Everybody seems to think saying Blind is such an offensive word in my presence. I’m like it’s fine I know I’m blind you know I’m blind let’s move on.

Mine is when I ask for help with something that I cannot do (filling out forms or reading a menu board) then being talked to like I am a child. ... Im blind, not stupid.

When I drop something that can roll...

I feel you on the images.

My biggest one is people not putting things in my hand when I hold it out. When playing boardgames one of my friends always, ALWAYS, passes things to me by placing them on the table in my general play area rather than placing them in my outstretched hand. Cards, tokens, you name it. It really frustrates me, and he knows it.

I've said this before but I'll keep saying it any time someone asks. What burns me is the extra work. It feels like doing two jobs all the time. Even now in lockdown, when I'm not even working away from home much, the only thing that really makes me grind my teeth is having to take five extra minutes to do something that should take thirty seconds. I've been doing this twenty years and people saying stuff and being patronising just goes in one ear and out the other these days, I barely even register it anymore, but finding I'm missing one of a pair of shoes and having to spend time finding it when it's right there in front of me just burns sometimes. Not all the time, I'm not some sort of emotional wreck, but if you're asking what gets me, that's what gets me.

I have enough frustrations to fuel a Carlin-esque routine, but I'm not that witty with my vulgarities. A few that come up from time to time, in no particular order:

* I can't wear suits or dress-up attire in public in late October because people get offended, thinking that I'm cosplaying Matt Murdock.
* People try to help me without asking if I actually need help, which I often don't. If I need help, I have a voice!
* On the other hand, I'm just as annoyed when people try to "audit" my vision loss because I don't line up with whatever criteria they think all blind people have because they saw one in a TV movie a while back.
* Companies print information as part of a graphic or get "creative" with the fonts. Text-to-Speech gets easily confused as it is; why make it more complicated than necessary?

Yeah, not all of these have simple answers or apply to everyone, but people get grumpy when they're told that they'll have to relearn something or can't use the shortcut that just creates more work for other people. I do what I can with what I have left, but there are some things that I'm always going to have difficulties with. It won't always be the same thing as all other visually-impaired people because we have different types and degrees of vision loss. Still, stick with the basics and adapt as needed; it'll go a long way to smooth things over.

When people talk about me to whoever I'm with like I'm not there. Like my roommate at college helps me in the dining hall when I need it and sometimes people will come up and ask her if I need help or things like that. What really gets me is when peoe say things like "Wow! Lyssa's outfit looks nice today!" Ok, can you say that to me please? I'm right here.

I once had a mutual friend of ours text my roommate and ask if I needed something done even though she had my contact info and could've saved the extra steps by just asking me.

Another time, I was putting what I thought was marinara sauce on a meatball sandwich with the one server right in front of me. She let me put it all over my sandwich until my roommate came over and then she 'whispered' that I'd put cocktail sauce on my sandwich. Like, ma'am, you just watched me do it. You couldn't have said something BEFORE I ruined my food?

I'd told my roommate about it when we first met, just to let her know that it was going to happen. I don't think she realized how much it would at first. She gets just as ticked off as I do when it happens and tends to ignore them and let me take care of it.

Dropping the soap in the shower;)

Well meaning ableism

Oh, you’re such an inspiration. Absolutely fucking hate that.

“It’s right over there.”

There was this one time that my TV I suggested to a nearby mall to have us come in and learn what it’s like to work. We would’ve went into the food court and maybe learn how to clean and mop under tables I think? Well, they didn’t want to do it because they didn’t want us to get hurt. I hate it when people think we’re fragile.


When people talk to me like I’m a child.


Playing catch, that’s never fun.


When things fall on the floor and you think you can hear when they’ve fallen, and it turns out that you’re way off.


When people use crazy fonts on their Instagram bios or on websites. I hate it when text to speech can’t read that, sometimes it’ll end up taking away from the bio or the website.


When people tell me to look over there like I automatically know what they’re talking about.


Having to have a teacher come in some of my classes. This isn’t as prevalent now especially since I’m finishing up my junior year in high school , but it’s still annoying.


When people send me text messages with images.

People automatically assuming I can’t do something.

A little different as I still have a lot of usable vision, but I hate when people say "Oh you can't have vision issues, you're so YOUNG" or "Oh, I know how you feel, I am SO blind without my glasses/contacts."

People treat me completely different when I present as sighted vs. present as blind by using my cane. Even people who should know better.

1. The god bless you, comments.

2. but, how can you use your phone?

3. When out with parents, asking them about me when I'm literally right there. damn.

4. People seem to be scared of me or something.

People who insist on 'helping' me when I don't need it. I'm very good at asking for help. Inaccessible websites know that they're inaccessible the moment they encounter me, for example. However, if I'm walking down the street and you decide I 'look lost,' please ask rather than showing how helpful you are by grabbing my shoulder or my cane to take me to where you've decided that I probably want to go. 'Thanks, now I actually am lost thanks to you.'

how many fingers do I show? Can you eat alone? how does it not see? how can you do everything yourself?
I hate these questions, but i get it so often.

Oh, I've got another:

It's over there

enough said, I think

When my husband leaves something in the middle of the floor (like his shoes) knowing i can't see them and I trip all over them. Or trying to find my son's pacifier after he drops it.

Speaking on behalf of my spouse: When companies remind him for the 97th time that he can "feel free to register for our website and find all of this information there" or "download our free app so next time you won't need to waste time calling in"

All the stupid stereotypes and lumped in with the rest even if you are quite capable.

Can’t drive.


Can’t read maps.