Blind and Visually Impaired Community
↑
16
↓
New to this (self.Blind)
submitted by bearrorrist
Off the bat, I'm not fully blind, so if I'm in the wrong subreddit, sorry.
I recently had a rupture of my left eye, and what it looks like is I will never regain vision in that eye. Not going to go into cause here. Due to current treatments, my right eye is incredibly light sensitive, as well as what I can only describe as 'detail sensitive' (looking at something complicated causes strain). I'm sure those will go away eventually, but I don't know when.
In the meantime, I'm stuck, waiting until the end of the day just to go to bed and repeat the next day. I can't do things I used to do to pass the time, tv/movies/games just browsing the internet even. I'm working with a therapist already, but what I want to know from you readers(?) is what activities do you typically do? What can I get into to help myself?
I recently had a rupture of my left eye, and what it looks like is I will never regain vision in that eye. Not going to go into cause here. Due to current treatments, my right eye is incredibly light sensitive, as well as what I can only describe as 'detail sensitive' (looking at something complicated causes strain). I'm sure those will go away eventually, but I don't know when.
In the meantime, I'm stuck, waiting until the end of the day just to go to bed and repeat the next day. I can't do things I used to do to pass the time, tv/movies/games just browsing the internet even. I'm working with a therapist already, but what I want to know from you readers(?) is what activities do you typically do? What can I get into to help myself?
akrazyho 6 points 1y ago
Totally blind user here. You should learn talk back for android or voiceover for iOS, they will give you make your phone accessible and ways you never thought of.
I bought myself an adjustable dumbbell and a stationary exercise bike and it has made me a whole lot more fitter than I ever thought I ever would become. If you have a friend or partner that’s into fitness you can also rent or buy a two person bicycle I enjoy using those a whole lot.
On my phone I can pretty much do anything I was doing before aside from the visual stuff because VoiceOver makes everything very accessible. I can listen to browse and discover and just explore things on YouTube Spotify and audible which is where I watch videos listen to music here audiobooks and listen to podcast. I can use social media used Twitter use WhatsApp use messenger use messages with iMessage and standard messages Plus I can read reply to and create emails check my bank accounts check my credit cards pay my credit cards shop and buy things off of Amazon and do generic browsing on the web. I also spend a decent amount of time on Reddit using my app choice which is Apollo. In fact I wrote all of this using Apollo on my iPhone.
I also enjoy talking on the phone chatting with friends hanging out with friends and just going out and just enjoying life the best I can. Once you’re more comfortable with where you’re at your state has programs to get you back into the workforce as a blind or partially sighted user.
There are many things I’m forgetting to mention about the phone but for example my phone can read nutrition labels to me because I need to know how many carbs and fiber are in food so I can manage my diabetes properly.
What phone tablet and computer do you have that way we can all guide you in a much better direction right away?
I bought myself an adjustable dumbbell and a stationary exercise bike and it has made me a whole lot more fitter than I ever thought I ever would become. If you have a friend or partner that’s into fitness you can also rent or buy a two person bicycle I enjoy using those a whole lot.
On my phone I can pretty much do anything I was doing before aside from the visual stuff because VoiceOver makes everything very accessible. I can listen to browse and discover and just explore things on YouTube Spotify and audible which is where I watch videos listen to music here audiobooks and listen to podcast. I can use social media used Twitter use WhatsApp use messenger use messages with iMessage and standard messages Plus I can read reply to and create emails check my bank accounts check my credit cards pay my credit cards shop and buy things off of Amazon and do generic browsing on the web. I also spend a decent amount of time on Reddit using my app choice which is Apollo. In fact I wrote all of this using Apollo on my iPhone.
I also enjoy talking on the phone chatting with friends hanging out with friends and just going out and just enjoying life the best I can. Once you’re more comfortable with where you’re at your state has programs to get you back into the workforce as a blind or partially sighted user.
There are many things I’m forgetting to mention about the phone but for example my phone can read nutrition labels to me because I need to know how many carbs and fiber are in food so I can manage my diabetes properly.
What phone tablet and computer do you have that way we can all guide you in a much better direction right away?
bearrorrist [OP] 1 points 1y ago
I have an Android phone, and have been a big fan of audio books for quite awhile already. I have a beefy windows 10 laptop that I used for gaming/school, which is another struggle I have yet to figure out. I also have a Kindle Paperwhite that I just remembered.
My wife has been an amazing support, but it's been hard. We are having to find new things to do together, which would be fun if it wasn't for the reasons behind it all.
I'll give TalkBack a try. Currently I can really only look at my phone for 5-10 minutes at a time before the strain becomes unbearable.
My wife has been an amazing support, but it's been hard. We are having to find new things to do together, which would be fun if it wasn't for the reasons behind it all.
I'll give TalkBack a try. Currently I can really only look at my phone for 5-10 minutes at a time before the strain becomes unbearable.
DHamlinMusic 1 points 1y ago
I feel where you're coming from, I lost my vision almost entirely suddenly just shy of 2 years ago, trust me it gets easier. I'm using an Android 12 pixel 4 writing this, the accessibility settings should have the ability, at least in Android 12, to set the phone to extra dim which should help with the light sensitivity problems. I don't have that as my phone is a gray rectangle unless I stick it out in my peripheral. Windows 10 and newer has narrator built in which is a screen reader, from what I have been told by both my states commission for the blind and the people I've talked to at the NF b starting with Windows 10 they basically rolled the free screen reader I never remember the acronym that people keep recommending into Windows so you don't need to download anything. It has a tutorial right in Windows when you activate it, I can't really help you using it as I did a tutorial like 15 months ago when haven't turned on my computer and the sense like August 2020, and will have to do the tutorial again next time I actually bother turning it on and getting around to installing near 2 years worth of windows updates, yay...
As for things to do, you mentioned you have a Kindle Paperwhite, I just got one of those this year and it has a screen reader built in that is similar to talkback on Android but does not have speakers so you will need a paired Bluetooth headphone of some sort to take advantage of it, but it will read ebooks to you. I have personally found the Microsoft edge browser on Android to be more user-friendly when needing to navigate it with a screen reader than Chrome, but that might just be my personal preference as I used that previously. The Facebook, Reddit, discord, Messenger, Twitter, etc apps all work decently to very well with talkback unless they're developers break compatibility which I have had occur in the past. When I first tried to use Facebook with the screen reader in July 2020 they had broken its compatibility with talkback and took months to fix it has worked perfectly since they got around to that, however it hasn't stopped them from changing its layout without any warning which can be interesting to say the least.
As for things to do, you mentioned you have a Kindle Paperwhite, I just got one of those this year and it has a screen reader built in that is similar to talkback on Android but does not have speakers so you will need a paired Bluetooth headphone of some sort to take advantage of it, but it will read ebooks to you. I have personally found the Microsoft edge browser on Android to be more user-friendly when needing to navigate it with a screen reader than Chrome, but that might just be my personal preference as I used that previously. The Facebook, Reddit, discord, Messenger, Twitter, etc apps all work decently to very well with talkback unless they're developers break compatibility which I have had occur in the past. When I first tried to use Facebook with the screen reader in July 2020 they had broken its compatibility with talkback and took months to fix it has worked perfectly since they got around to that, however it hasn't stopped them from changing its layout without any warning which can be interesting to say the least.
akrazyho 1 points 1y ago
Honorable mentions for the phone to Uber for the rides DoorDash for making food ordering stupid easy and simple and be my eyes for when I actually need somebody’s eyes that aren’t mine.
carolineecouture 6 points 1y ago
As another poster said audiobooks, podcasts, music. I have a smart speaker so I'll use that for the news or sounds to help me sleep. I've had to give up reading paper books and that hurts me to my heart but now I'm doing ebooks because I can change the font, background, and lighting depending on how my vision is. I'm sorry you are dealing with this and I hope you start to feel better.
sunny1sotrue117 2 points 1y ago
I’m legally blind so also not fully blind. I find that I can do pretty much everything others can except drive. Maybe find a non-contact sport or something like that? I do aerial arts. You could listen to audio books and maybe pick up some braille. Maybe learn a little O&M just in case you’ll need it in the future. If there’s something you want to do, you can set your mind to it and will most definitely succeed, vision or not. (Except maybe driving and stuff like that).
bearrorrist [OP] 2 points 1y ago
Thanks. This recovery time from my first surgeries is the toughest part.
sunny1sotrue117 1 points 1y ago
Good luck!
TechnicalPragmatist 1 points 1y ago
Before you lost your vision what did you enjoy doing?
Also what about self-work or self-introspection? I got really in to typology a few years ago. And you learn so much and an amazing incredible amounts about yourself, good, bad, great, fantastic, sad, ugly, horrible. Contemplation too there is nice.
Also what about self-work or self-introspection? I got really in to typology a few years ago. And you learn so much and an amazing incredible amounts about yourself, good, bad, great, fantastic, sad, ugly, horrible. Contemplation too there is nice.
bradley22 1 points 1y ago
There’s redditfortheblind for windows but you do need to learn to use a screen reader like NVDA on windows to use it.
Is there somewhere you can go to learn this stuff? I live in the UK and learning like that doesn’t really exist here, but if you are in the states there are centres, but they’re quite expensive.
Is there somewhere you can go to learn this stuff? I live in the UK and learning like that doesn’t really exist here, but if you are in the states there are centres, but they’re quite expensive.
DrillInstructorJan 1 points 1y ago
OK so disclaimer first, I am not any sort of professional, I have just spent lots of time with people who are in this position. The ability I have found most useful is just figuring out how to go places. If you need a cane, get a cane, get trained with the cane. The other absolutely essential thing is to get used to your phone, and work out how to use whatever other technology you have, because you can solve almost any problem with a cellphone.
The question I would ask is what you do to have fun, not to try and figure out new stuff to do, figure out how to do your normal stuff. I try never to tell people they can do anything and it's all easy because that's not necessarily true, but a lot things are completely doable no matter how bad your sight gets. Please don't give up on things you want to do; often it is completely possible!
The question I would ask is what you do to have fun, not to try and figure out new stuff to do, figure out how to do your normal stuff. I try never to tell people they can do anything and it's all easy because that's not necessarily true, but a lot things are completely doable no matter how bad your sight gets. Please don't give up on things you want to do; often it is completely possible!
pictouguy 1 points 1y ago
Get yourself a decent Android phone. You'll be able to make calls, listen to audiobooks, read ebooks. I can also use the phone to have it read a hand printed note. There are also mobile games designed specifically for blind or low vision players. Also, since the device has a built in screen reader called TalkBack you wouldn't need to rely on your eyes as much.
akrazyho 2 points 1y ago
Definitely learn to use talk back that way you can avoid I strain. As far as your computer goes there are several options including but not limited to, NVDA and JAWS
[deleted] 1 points 1y ago
[deleted]
This nonprofit website is run by volunteers.
Please contribute if you can. Thank you!
Our mission is to provide everyone with access to large-
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
©2023 HumbleCat Inc • HumbleCat is a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Michigan, USA.