I hate to be that guy, but if you need a cane, just use one. You might want to look in to some mobility training as well.

"Am I qualified to represent part of the blind/VI community?"

This is a worry you should put aside. If your vision is going, and the caine is useful to you, please use it. It is not about "representation" it is about your safety in public. A person who breaks a leg uses crutches, this is the same thing.

You're articulate, self aware, thankful, and considerate of others. What else could we want? Of course you're qualified! I'm sorry about your visual impairment but I'm glad you felt comfortable enough to post in r/blind. I lurked on this sub for a long time before I felt I was blind enough to join. I felt like an imposter, almost like I was stealing the sympathy that rightly belonged to those who are totally blind.

It wasn't until a doctor filled out a certificate of legal blindness for me that I dared post here for the first time.

Sounds like you're going through the same feelings, blind enough to need some help but with enough functional vision left to feel like you don't quite belong. It's tricky, and I don't have an answer that makes all the awkwardness go away. But for what it's worth, get a cane. Use it when you need it. Don't put yourself in physical danger just to avoid feeling awkward.

And welcome to the community.

Use what you need to get around. Everyone else can go take a hike.

I resisted using a cane for years because of similar feelings. I also felt like it would draw attention to me (in a negative way).

One day, my brain just said "Fuck it." and I asked the Council for the Blind here for an ID cane.

I now use this when crossing the street or when walking in busy or unfamiliar places. It's increased my confidence a lot. I no longer end up standing on a corner for five minutes trying to judge whether a car is going to slow down, because 99% of drivers see the cane and know the deal. People walking on the street know that they should move to one side because I won't see them quickly enough to adjust my course. I can tap the cane on the kerb to keep myself centred rather than veering towards my stronger eye.

Yes, there are absolutely times when it draws unwanted attention. Yes, some sighted people will act weirdly (sometimes extra friendly, sometimes condescending as fuck), but ultimately, fuck 'em.

If you need it, use it. I know it's easier to say that than do, but hopefully knowing there are people who have similar feelings about cane usage helps.

The main purpose of a cane is to check for obstacles in front of someone, and to check for drop offs. If you feel you need to use a cane because of the lack of depth perception or difficulty in the dark, there is nothing wrong with that.

Some of the clients I teach can travel reasonably well in the daytime, but had more difficulty at night, so they mostly use the cane then.

Listen, if you feel unsafe without a cane, use a cane and fuck what other people think or say

It took me a while to accept my white cane however a near-miss crossing the road changed my perspective. I also found it lowered my anxiety in crowded spaces. I didn’t even know I’d been that anxious before in them! All the best. :)

If you need a medical aid, because otherwise you have a more difficult life, then yes you have the right to use a medical aid! Dont be shy, dont feel bad about it, if you need it, you need it :) everytime you feel bad about it, ask yourself "do I need this? What would happen if i wouldnt use it?" And as soon as it impacts you negatively when you dont use it, than you have you answer right away if you need it/are allowed to use it

If you feel you need it, use the cane. I have good central vision but my visual field is about the width of my shoulders, my depth perception is not great and my night vision is really poor. I use a cane at times and it’s a huge confidence boost, particularly in crowds, unfamiliar places and at night.

I have had an experience in the last few days with an Uber driver who questioned me about it because once I’d found his car and dealt with the kerb, I folded the cane and got in. He thought I was faking my disability and was trying to trick him. That wasn’t fun but in the last few years it’s the only comment I’ve had so it’s not a regular occurrence at all.

Yes, using a cane is 100% acceptable in your situation. If you need it, use it.

A lot of cane users feel that way in the beginning, myself included. I, too, have been blind in my left eye since birth. I also have a decreased field of vision and lower visual acuity in my right eye, but there are still a lot of situations and places (especially very familiar ones) where I can get around just fine without a cane. So I had those same feelings when I started using mine.

But then there are times I can't and the older I get the more painful and embarrassing those injuries are. And there are times, for reasons ranging from practical safety to silly social that it's important for other people to know I can't see well. So I decided to start using a cane.

I haven't had a fall fall since, except the one time when I should have been using my cane and wasn't.

I also want to have good cane skills for when I'm older and likely will need to rely on it more - I'd rather be building those skills now than trying to suddenly learn them at 60.

I get some odd looks sometimes, sure, but I also don't get people yelling at me for bumping into them (and I bump into them a lot less) or mad at me for not seeing them out of the corner of my eye and moving out of their way, etc.

If some stranger points something out to me that I can already see, I just thank them and move on - no biggie, no need to elaborate. It was a nice gesture.

It is totally valid to need a cane in the dark and not during the day. That’s how it started for me. Just keep in mind that having a driver’s license doesn’t mean it’s safe for you to drive. I have a valid license because I can read the eye chart, but as my glaucoma has progressed, my eyes don’t adjust to changing lighting situations and glare is a major problem. I can’t see when I go from deep shade to sun or sun to deep shade or when the sun reflects off another vehicle or building or is in the sky sideways.
Also wanted to point out that if you just started needing glasses to drive, you’ve got a ways to go before your vision isn’t correctable with them due to refractive error. No need to freak out about that prematurely.

Hi my story is a lot like yours except driving is impossible. I think you should use a cane. You need it for your safety and others. I made a similar post on here a few days ago if you want to read it. Just know that I support you 💯

Blindness and disability are only simple in the minds of people who don’t yet know more. You strike me as an excellent representative of people whose vision is not easily classified.

And your vision and your experience don’t have to be easily classified. There’s no pre-existing mold you have to fit. You’re you. If you use a white cane, then you share that with other white cane users. Yet you’re also a driver. And, like me, you’re someone who has impaired depth perception. (Long story: you still get depth cues even from a single eye, such as objects appearing smaller when farther away, but you lack the cue afforded by two eyes presenting a fused field. It’s not something that can easily be explained briefly, especially given preconceived notions.)

The notion of disability is moving toward a contextual definition rather than a medical one. Running standard tests of acuity and field of view can mean a full day with a specialist, and then, and even that won’t capture everything—specially not in real-world situations.

So you don’t represent blind people who, say, have light perception but can not make out shapes, but you are in a better position than most to understand their experience than many other people. But you do belong to the larger community of people with visual impairments—a community large enough to include me, someone who by American legal and medical standards isn’t considered disabled even though there are activities I can’t participate fully in because of it vision, and for which there is no adaptation that provides full sight.

How you think of yourself is up to you. You might have a 15-second spiel ready to explain to others, but “It’s complicated” is fine, too. And sometimes people just won’t get it.

If someone doesn’t believe you, or if they think their ignorance trumps your experience, that’s not a person who should (I hope) have much claim on your time. You present yourself as thoughtful, so over time you’ll have ever more people in your orbit worth knowing.

All the replies here are great and shows what a supportive community it is. Many times it’s saved me from spiraling down when I read other people’s experiences or if I have questions myself.

I believe many of us still have functional vision. My central vision is blocked off in both eyes but I’m able to get around and use the computer well enough. I probably look like I have no vision issues when walking down the street until I get to a corner. Like you I have feelings of being an imposter and I’m still embarrassed to use my cane. I’m trying to get over it though because I know what challenges I’m facing.

I just started O&M training last week and my instructor understands my situation. I usually keep my cane in my back pocket but she’s encouraging me to think about using it just for ID at corners.

I’m glad you had the courage to post something. All the replies here echo the same sentiments so you’re in good company. Good luck!

If you need it, use it. People do come by every so often asking this question and honestly, as someone who's been completely blind for twenty years, I mainly care that you use it properly and don't get yourself in even worse trouble. So, find someone who can take you through the basics, so you don't end up learning bad habits.

You aren't representing anyone other than yourself, so don't worry about that.

Welcome to my world I am blind in my left eye because I have myopic dysplasia, put it simply think of it like a TV that is not connected but plugged in. Basically it's on but there's no signal I can technically get around without a pain but recently earlier this year I got my white cane through the nfb. I've only used mine wife once when I went to go get my covid-19 vaccines because I don't do good and Doctor situations because of my autism. So I brought it to identify myself visually impaired and disabled so that I could get assistance easily without having to speak. The only other time I used it I used it because I was going someplace extremely busy and I was going to try and have it so people would notice me before I see them since I also and Death on my left side. Regardless, I do eventually want to learn how to properly use it and actually use it when I go places such as the mall or somewhere that extremely big busy and crowded because I can't see or hear on one side so what allows crowns there's more but I kept bumping into somebody and then sometimes I do because I'm not very good at social situations I might accidentally bump into someone it's not apologize because I realized what all so happy the Kings just good for application I use my Mophie for identification purposes. But I do need to learn how to use it in case my eyesight gets any worse. I just wish I didn't. I'm sure there are options out there but I haven't done research because I haven't needed two.

If you need a cane, then you probably should not be driving.

What is your best corrected vision in the good eye? Have you spoken with your eye doctor about your concerns?

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