I thrive off audio books, but I have to be doing something else while listening. Try exercising or walking or just doing something else to help you focus.

Have you gotten a second opinion? If not, I highly recommend it. I had a cataract removed from my only seeing eye, which has various issues of its own. Ideally, try to see someone affiliated with a large eye hospital. Good luck!

Learn to touch type if you don't already. It's a great skill to have, in general, and it's vital with low or no vision.

Hey! So, I didn't lose my sight, I was born blind, but there are plenty of resources out there...but here are some things to keep in mind.

1. Braille is hard. Or rather, it takes a lot of patience and practice to get fluent and be able to use it in everyday situations. I do recommend continuing to practice, because even if you don't use it, it helps you learn to detect subtle tactile differences, which is useful as a blind person even if you don't use braille.
2. Learn how to use a screen reader. There are many free ones out there (Narrator on PC and VoiceOver on Mac) and these are super helpful. Computer literacy is so important in this age, no matter what line of work or lifestyle you live. Learn how to access the internet. Learn how to use word processors, file organization, etc. On a cell phone, learn to send a text message, navigate YouTube or some other favorite apps.
3. Learn to use a cane. This is soooooo important. I cannot begin to tell you how helpful the cane is! Learning to use one now is surprisingly simple and super practical. Even if you end up switching to something else, like a guide dog, you will be very grateful you learned cane navigation.
4. Don't go it alone. Despite how small the community is (compared to other minorities) there are still so many of us and we are here to help! Message me anytime (and anyone else reading this that may have similar experiences) and I'll be more than happy to help/connect/be a supportive friend!
5. That being said, also maybe seek professional help. You don't have to learn braille or cane skills on your own. In fact, don't. There are plenty of professionals nowadays that are trained to help you through that transition and introduce you to assistive tech that may be useful.
6. The last thing I will say is to put some fun into it! There are plenty of accessible games/apps out there that actually help teach/reinforce some of those skills you will need later. Need to learn some braille numbers/letters? Try playing braille UNO! Want to test out your audio-spacial abilities? Try the Blindfold Games on Apple (just do a quick search on the App Store).

Hope that helps!

I was nineteen and there was no warning so there was nothing I could have done to prepare. I'm now more than twice that age (argh) and when there is no virus I'm in a career that makes me happy as hell. That didn't happen quickly or easily and I went through a phase of seven or eight years of working for a big company. I did that because it was a comfort zone and I guess the only advice I can offer is to go straight for what you want and don't get distracted. It will be hard for all kinds of painfully obvious reasons, but my main complaint about holding down a career that doesn't suck without sight is the sheer unending workload. It's like having two jobs. But in the end if it's that or just sitting at home in misery, that's an easy choice.

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Can't help on the work with, but if using a laptop, make sure to get a wireless USB keyboard. Having a large keyboard is somewhat of a requirement for blind folk, as typing on a laptop keyboard is nearly impossible for me at least.

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Never learned brail, never needed it. I can read just fine via screen reader at 100% rate. Takes a while to get used to and work up to 100% rate, but it's fine once you're used to it.

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For staying current, I just use Youtube personally. Premium is only $12/month CAD so no ads, and news segments hit Youtube almost as quickly as they do live TV.

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Other sites like CuriosityStream are a great add as well for documentaries. If you're into true crime by chance, search "That Chapter" on Youtube, he's awesome and has tons of videos.

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As for preparing, I didn't. Had no idea I was about to go blind when I did. At the time didn't even know what a screen reader was let alone how to use one.

What do you do and is it wholly unadaptable if and when you go blind?

On the Braille side of things, were you going through the self taught rout or working with a teacher? If learning independently, I would seek out the help of a teacher. What did you find difficult about Braille specifically? I might be able to give you some suggestions.