with you if you're going to go out at night. But, really, the best thing is to meet people in real settings, become friends, and see what happens from there. It's tough for us, it really is...but dating is tough for sighted people, too. Do volunteering, go out to a garden and swing a pickaxe. I met my partner (11.5 years now) while swinging a sledgehammer gutting houses in New Orleans after Katrina. I was in a pretty transitional state like you are in now. Just do some stuff to get out of your own head, you'll be a lot more attractive when you're doing something actively, whether it's dancing or feeding animals at a kennel or teaching kids chess. Work on yourself, go lift some weights, sign up for events, throw a party, make some dough...just live in the world and you will pop out as a 3D person in people's lives. People will be drawn to you. That's how to do it.

Just be yourself man. Been with my girlfriend for 8 months because I was myself and we just clicked. Also, find yourself a good wingman if you like to go out to clubs and bars.

I HAVE MET MY DOPPELGANGER!!!

In all seriousness, welcome to the club. I'm assuming you have RP? I do, so apologies if I'm projecting. Dating can be tough, but don't beat yourself up. First off, dating isn't hard because you're blind, it's just hard. It does get easier, though. Some tips from my own experience:

First, it can be a great conversation topic, because blind culture is a thing, and like it or not, it makes you unique and stand out. You just want to avoid coming off as pitiable. But trying to mask it is going to make your life much harder. Trust me, I masked for 10 years, and I wish I just would have been myself.

Next, having a wingman (or wing girl) is always a good idea. That's good advice for the sighted anyway.

When it comes to just meeting people, that's just a thing that everyone does. But I get the feeling you're looking for what to do once you've got that first date.

If that's the case, if you're not driving, believe it or not, that's okay. It's going to come out sooner or later that you're going blind. There's nothing wrong with asking a special lady friend to drive. Just because you can't see doesn't mean you can't enjoy others' company in dark places (be careful getting drunk at bars with stairs, I learned that the hard way with a visit to the ER).

When I first started dating my wife, she liked to go to the movies, which I hated, because I can see a small part of the screen. But we did it for a couple months, and I finally told her. She felt terrible for making me go. I think you'll be surprised. If someone likes you, they'll accommodate. And quite frankly, there's nothing stopping you from making the first move.

I'm rambling at this point, but the point is to be yourself, don't mask, be honest and assertive. Ladies dig confidence, and quite frankly, whether you're blind or not, the confidence is most important. Source: married to a pretty lady for 10 years with 2 kids.

Also don't forget Daredevil. Everyone likes a superhero analogue.

I can completely relate to everything you are saying except for the dating part. I haven't been single since 2010, but that doesn't mean that I don't deal with very awkward social interactions. I try to accept that social interactions can be awkward for anyone. That's kind of part of the fun of it. I am also at the point where I have a couple of symbol canes and a full-size cane for when I need it one day. I always tell myself that it would be helpful to use the symbol canes, but I could never bring myself to actually use them. I bump into stuff fairly regularly and most people can't tell that I am going blind until they get to know me. I have been losing my vision from the center out so my peripheral vision allows me to get around fairly well, as in I commute by unicycle. The awkward part is that I tend to look off to the side to try and see anyone. This makes it very difficult to meet anyone new in bars or clubs. The best way that I have found is to just get out on the dance floor and bust a move. This is how I met my wife and my previous x before her. Dancing usually gives you enough time next to other people to tell a little about them and gives you a moment between songs to make small talk and probably say something awkward of course, but then you dance it out again LOL. At some point I will usually say something like, "BTW I am partially blind so I probably won't be able to recognize you again so holler at me if you see me. It takes me some time to get to know your voice and the way you move. That is typically how I recognize people." I try to keep the blind conversation short and sweet, but there are definitely those people that are extremely curious about you at this point. Sometimes it can be a decent icebreaker that can steer the conversation to somewhere else interesting. Other times people just don't get it and this can be awkward, but I see it as a decent filter for the people you want to keep talking to or not. To sum up, going blind presents a lot of challenges and socializing is no exception. So I actually find it quite refreshing that you have the courage to post about this unique challenge of going blind. I like what other people have said here about just be yourself, but I also know firsthand that there are many circumstances of being partially blind in certain settings that make it difficult to be fully yourself when you are very confused about your surroundings and who is around you. It is very difficult to tell when someone is talking to you or the person next to you in a club or a bar when everyone is just talking loudly and you can't tell if they're looking at you. Then you try and respond, of course having a hard time looking at them to let them know that you were talking to them, and they don't respond because now they are confused. Then people just think you're strange, and in my case they are probably right, so back to the dance floor LOL. But yeah, the awkwardness is real. You can explain this to people, but the conversation would be kind of a downer, and ultimately most people would not quite understand if they are not going through it themselves. So I appreciate the openness here. So if you can relate to a lot of these experiences and would like to know more about how I deal with them, please reach out to me. It would be a lot easier to talk about these things with people that get it first hand. Also, there is a lot to learn from those who are fully blind, but there is a spectrum of blindness and being partially blind where others cannot tell is a unique position to be in. My sister is also going blind and her vision has progressed further than mine, so she uses the symbol can pretty much on a regular basis. So between the two of us we get this spectrum of blindness fairly well. Also, finding a hobby that you can do in a group setting is probably the best way to meet people. Try something like acro yoga. You can get a lot of one on one interaction with someone where you really have to build up some trust. So it's a quick and easy way to know if there can be something there. Just don't let dating be the reason you go to something like Acro yoga, because that can really mess with the vibe and trust building. Good luck, and feel free to reach out.

Just be you doing the things that you enjoy doing. I'm fully blind so have a pretty set routine and regular wingmen who go out with me. I call into the same bar each week and know the staff, have a coffee int he same cafe most days, and it soon becomes non threatening for any one to talk to you if you're chatting with staff.

Bar staff will occasionally suggest quietly that I call a cab home rather than make a move, they can see stuff I can't obviously, and I take part in everything I can.

I have a sighted bf who I met at my gym, he spotted for me when my brother couldn't make it and the staff asked if he'd like to help me for 1/2 hour. Took longer than most relationships to develop as I needed to get comfortable with him (not the other way around as he says he'd have jumped my bones that night after the saw me in the shower)

I'm in the same boat. My confidence is at an all time low, unfortunately because of this. Would love to to hear of any tips/tricks also.

I'm in a similar situation to yours as in night blindness and degenerating peripheral vision (diagnosed with CHM as a teenager) and tbh I just never tell anyone about it until i walk straight into a lamppost or a door and it gets too obvious to ignore. (That or an evasive "i don't see good at night") Clubs are the bane of my existence so i usually stick with pubs.

The ones who don't get that something's wrong and just laugh at your clumsiness can fuck off, the ones who actually ask what's up are the ones you want to stick around. Works for friends *and* for dates, tbh.

I have similar vision and using a cane helps. People understand Inhave an issue and this explains by behavior.

Just say you're going blind? Is it really that hard?

Be confident. Be yourself.