Blind and Visually Impaired Community
↑
7
↓
a Dental student needs your help! (self.Blind)
submitted by shrooq_1004
hi I am a dental student working on my communication skills and I need to know for visually impaired individuals what difficulties have you faced in a dental clinic or what do you find lacking in dental clinics in terms of staff attitude, accommodations or anything else.
​
Thank you for your time !
​
Thank you for your time !
Laser_Lens_4 10 points 4y ago
Please tell us what the hell you're going to do before you stick sharp things in our mouths.
[deleted] 1 points 4y ago
[removed]
brass444 4 points 4y ago
Use your words (but not “over here/there”) to direct the patient to the chair. For example, “the chair is about five feet to your left” or “I’m handing you the toothpaste sample.” Please don’t grab, push, pull or pull people unless they specifically ask. Thanks for asking.
AlexandrinaIsHere 3 points 4y ago
I'm not blind but I lurk here because horrible vision. I'm trying to schedule an eye surgery of the "fix this or lose the eye" variety and subscribe here for reminders that I can figure out how to handle whatever recovery period- I know where to ask for help for how to navigate a podcast app without sight.
Back to your point. With my expensive glasses that take between 7 and 21 days to make (my rx tends to result in broken lens during crafting) I take off glasses during dental appts.
I got a burn on my lips during my root canal because the dentist was heating whatever with a little torch and he was working at a non-predictable rhythm and I guess I accidentally closed my lips a little.
Speak up and narrate non-predictable hazards. If they're listening to a podcast maybe communicate at start of appt "I'm going to nudge your elbow anytime i need you to open wider" or "if I'm stepping away and back again with sharp or hot objects, I'll tap your chin with the back of my hand".
It's very frightening to find out there are burning hot objects nearby by getting burnt.
Back to your point. With my expensive glasses that take between 7 and 21 days to make (my rx tends to result in broken lens during crafting) I take off glasses during dental appts.
I got a burn on my lips during my root canal because the dentist was heating whatever with a little torch and he was working at a non-predictable rhythm and I guess I accidentally closed my lips a little.
Speak up and narrate non-predictable hazards. If they're listening to a podcast maybe communicate at start of appt "I'm going to nudge your elbow anytime i need you to open wider" or "if I'm stepping away and back again with sharp or hot objects, I'll tap your chin with the back of my hand".
It's very frightening to find out there are burning hot objects nearby by getting burnt.
DontCallMeJudy 2 points 4y ago
I hope it's not rude to ask, but how bad is your eyesight? I'm -12 and I want eye surgery of some sort (if it's even possible) and would love to hear what your experience has been trying to find what can be done. My eye doctor has told me no one would touch my eyes, but I wonder if he's just saying that.
AlexandrinaIsHere 1 points 4y ago
I forget the power- but no it's not -12. The issue is the astigmatism and why.
I have a structural defect in my right eye. Tear fluid is usually released from two outlets per eye, one above and one below each iris, then it's 'drained' into the tear ducts that are in the eye lid.
I'm missing a tear outlet on my right eye. My eye has a fluid bubble inside of it. It's slowly swelling and frankly doesn't comfortably rest inside my eye socket anymore. My astigmatism is that swelling and the fact that tilting my head moves the fluid bubble- if I pay attention I see objects change shape as I tip my head.
So this is a "fix the eye or remove the eye" situation. This is slowly getting painful and will eventually be dangerous.
I know that in another subreddit the subject of lasik came up and one of the things is that your rx has to be stable for at least two full years. But also it's basically them thinning your cornea to reshape it. If your rx has been stable you can maybe go talk to someone - just be aware that the answer may be no as you might not have thick enough of a cornea to reshape that significantly.
I have a structural defect in my right eye. Tear fluid is usually released from two outlets per eye, one above and one below each iris, then it's 'drained' into the tear ducts that are in the eye lid.
I'm missing a tear outlet on my right eye. My eye has a fluid bubble inside of it. It's slowly swelling and frankly doesn't comfortably rest inside my eye socket anymore. My astigmatism is that swelling and the fact that tilting my head moves the fluid bubble- if I pay attention I see objects change shape as I tip my head.
So this is a "fix the eye or remove the eye" situation. This is slowly getting painful and will eventually be dangerous.
I know that in another subreddit the subject of lasik came up and one of the things is that your rx has to be stable for at least two full years. But also it's basically them thinning your cornea to reshape it. If your rx has been stable you can maybe go talk to someone - just be aware that the answer may be no as you might not have thick enough of a cornea to reshape that significantly.
bradley22 3 points 4y ago
I'm very nervous when going to the dentist. I must admit all the dentists I've seen have been great. Having said that, here's some ideas that should help nervous patients.
1. Make sure that if the person is nervous to allow them time to breathe or to try to relax.
2. Allow people, (not just blind people,) to bring our phones or some kind of device to listen to music/a podcast/whatever it is we are listening to to take our mind off things.
3. Don't be demanding. We might no that we have holes in our teeth and telling us would be a good idea but don't demand harshly that we come back. Thing is, we know that if we don't go to the dentist that our teeth will hurt/rot/fall out so reminding us of that would just make people who suffer from anxiety feel worse. I don't exactly know how to get around that, I mean you could ask but then how do you ask without making someone panic?
On the other hand, if you see that the person is blind and has someone with them at the appointment, do not make hand signals indicating that they need work without telling that person. I had that happen to me.
The guy was very nice. I only found out because I asked my nan one day about the dentist and she told me that the guy was giving her hand signals indicating that I need work done on my teeth.
I understand what he was doing, but it made me feel less than human for a while.
4. Get rid of the dental smell somehow.
5. For those of us who are nervous, waiting around is terrible. If we could get in and get out, I think we'd appreciate it, I know I would.
/edit/ Formatting and capitalization.
1. Make sure that if the person is nervous to allow them time to breathe or to try to relax.
2. Allow people, (not just blind people,) to bring our phones or some kind of device to listen to music/a podcast/whatever it is we are listening to to take our mind off things.
3. Don't be demanding. We might no that we have holes in our teeth and telling us would be a good idea but don't demand harshly that we come back. Thing is, we know that if we don't go to the dentist that our teeth will hurt/rot/fall out so reminding us of that would just make people who suffer from anxiety feel worse. I don't exactly know how to get around that, I mean you could ask but then how do you ask without making someone panic?
On the other hand, if you see that the person is blind and has someone with them at the appointment, do not make hand signals indicating that they need work without telling that person. I had that happen to me.
The guy was very nice. I only found out because I asked my nan one day about the dentist and she told me that the guy was giving her hand signals indicating that I need work done on my teeth.
I understand what he was doing, but it made me feel less than human for a while.
4. Get rid of the dental smell somehow.
5. For those of us who are nervous, waiting around is terrible. If we could get in and get out, I think we'd appreciate it, I know I would.
/edit/ Formatting and capitalization.
ratadeacero 2 points 4y ago
Make sure you speak more loudly.
LarryWren 3 points 4y ago
#What?
shrooq_1004 [OP] 2 points 4y ago
noted! Thank you :)
ratadeacero 3 points 4y ago
I was joking on about this.
This nonprofit website is run by volunteers.
Please contribute if you can. Thank you!
Our mission is to provide everyone with access to large-
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
©2023 HumbleCat Inc • HumbleCat is a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Michigan, USA.