Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Some questions for everyone who went totally blind as an adult. (self.Blind)
submitted by [deleted]
Hello guys. I would like to know what it was like to go blind as an adult? Can you find pleasure in doing things? What are your hobbies? Do you consider yourself happy? And, finally, what was the best thing you did after going blind?
Thank you very much and sorry for all those questions.
Thank you very much and sorry for all those questions.
siwy4don 10 points 2y ago
I lost my sight 5 years ago and now I'm 26. My eye sight was always bad, but I could do many things, play games, play sports, read 14 size text on a sheet of paper and so on, but I was struggling at school, because I couldn't see anything on the blackboard and I always had tears in my eyes when I was speaking about my sight. Going blind took that burden from me and now I'm really a happy man. I don't have to act that I'm normal, that I have a normal sight, because I don't and it's fine. I stopped playing pc for 8 hours a day and started playing cello, last year long-distance running and dating with girls from tinder. I lost 40 kg in two years and I really feel great with my life. Of course there are moments when I wish I could see like when a new film or tv series like Star Wars or Game of Thrones comes out or when a girl in high heels walks by, but it's life and everyone sometimes feels down. The important thing is to find things you like and get outside, meet people, just don't stay at home. The first couple of months I didn't even get dressed from my pjs...
Autumnwood 3 points 2y ago
I liked reading this! I love computers but you made me feel better about my sight too. I could take up the Shakuhaci flute (something I've wanted to do) and there are other enjoyments beside the computer.
How do you do long distance runs?
At night when I rest my eyes, I lie down, close my eyes and listen to tv shows. It's like radio! Somehow, it works for those old shows. Your imagination makes the pictures. I heard they are developing a technology similar to closed captioning but it's audible and will describe what's going on in the show, to help those who cannot see understand what's taking place.
How do you do long distance runs?
At night when I rest my eyes, I lie down, close my eyes and listen to tv shows. It's like radio! Somehow, it works for those old shows. Your imagination makes the pictures. I heard they are developing a technology similar to closed captioning but it's audible and will describe what's going on in the show, to help those who cannot see understand what's taking place.
Motya105 3 points 2y ago
The audio feature for movies you mentioned is called Audio Description, and is available in different languages, and on many movie-streaming services, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. You can learn more by googling Audio Description. HTH
Autumnwood 3 points 2y ago
Oh thank you. I didn't know it was available yet. I will try it on Netflix then and see how it is! Thanks!
Edit: yeah I don't see this feature on either service. But I'll still go read the website now.
Edit2: yeah not across the board yet. It's only on some Netflix shows (which most I don't care for). And you have to actually know which Netflix original you want to see, then turn the AD on with each show. Not optimal if blind. The feature needs to be on or off in the settings across the board and set on regular tvs too. We are far from across the board.
But that website did have some channels and stations that look like they automatically provide this. I will be testing these. Thanks for your post.
Edit 3: thought I was done eh? 😉 I turned it on inside Netflix's Disenchantment. A moment in and I love it already. But while it's super at the opening area, it still leaves a lot to be desired when describing scenes and content during the picture. I'm sure it will come along. All these are manually done so it will take some time to be properly done on everything, like you would understand if you were listening to a book.
Edit: yeah I don't see this feature on either service. But I'll still go read the website now.
Edit2: yeah not across the board yet. It's only on some Netflix shows (which most I don't care for). And you have to actually know which Netflix original you want to see, then turn the AD on with each show. Not optimal if blind. The feature needs to be on or off in the settings across the board and set on regular tvs too. We are far from across the board.
But that website did have some channels and stations that look like they automatically provide this. I will be testing these. Thanks for your post.
Edit 3: thought I was done eh? 😉 I turned it on inside Netflix's Disenchantment. A moment in and I love it already. But while it's super at the opening area, it still leaves a lot to be desired when describing scenes and content during the picture. I'm sure it will come along. All these are manually done so it will take some time to be properly done on everything, like you would understand if you were listening to a book.
Motya105 3 points 2y ago
To activate it, (if using a smartphone), tap “Audio and subtitle options”, and then select, “English, Audio Description,” from the list that appears. It should be under the “Audio” heading in that list. If you’re watching a show in a different language, and that show has description, you will see an “Audio Description,” option in that language, e.g “French, Audio description.
siwy4don 2 points 2y ago
Well, you need a guide, someone with whom you can run with or someone on a bicycle next to you. Personally I use this band for keys that you put on your neck. I took two of these, joined them and I'm holding one end, and the guide the other end :)
Autumnwood 1 points 2y ago
Oh thank you for explaining that!!!
CosmicBunny97 2 points 2y ago
I could totally relate to what you said to some extent. I’ve been visually impaired all my life, but I know I don’t have to keep up with the sighted world now. I do wish I could see new movies, or cute girls/guys, but my imagination will do the job.
[deleted] [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Really enjoyed reading this! Thank you for your feedback. You seem to be a very positive person and your answer was almost poetic. Have a nice day!
Fridux 8 points 2y ago
I went blind shortly before my 32nd birthday. During the first 5 years I believed I was incapable of accepting it, but then I realized that I could still code, which was my main hobby and profession before losing my sight, and that changed my mood completely. Nowadays I can say that I do live a happy life, not as happy as it was before going blind, but still happy. I do have a growing backlog of projects to work on so the boredom that almost let me to commit suicide is completely gone.
My adaptation has been quite slow though, because after 7 years of blindness I'm still very dependent on my family and live off disability benefits due to not feeling like I can be an asset to any company, but I believe that as life progresses and needs arise, I will be forced to improve. I could be more independent if I wanted to, and even work to save my life, but I'm extremely insecure about my ability to handle exceptional situations that I fail to predict in advance, such as exiting a train at the wrong station, running out of battery on my cell phone while relying on it to navigate unfamiliar places, or being assigned tasks at work that I've never been exposed to so am not sure I can handle.
Sight gives people a level of freedom and control that's very hard to replace, and both of these aspects are very important to me. I can live without them, but at the moment not without being a parasite of society. I think that the adaptation to live a life without as much freedom and control as I was used to is the hardest challenge that I will ever face in my life. If I manage to overcome this then I don't think there's anything else that can stop my personal development progress.
I think the best things I did since going blind have all been related to achievements that I never thought were possible for a blind person, such as dabbling into computer graphics. It's weird, but I do design graphical user interfaces and have even made a simple 3D game to prove to myself that I can. Sometimes I feel like some kind of Beethoven as far as overcoming a disability in my field of interest is concerned, because before I went totally blind I didn't even know that the blind could use computers, let alone do these things.
My adaptation has been quite slow though, because after 7 years of blindness I'm still very dependent on my family and live off disability benefits due to not feeling like I can be an asset to any company, but I believe that as life progresses and needs arise, I will be forced to improve. I could be more independent if I wanted to, and even work to save my life, but I'm extremely insecure about my ability to handle exceptional situations that I fail to predict in advance, such as exiting a train at the wrong station, running out of battery on my cell phone while relying on it to navigate unfamiliar places, or being assigned tasks at work that I've never been exposed to so am not sure I can handle.
Sight gives people a level of freedom and control that's very hard to replace, and both of these aspects are very important to me. I can live without them, but at the moment not without being a parasite of society. I think that the adaptation to live a life without as much freedom and control as I was used to is the hardest challenge that I will ever face in my life. If I manage to overcome this then I don't think there's anything else that can stop my personal development progress.
I think the best things I did since going blind have all been related to achievements that I never thought were possible for a blind person, such as dabbling into computer graphics. It's weird, but I do design graphical user interfaces and have even made a simple 3D game to prove to myself that I can. Sometimes I feel like some kind of Beethoven as far as overcoming a disability in my field of interest is concerned, because before I went totally blind I didn't even know that the blind could use computers, let alone do these things.
Autumnwood 1 points 2y ago
Could you briefly explain how you do this and what tools you might use? I am into designing on the computer. I have some macular degeneration in one eye and doctor said at some point it will start in the other. I'm already having trouble reading all text, and had to put everything on dark mode with larger text. I have to take many breaks. I'm hoping on holding o to visual acuity as long as possible to be able to design accurately. If I start having more issues (hopefully no though) what tools do I use to help me and what other suggestions might you have? Thank you.
Fridux 2 points 2y ago
It's more about the tools that I don't use, as I design everything programmatically and fortunately have the ability to accurately picture the result of what I'm making in my brain. However I always double-check with a sighted person to make sure what I'm designing looks exactly the way I envisioned. Computer graphics is even easier than graphical user interfaces, since the math is the same regardless of the complexity of the model, so all I have to do is draw simple primitives and ask sighted people whether my math is working the way I intend. I also used to have an unusual ability to tell colors from their decimal or hexadecimal RGB values, so whenever someone asks for a color I'm usually not far from what they want.
Autumnwood 1 points 2y ago
Thank you for that.
[deleted] [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Wow. Thank you for your feedback. Very inspiring! And I really liked your comparison with Beethoven. Have a nice day!
CosmicBunny97 3 points 2y ago
Not totally blind, was never fully sighted, but I still love doing stuff like cooking, shopping and reading. I saw Raya and The Last Dragon and forgot I couldn’t see because the audio descriptions were so good. I love to imagine things, I love to write. My hobbies are: audiobooks, podcasts, d&d, trying to exercise LOL, I just began piano and singing, cooking. I’m more happier now than I was when I could see. i
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