My 7 year old son is blind (has some light sensitivity and can make out some shapes) and has been since around 2 and a half due to an adverse reaction to chemotherapy, so although I don’t have first hand experience, I have learnt a lot by thinking about what he needs to know and learn.

The most obvious was braille. As a ‘sighted’ person I read it by looking at it. I obviously had to learn to help him with his school work. So it might be a good idea in your case to learn it now by sight to make that transition easier in the long term as you will know the basics visually. Was actually surprisingly easy to learn with egg box and ping pong balls to get an understanding.

Maybe naturally start doing the things that you will want to do later such as knowing when you’ve filled a glass by having finger tip on the inner rim of it. We try to use all of these techniques so that it feels completely normal to him.

We’ve noticed as he is getting older, a lack of independence is more frustrating to him than a lack of site, so have made sure he has as many things as possible to be self sufficient. I’ve essentially gone down the ‘smart home’ route. We have Philips hue bulbs in every room of the house, Amazon echos in every room, nest thermostat, ring doorbell and security cameras, and recently Amazon Fire Cube boxes in every TV. This means that whatever he wants can be achieved by voice. The cubes fully control the tv/sound bar etc so he is able to turn it all on and ask for the movie/tv show he wants. If he’s cold, he can put the heating on in specific rooms. If he needs a light on etc. Can even find out who’s at the door via the intercom (we don’t let him do that one yet unless we know who’s coming)

The next bit I need to learn so that I can teach him is navigating a MacBook via the assistive functionality and touch typing as he is going to need those soon. He is going through ‘normal’ school so this will be essential.

You sound like you’re in a good position figuring things out early. I wish you all the luck in the world 🙂

I would definitely start learning Braille right away. You can learn it by sight at first, which shouldn't take too long - it's no worse than learning the Russian alphabet or Morse Code or something similar, so with even 15-20 minutes per day you will probably feel pretty comfortable with it (at least the basic forms) within a few weeks. There's an app called Braille Tutor for Android which is very helpful.

The much harder aspect is learning to read it by touch. You will need to train your finger tips to be sensitive enough, which can take a lot of time and commitment if you want to reach a level where you can read books. I would start practising as soon as you can with that (medicine boxes are a good place to begin before you've got your hands on proper resources, legally they all have to have Braille on)

I went blind at 18 very rapidly, and I'm only 25 so it's been a few years for me.

I really recommend learning at least one device's built in screen reader and braille. Those two open up millions of doors that would otherwise be annoying to pry open.

I taught myself to use my iPhone over a fairly short amount of time, and I learned braille in a program for the blind. If I had known simple things like the fact I could change typing from double tap to just single tap, I would have had a much better time. Plus, having access to the internet means you can do your own research when you have a new issue, rather than asking a rehab specialist who may only have one technique they know of.

I use braille for labelling everything, and I typically type in braille on my iPhone. My other disabilities make a college degree a money sink for my state, so I haven't gone and thus I don't have a braille display, but I would still love one that works reliably whenever I have the means to get one. But, I'm so speedy with a screen reader that realistically I'd use it mostly for proofreading.

I would also recommend to learn recognise clothes by touch. Or you can choose to mark every item.

How to shoot and how to drive.

Trust me, you'll wanna be a pro by the time you go blind.

If you want to learn household tasks like cooking nonvisually, receive training from blindness service providers; don't try to invent your own techniques when wearing a blindfold.

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The two top things I can think of is learning to use a computer via screen reader. I suddenly went blind myself, so had to teach myself how to use a computer again while blind. Was frustrating, and would recommend practicing while you can still see.

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Same goes for an iPhone. Start using one via coice over and with Siri voice commands to get the hang of it.

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Having said that, please remember it is 2020, and technology is advancing at an unbelievably rapid pace, so there's always the chance that whatever you teach yourself now will be totally useless in 5 - 10 years if and when you go blind, as we'll be running on all totally different technology by then. For example, by then there may be brain implants that connect directly with our visual cortex, allowing us to see just fine.

My eyesight gotten worse gradually last years now I'm legally blind on right eye at best (visus 0,02=1/50 or less) left eye no light non functional since 15 years due to ROP and retinal detachment. But I successfully completed "normal" school and even studied some time English full-time. But I had to move to other country and stopped it.

I attended for 1,5 years rehabilitation program for people who sight goes worse in a school for blind and low vision. It is financed in Germany to prevent people staying in home due to disability, to learn skills to later get back to work or school. I learned there some useful stuff. If you have access to such kind of rehabilitation it's worth doing. That was for small group age ranged 16-55 years but we got along really well!

I have some tips for you.

If you want to learn and use Braille: start now.
Do not learn Braille by sight! It's common mistake and it's very hard to switch over to proper feeling with your fingers. If you want to learn and then use it effectively learn and read with fingers only it's very important!
First steps actually is to highten your fingers sensitivity, play with Lego, small beads with closed eyes, touch different textures surfaces objects. Train on your clothes first take out random ones and try to recognize them, feel the materials the difference between different jeans, shirts. Touch everything in safe setting. Then start with very large dots can be ping pong balls or pebbels, Legos. Proper hands position is important, sit straight, both hands on the beginning of the line your fingers in one line most important for now are your point fingers other fingers should stay in contact with paper even if they can't read yet. Use your dominant hand for reading, one finger first often point finger ist most sensitive with a practice you could later read simultaneously at the same time with other fingers or even maybe with both hands but it's rare for people who lost sight later in their life. First so with a 1 letter, then alphabet, short words, longer ones. Take your time don't rush don't rub Braille points to feel better. If fingers go numb do a break.

Start now professional mobility training and using white cane to familiarize with it. Use it daily in every condition.

Start learning typing blind on your laptop/computer keyboard I think it's called $1 it's essential when you can't use mouse anymore. Learn essential keyboard shortcuts to operate computer without mouse. Later if you lose your sight you will need Braille monitor that will show you text from screen in Braille dots for this expensive Screenreader is necessary. Mouse doesn't work well or at all with Screenreader like JAWS/NVDA (only free one)/Supernova/ZoomText Fusion.

You don't have to buy Apple products it's a old myth! Nowadays Windows and Android are as much accessible as iOS and you can save your money for other essential technology aids. I can use myself my 200$ Android phone everyday as well as iPhone (yes I had it before) blindfolded with no problems. I have WearOS - Android accessible 100$ talking smartwatch! There's tons of hardware to choose from not only Samsung or iPhones!

Learn how to safe cut protecting your fingers: always lay item flat, use contrast cutting boards for now. $1 train that with eyes closed slow at first speed comes later!

The last color I stopped seeing with left eye until it was only light and black was yellow and sometimes orange. Useful for important markings use stickers in those bright neon colors.

Gaming - most accessible from consoles is Xbox. It has Screenreader (it doesn't work in games sadly), has a magnification feature (works everywhere), haptic feedback is awesome so much different vibrations types for what is happening on the screen not only intensity but they're bare so subtile cues if you can try it somewhere! Xbox vibrations feedback works with Windows 10 too and some games I think those with Xbox Anywhere certificate. There's also Colors Schemes, High Contrast, Voice Commands but I think when it's set only to English?

PM me if you have additional questions or if I missed anything or if you're just curious.

My aunt has gone blind slowly and she wanted to get used to it as good as she could, so she did an hour daily/weekly of blindfolded doing random stuff around the house as it helped her predict which things she’ll have problems with in the future :)

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I've never been in your particular spot, but you might want to invest your time in screen readers. NVDA (Non-Visual Desktop Access) for Windows, and the default Voiceover and Talkback for iPhone and Android respectively.

You'll never have to rely on someone sighted to access technology and the internet.