Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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With my contacts I’m not blind, but without them am I part of this community? (self.Blind)
submitted by ZMaiden
With my contacts I can see as an able body. When they’re out, I’ve literally done a haha party trick, I can’t see your face, can’t see your fingers no matter how many you hold up. I can see close up like right in my face which is why phone is great. But I’ve literally learned steps to my environment, cause even though I can see a little without contacts, it’s just easier to keep my eyes closed when they’re not in. It’s weird, contacts im seeing, no contacts I’m more comfortable just keeping my eyes shut because the little visual I get is disoriented. Sometimes I put my contacts in and keep my eyes closed as long as possible because the contrast gives me a headache. I can’t handle neon lights. Basically, without corrective gear, I can see color and shapes, I could navigate a house if I know it, but I couldn’t drive, couldn’t watch a movie. Even with corrective gear, basically take me own life as a chance driving at night cause I can’t see anything night wise, just trust my muscle memory, I see a line to my right I follow it and pray. Am I a part of this community?
CloudyBeep 26 points 1y ago
Strictly speaking, you would not be considered blind because blindness is measured based on your vision when using correction. However, because you have difficulty seeing at night, even when wearing your contacts, I think that there's not much point splitting hairs—you obviously have vision issues that aren't completely solved by wearing contacts.
Everyone is welcome here, including people such as you who still have a lot of vision.
Everyone is welcome here, including people such as you who still have a lot of vision.
ZMaiden [OP] 2 points 1y ago
Thank you for your kind reply :) honestly I got really down last night because I was drinking, I had my contacts out, and I slipped on a fucking small thing in my room that I had no chance of seeing (a frickin white grocery bag right next to a white hamper)and started to feel stupid for walking around without my contacts in and hurting myself. I’ve hurt myself before, drinking too much and then walking around without my contacts in, I leave clutter that I know I won’t be able to see and then get upset when I fall over it. I dang near broke my nose one night, left grocery bags on my bathroom floor, walked in couldn’t see them slipped and nose planted a wall.
retrolental_morose 9 points 1y ago
We aren’t exclusive. One of the most common questions I see here, is should I use a cane if I can still see some. Obviously safety first, most people tend to advise it use it if you need it.
By that token, I’m sure you are very welcome, contact in or contact out.
Obviously you aren’t totally blind all the time, but nobody says you have to be to be labelled blind.
By that token, I’m sure you are very welcome, contact in or contact out.
Obviously you aren’t totally blind all the time, but nobody says you have to be to be labelled blind.
ZMaiden [OP] 2 points 1y ago
What scares me is but for the ability to afford this one thing, I can’t drive. I can’t get to work, I become homeless. And this one thing is not always within my means. I wear them till they’re tearing at the edges they’re so old. I get scratches on my corneas from edges of broken contacts, but what else can I do? I can’t see without them, can’t get them without a prescription, can’t get a prescription without a 200$ eye exam every year just to say yup you need contacts.
SugarPie89 5 points 1y ago
Your eye doctor wouldve told you if you are considered blind. Are you diagnosed wiht an eye condition/disease? And what is your acuity with contacts? I would assume you are at least low vision or considered visually impaired, but \[probably not blind which is 20/200 or worse in your better eye with correction. (20/200 means you can see the big E on the eye chart). But it definitely sounds like you have night blindness. If contacts offer significant correcction to an acuity better than 20/200 youre not considered blind. But please do not drive at night anymore. SOunds like you're really taking a dangerous gamble there.
ZMaiden [OP] 1 points 1y ago
I don’t know my acuity with contacts, I know it’s as normal as I can figure aside from some weird issues that might be other things. I can’t catch quick moments as well as other people, I often don’t notice a lot especially driving because sometimes my vision kind of twitches? Everything is fine but often one eye or the other will stop working as well so I’m concentrating on judging distances with one eye clear, one blurry? I can’t handle neon lights, they are too sharp and distract me, so bright headlights coming my way at night are a nightmare. I can’t see more than maybe three car lengths ahead at night if there’s not a plethora of street lamps. I’ve mapped out every drive I have to take to make sure it’s well lite. Fog, rain, or the worst snow is nerve shaking to drive in. Oncoming snow is the worst, all I can focus on is the snow and it makes me dizzy cause it causes me to focus close like without my contacts instead of ahead of me. I’m a very anxious person behind the wheel lol.
SugarPie89 1 points 1y ago
Sounds like you're not really sure whats goign on so your best bet is to see an eye doctor, especially if it has been over a year since the last time. How old is this contacts prescription? It sounds like you have sensitivity to light too but that is really all I can gather from what you've said.
No-Satisfaction7842 4 points 1y ago
I honestly can’t tell if this is a joke. Blind/legally blind people don’t have the option of popping a couple discs behind our eyelids and having relatively normal vision. Please think about your own question. I’m really not sure what your intentions were but it comes off as wildly insensitive and kind of dumb.
ZMaiden [OP] 1 points 1y ago
It’s not a joke. With contacts I can see with a few issues. Without I can only see colors and vague shapes more than a palm out from my nose. I would never want to lose what vision I have but it is legit easier sometimes to navigate in the dark or with my eyes closed at night than deal with trying to discern details and give myself a migraine.
Lighthouse412 3 points 1y ago
My understanding is that even the sighted are welcome here. Or at least I hope that's the case. My father is legally blind and the glaucoma is threatening the less than 5% visual field he has left. I joined this subreddit to help me normalize what he's going through.
I've learned through lurking here that his world will only be limited by his learning ability. Thankfully dad is a smart guy with access to some amazingly supportive medical professionals. So I think he'll be okay.
I've learned through lurking here that his world will only be limited by his learning ability. Thankfully dad is a smart guy with access to some amazingly supportive medical professionals. So I think he'll be okay.
kelpangler 2 points 1y ago
Would you mind telling us your acuity and any explanations from your eye doctor? I’m curious to know why there’s such a huge difference in your experience.
ZMaiden [OP] 1 points 1y ago
I know that my contacts are -8.75. I know that’s not even close to the worst I’ve heard of. I’m starting to think I’m having some other health issues that might be making my vision worse than it should be. I’ve never talked to the optometrist about this cause it’s always been a one and done eye exam that nothing they do triggers those issues. I also do bad things like wear my contacts till they fall apart, fall asleep in them so my eyes are prolly not anymore heathy than the rest of me is. I get scared because I don’t know what I would do in an emergency, some think I’m trolling but I wouldn’t even be able to find my cat if my house was on fire. No cat mom would troll that.
TechnicalPragmatist 1 points 1y ago
If your vision can be corrected with contacts or glasses then you’re not blind,
ZMaiden [OP] 1 points 1y ago
But I am unable to even walk around a n unknown space without my contacts. And I only have a finite supply. I can’t drive without them. If I tear the small supply I have, I can’t function. I should have glasses, but the cost of an eye exam to get a prescription to then buy glasses is outside my means. I was relying on buying from uk websites that didn’t need a prescription, but that loophole died. Now I’m just using the last contacts I have, hoping they last long enough for me to save the money for glasses. I am not blind, but I can’t function without corrective care, and I also can’t afford that corrective care, so I’m scared of the day when I will be functionally blind. My vision is bad enough that I could do everything but I could not drive. Point blank. If I can’t drive, I can’t work. I don’t know what to do.
TechnicalPragmatist 1 points 1y ago
Hmm. Interesting sorry to hear, don’t you have some kind of insurance to help you?
kelpangler 1 points 1y ago
-8.75 is a pretty big difference and that alone will do it for you. If you have other health issues then complications can add up quickly. Your eyes tell you a lot about your general health.
ZMaiden [OP] 1 points 1y ago
They get worse but not the prescription, just other things. I get a lot of wavy woos in my eyes, like imagine you look at something, you blink, and then there are little black worm smoke dust things that obscure your eyes, for a blink all you see is wavy woos floating. And then one eye decides , hey I’m gonna be blurry, so you check your contact by touching your eye and shifting it, blink, it comes into focus for a second but then shifts again, it’s your eye. Is it blood pressure?
kelpangler 3 points 1y ago
Those are called floaters and your contacts have no bearing on them. It’s the vitreous pulling away from your retina. Everyone has them but an increased amount might indicate an oncoming retinal tear or detachment. It’s a scary thing if that happens and you’d need immediate medical attention. Honestly, go make an appointment with a retina specialist.
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