I suffered major vision loss after a medical condition damaged my optic nerves. It sucks, and it takes time to adjust. I recommend getting mental health services, because it is a grieving process. I was very bitter, and it took time to work through those feelings. As far as support from loved ones, have you asked for help and support and have conversations about your situation? Many people avoid difficult situations where they don’t know what to say or do. My poor wife didn’t know how to approach me sometimes because I would need help and not ask for it, or if she took the initiative, I’d get mad because it made me feel lesser. Better communication (mostly on my part) would have made things so much easier.

If you haven’t yet, a low vision specialist and orientation and mobility training can help open up a lot of opportunities. If you are interested in going back to work, vocational rehab and the Ticket to Work program can help you with accommodations or retraining.

Good luck and best wishes! I hope things get better soon.

Hello.
I think the only thing to do is to accept the change . There is Always a way to pass through the hard situation.
So if you need to talk i'm here
And Nice to meet you 😊

My husband lost most of his vision because a hospital demanded 2k the same day of essential eye surgery in the absence of health insurance. We didn't have the money. His surgeon was donating services. This was a year before Obamacare.

It's been a hard road learning to adapt in tandem with the unfairness of how it all transpired. He had to give up his business that supported our family. It's completely upended our lives.

After a lot of trial and error, what I've see help J the most is learning to carve spoons. It threw me for awhile, but it makes sense. His attention is focused, there is community, he can get his aggression out on the wood and he can use his tactile sense and whatever vision remains. The best part is that he has found some purpose.

In hindsight, I wish he and I sat down with an Occupational Therapist much much sooner to learn how to adapt our home, and how I can help make things easier to find. I've been guessing a lot and inadvertently enabling him to be more dependent on me. Only today (after 5 years) was his first OT appointment, which I insisted he begin doing after I had a small stroke 2 weeks ago

Acceptance is a very long process, and one that will be difficult forever, I think. It's changed us in good and bad ways

Hey there. I am cautious about telling anyone what to do because people react in different ways. I figured that out by meeting (so far) three different people who have been in similar situations, going from good sight to not much sight very fast. That's what happened to me, way back when. So, I'm no authority on this, but I'll do my best.

The main thing that would have helped me was someone telling me not to try to find a way to like it. There is no magic wand that will make it lovely. I'm twenty years in and I don't like it. That's norml, that's being human. What you have to do is find a way to live your life while not liking it, in the same way you might not like, I don't know, climate change.

Getting to the point where that becomes background noise is the thing. You do need some buddies. If I was nearby I'd try to be at your place telling you this in person. But sometimes you have to take responsibility. People tell me that when they get to know me, I seem more subdued than when I first meet people. Eventually I worked out that I was being really friendly when I met people just so they know everything's normal and okay and we can talk. That's something you can do for yourself. Be easy to get to know, and it'll be fine. It's not always easy to be Mary Sunshine the whole time but if that's what it takes so be it. I can deal.

Just be aware that you do not have to love the situation you're in, you just have to find a way to not have that fact ruin your life.

Hello! Just dropping a line to say I am here to chat if you need anything. I cannot imagine the thoughts running through your head on repeat.

That sounds awful, if you want to talk anytime nuts send me a message, there's a few things you could do to make life easier or even just manageable, I'm not completely blind but I'm almost completely unable to read books so turned to audio books and stuff. And being unable to watch anime with subtitles I started reading manga on my tablet. My biggest struggle being visually impaired is not having anyone my age to talk to who is also visually impaired or blind so if you want I'd love to chat! I'm also potentially going through survey on my eyes this year so I'm a little scared about what might happen or if it will even help my eyes.

I found out 4 years ago that I was losing my sight at 19. Went from driving and working one day and the next it was nothing. I pushed all of my friends away, my ex left me and I hid away in my room doing nothing but comfort eating and feeling sorry for myself. It took time but I am doing better these days. I never read books before but audiobooks were a lifesaver, they stopped me losing my mind when I had nothing to kill time. Getting registered and joining charities helped also I put it off too long but having others around you going through the same sort of thing does wonders. I realised I had to do something for myself or I would get worse so starting up a gym membership is how I keep from falling back down that dark path the goal gives me something to push for and keep my mood up. It takes time and I still have bad days and days I panic with the cane or worry what people think of me using it but I am slowly getting there. Keep those who stick around close you find out very quickly who real friends are.

Holy shit that’s difficult and I’m so sorry you are going through this. Firstly, you have us as a support group! Please try and get in contact with any vision impairment services in your area. They will be able to help you adjust, including orientation and mobility, job readiness etc. I don’t know what these are called in America as I’m in Australia and we have 2 main ones. Secondly, please try and seek counselling/therapy because you can’t do this alone. I’m sure you can get online counselling. Lastly, you are not alone. It’s okay to mourn, this is a grieving process and it’s gonna take time to adjust. But if you ever need someone to talk to, you have us. My inbox is always open too. It’s scary but you can do it!

[deleted]