Not dealing with cone dystrophy and I'm a smidgen older than you (29F) but I feel your frustration through and through. I'm functionally blind in one eye and my other eye is on rocky footing healthwise and I unknowingly spent a lot of time and money on a bachelor and master degree in a field I'll never be able to legitimately find a viable snd fitting job within (I will never come close to meeting any vision criteria plus other barriers I would have never dreamed of being possible way back when I was 23 and literally just starting my independent 'adult life').

I am very lucky that I didn't experience the onset of my vision issues until I was 28 (married and relatively stable financially and work-wise), so I just wanted to break my typical silent lurking pattern to send you some positive thoughts tonight. I figured you might appreciate them.

I don't know what you are specifically going through, but major props to the amazing people in this subreddit.....credit where credit is due and whatnot...I sincerely hope (and believe) this subreddit is/will be an amazing resource you will find lots of support/guidance from.

Take care ❤

Hi friend! I also have Cone Dystrophy. I was diagnosed when I was 8, and my vision has gradually deteriorated as I've gotten older, until this past year when it took a drastic dip. I'm now unable to drive as well. I'm 25. I know exactly how you feel. I felt like I lost all of my freedom. It's a difficult transition. Some days are harder than others. Try to find hobbies you enjoy that will take your mind off of things. Know you are not alone in your new journey. It may not be how we planned things, but we can certainly make the best of it somehow!

Ugh, I feel you. I wish there was something I could say or do to help you feel better. I go through a continuous grieving cycle in terms of not being able to drive and just my situation in general. I think that’s how it’s gonna be for the rest of my life unfortunately. Here are some things that I wish someone had told me:

By saying “people have it worse” minizmizes your situation. Try not to do that! You are allowed to feel what you’re feeling. You’re in a really crappy situation, and as a human being, if you weren’t upset at times I would be concerned. Try to reframe your mindset to being grateful (and not going further than that) and validating the fact that you’re doing the best you can. I know it seems like the same thing, but in my case saying “people have it worse” came from feelings of guilt/shame/worthlessness. By changing your mindset you’re acknowledging that while you have lost vision, you still have some left and you can still be successful. Try not to engage in self-pity. Everything has their “stuff”. Our “stuff” may be heavier than others, but I think that makes us strong. Despite what society says, we CAN do anything we want (except driving lol). It may sound cliche, but it’s true. I’ve changed my mindset to having my situation motivate me to break the stigma of how society sees us. I personally hate the word “disabled”. It literally means not able and I wholeheartedly disagree with that statement. Sorry i’m not sure if that makes sense. It’s really hard to explain over text lol.

Having a strong support system of friends and family is great, but ultimately those fully sighted family/friends just don’t understand us. Meeting people who are also blind/VI changed my life. It aided in accepting my situation as well as learning to be comfortable with laughing at myself when it comes to running into walls etc lol. I also can turn to them when I need to rant about dumb and ignorant sighted people.

I also like to stay up to date with how the development of driverless cars are going. Sometimes it can be hard knowing that that time is far away, but knowing that this technology is actually being developed truly does give me hope that I’ll be able to drive again.

I’m 21 so i’m still in school, but i’m planning to move to a city that has a good public transportation after I graduate becasue I think it will give me the most independence possible which is really important to me.

Not sure where you are located, but if you’re located in the US contact your state’s services/resource office (For example, I live in CT and mine is called Board of Education Services for the Blind). They can be a good resource.

I don’t want to push anything on you, but therapy helped me a lot with accepting my diagnosis. Finding the right person for your situation may take a few try’s (it did for me), but it was so worth it.

I try to remind myself that I can offer a unique and different perspective on life (notice how I put unique first) because I see the world differently. I can accomplish anything a fully sighted person can, but I may go about achieving that accomplishment differently.

Although it may feel like it, please know you aren’t alone. My dms are always open. Take care!

I am 22 and also have cone dystrophy. Lost my license at 20 because of it and basically lost any sense of independence.

But here's the thing and you may not like my answer. You have two choices. Either you pick yourself up and you simply accept this is how things are now and you continue on to a more prosperous life OR you sit there and sulk and do nothing with your life and play the victim until you die. It is quite literally "waking up one day" and deciding that you're going to be positive and productive, there's no magic trick. I woke up one day and decided I wanted better for myself rather than playing the victim.

If you have some serious concerns about your mental health, I would seek therapy. You can also get in contact with your local blindness organization for more support.

All the best.

P.s. I wish I had someone tell me what i just posted when i was first going through my vision loss. The faster you come to terms with it and decide you're going to have a good life no matter what, the faster you can move on and focus on your goals and dreams.

Consider moving to a city like NYC or Chicago. Driving doesn't matter in those locations. You could also move abroad to places like Germany where people often don't drive, though obviously that's a bigger step.

Hi, my name is Anthony, I would like to invite you on my show, third eye visions, a show which bridges the gap between the blind and sighted people. hopefully by allowing your story to be told can help you as well as others, please consider,

The way I think about it, we all have challenges in life, and it sounds like you got a pretty tough one. But part of the meaning in life comes from overcoming those challenges and making a decent life for yourself despite any setbacks. As humans, we are very good at adapting. It sucks now, but with time, you'll learn to work with it and you won't miss having your sight. You'll be emersed in a new world where you've learned to live without it. You will find a way to be happy, I believe in you