Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Update/more advice (O&M) (self.Blind)
submitted by letspaintthesky
So, you may have read some of my recent posts here about balance and glasses:
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The repeating suggestions include getting some O&M training and maybe even a white cane.
I'm officially fed up of tripping on everything and wrecking my ankles and nearly pushing my poor mum into the road. I've decided it's gone on far too long, and I'm taking the advice.
What questions would/did you ask/should I ask, and what things should I know going into reaching out for this help? Last time I called, they laughed in my face and said I'm not visually impaired. So, now I'm anxious and anything helps.
Thank you all so much, this subreddit has awesome people and it's always great talking with you
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The repeating suggestions include getting some O&M training and maybe even a white cane.
I'm officially fed up of tripping on everything and wrecking my ankles and nearly pushing my poor mum into the road. I've decided it's gone on far too long, and I'm taking the advice.
What questions would/did you ask/should I ask, and what things should I know going into reaching out for this help? Last time I called, they laughed in my face and said I'm not visually impaired. So, now I'm anxious and anything helps.
Thank you all so much, this subreddit has awesome people and it's always great talking with you
KillerLag 5 points 3y ago
Not really sure why they laughed in your face, that is wildly unprofessional. I've worked with clients who have a wide range of vision. I literally have worked with a client who can see further than I can (but they have poor peripheral fields).
If that happens again, you need to talk to their supervisor. If someone is tripping, then that is a major sign a cane should be used. Because if someone trips over a curb or a step, that could lead to injury (At least once a month, I get a client referred to me because they missed a step on the stairs).
You should see if your eye doctor would be willing to write a doctor's note for them as well. An eye report doesn't always tell the whole story.
If that happens again, you need to talk to their supervisor. If someone is tripping, then that is a major sign a cane should be used. Because if someone trips over a curb or a step, that could lead to injury (At least once a month, I get a client referred to me because they missed a step on the stairs).
You should see if your eye doctor would be willing to write a doctor's note for them as well. An eye report doesn't always tell the whole story.
CloudyBeep 3 points 3y ago
To add to this, I've heard of people who have almost 20/20 vision in the daytime, but can hardly see anything at night. No two people see exactly the same thing.
KillerLag 2 points 3y ago
RP is common for that. Because it damages the peripheral vision first, people often lose their night vision because of that.
letspaintthesky [OP] 2 points 3y ago
For a while I thought maybe I just wasn't impaired enough to get the help. I told my mum that today and she said 'they won't bloody laugh at me' (she's a force to be reckoned with). between her and your responses, I feel a lot better about asking for help, even though I have quite a bit of sight.
KillerLag 3 points 3y ago
There are a variety of reasons why someone has sight but still having trouble. Certain eye conditions such as RP leads to night blindness, so people have a much harder time at night. Stargardt's causes light sensitivity, so people may need a cane in the daytime because it is too bright.
Additionally, someone could have a degenerative condition, so their sight would get worse. It would be better to get the training earlier, with having some residual sight making it easier.
Additionally, someone could have a degenerative condition, so their sight would get worse. It would be better to get the training earlier, with having some residual sight making it easier.
[deleted] 2 points 3y ago
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80percentaccurate 2 points 3y ago
What country are you in? Getting help for an affordable price is often a result of saying the magic words. In the U.S. those magic words are, “In order to obtain or retain employment.” If you are a working age adult you can get services through the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Bureau of Blindness and Vision Services as long as your problems are affecting your ability to obtain or retain a job and you have a goal to work. If you are still in school, the magic words are “Access to the educational curriculum”. Neither of these methods require you to be legally blind (20/200 in the better eye after correction or less than 20 degrees of visual field.) Some services and agencies do require you to be legally blind in order to get services, which might be why you got laughed at (which is not fair irregardless). Knowing your country can help us direct you to services that may help.
bradley22 2 points 3y ago
I believe the OP is either in the UK/Australia/ New Zealand.
letspaintthesky [OP] 1 points 3y ago
Bingo! I'm in Australia, my state's main service is vision australia and that's when I got laughed at.
bradley22 1 points 3y ago
wow, that's shocking.
I thought they were a good company because of their videos on certain things.
I thought they were a good company because of their videos on certain things.
letspaintthesky [OP] 1 points 3y ago
I'm sure they're great and it was just one apple in the barrel.
See, I called the O&M line for some advice on making stairs safer because I can't tell one from another, really, because of my lack of depth perception. They put me through to the local O & M lady for my district.
She asked what my visual impairment was, and I explained. 'Strabismus with suppressed amblyopia, diplopia, and photophobia, with "primitive" depth perception at best.'
That's when the lady (who shall remain nameless) laughed at me and said 'this is for visually impaired people'.
But everyone else I've ever spoken to at Vision Australia has been great. I hope my one bad experience doesn't put you off accessing what you need.
See, I called the O&M line for some advice on making stairs safer because I can't tell one from another, really, because of my lack of depth perception. They put me through to the local O & M lady for my district.
She asked what my visual impairment was, and I explained. 'Strabismus with suppressed amblyopia, diplopia, and photophobia, with "primitive" depth perception at best.'
That's when the lady (who shall remain nameless) laughed at me and said 'this is for visually impaired people'.
But everyone else I've ever spoken to at Vision Australia has been great. I hope my one bad experience doesn't put you off accessing what you need.
letspaintthesky [OP] 1 points 3y ago
For me, the magic words are 'I'd like to not repeat the incident in which I walked off the edge of the pavement and down into a ditch and tore up my ankle real bad' and 'I'd like to not fall up or down the stairs anymore' hahah
CloudyBeep 1 points 3y ago
Do it have a diagdosis from a doctor to prove that more have a visual impaikment?
letspaintthesky [OP] 2 points 3y ago
Yes, to an extent. I have proof of a non correctable vision loss in one eye (my main issue) and some records of my other issues (periods of double vision, no depth perception, photophobia).
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