Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Was anybody else here not fully developed and born with most sight gone/completely blind in one eye? (self.Blind)
submitted by 0encantadora_ava8
I haven't really seen much about my case. Also I am pretty sure I can only see <20% out of my left eye but I only really rely on my right eye to see, I just consider myself to have monocular vision.
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Edit: Can someone show me how to make it accessible to everyone, please, I'm new to this and need help
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Edit: Can someone show me how to make it accessible to everyone, please, I'm new to this and need help
CosmicBunny97 7 points 1y ago
I was born prematurely and as a result, have retinopathy of prematurity. I've been completely blind in my left eye since birth and was low vision (6/36 or so) in my right eye until 2020, where my cornea has gotten extremely thick due to surgeries (I was having cornea issues before, I think?). I also now don't have a lens in my right eye - I had an artificial one put in 2017 to manage glaucoma, but was taken out in 2020 because it was 'wobbly'. I also have had acute angle glaucoma, that I do not miss.
codeplaysleep 2 points 1y ago
Similar story here, born 2mo premature, ROP, completely blind in my left eye (had it removed in '95, when I was 17), with only central vision in my right eye, around 20/100. I've also had issues with cataracts and narrow angle glaucoma, but was fortunate enough to come out of it a little more stable. I also have pretty severe nystagmus and I'm a bit photophobic.
CosmicBunny97 3 points 1y ago
Oh wow, that is really similar. Good to hear that it's remained stable in terms of glaucoma. I don't miss the photophobia, that's for sure.
emzkind 1 points 1y ago
Hello! Sorry to interrupt, but my two year old is very similar (no vision right eye, 6 36 left) and I was wondering what your experience of school was like? My daughter walks with a cane and has some balance issues, but her near vision seems pretty good. Do you read print? Did you need many accommodations at school? Only answer if you'd like to, I know I'm butting in!
CosmicBunny97 2 points 1y ago
You’re not interrupting :) I don’t remember what it was like when I was really little, though I’m happy to ask my parents for you. For me, I could see very well close-up (like, could read print that was size 12 until 2017). For that reason, I was very comfortable reading print. I struggled reading from the whiteboard though and had a vision itinerant teacher (I’m in Australia so this might be different in other countries). Sheets were blown up to A3 size, annoyingly enough, and I had extra time to do tests. This was mostly high school, which I graduated in 2016. I just wish I knew I could’ve used technology and that would’ve made life so much easier. I was allowed to use my phone to take photos of the whiteboard and zoom in, but I wasn’t aware of digital magnifiers. also went to a preschool for blind and deaf kids but I don’t remember a lot about that.
As for cane use, I remember trying to learn as a kid but hated it. I didn’t need it but learnt again as a teenager - around 15 or 16 - and it definitely helped more. As a kid, I also had an occupational therapist from the education department as well as… someone, who I don’t remember the role, talk to me about vision fatigue and see how I was going.
All in all, I believe your child is in a great time to be vision impaired. Technology is truly fantastic. Advocate for her and teach her to advocate for herself. I’m happy if you want to PM me too.
As for cane use, I remember trying to learn as a kid but hated it. I didn’t need it but learnt again as a teenager - around 15 or 16 - and it definitely helped more. As a kid, I also had an occupational therapist from the education department as well as… someone, who I don’t remember the role, talk to me about vision fatigue and see how I was going.
All in all, I believe your child is in a great time to be vision impaired. Technology is truly fantastic. Advocate for her and teach her to advocate for herself. I’m happy if you want to PM me too.
emzkind 1 points 1y ago
Thanks for responding! We're in Australia too and I will definitely message if I have any specific questions. I agree that there's so much technology can do to help her! Your experience sounds similar to what they're saying for my daughter - basically just people visiting to make sure she gets what she needs day to day. I'm a primary teacher and she'll be at my school, so she'd better be accommodated! I'm glad she was introduced to the cane early - she actually wasn't walking independently till we gave her one. The O&M lady said they try to do it very young as older children don't want to use them unless they've always had one, even if they'd be useful. Thanks again for sharing!
CosmicBunny97 1 points 1y ago
Oh, interesting. I really hope she gets the accommodations she needs. It’s amazing she’s picking up the cane so young. I don’t know what compelled me to pick up the cane as a teenager, but definitely helped me with my anxiety around crowds, stairs etc. I would also recommend that she goes to the Vision Australia and Guide Dogs camps in the future. I really wish I went when I was younger.
blackberrybunny 6 points 1y ago
Hello! I'm Molly. I'm 53. I was born at 23 weeks, so my retinas didn't develop fully. I was born legally blind, both eyes. I have some vision. But I also have severe nystagmus and also, exotropia. As I get older, the wiggling of my eyes is very tiring... I've never been able to drive, but I'm lucky, because I feel I can do most things. I used to be a pretty good cook, and now I'm fat, LOL. Very happily married, 20 years this year. I was never able to have children. I have a beagle, my heart. I sometimes use a long white cane, and I learned how to read Grade 1 Braille, and some Grade 2, but I've forgotten a lot of it. Thank you, audio books! LOL
EDIT: Came back to add that the reason I was premature was because my mother had what they call a 'double uterus.' I was lucky to make it. I spent my first few months in and incubator, way back in 1968, when they didn't know much about prematurity and oxygen, etc. I also had to have open heart surgery right before I was two years old. Doing ok now, but starting to fall apart, hahaha.
Nice to meet you!
EDIT: Came back to add that the reason I was premature was because my mother had what they call a 'double uterus.' I was lucky to make it. I spent my first few months in and incubator, way back in 1968, when they didn't know much about prematurity and oxygen, etc. I also had to have open heart surgery right before I was two years old. Doing ok now, but starting to fall apart, hahaha.
Nice to meet you!
0encantadora_ava8 [OP] 3 points 1y ago
Nice to meet you, too! 😁
gay_catgirl 4 points 1y ago
I was born premature and I'm blind in my left eye and don't have depth perception and my eyes are also kinda sensitive to bright light, which might be due to autism, and I've had my vision impairment my whole life. Also worth noting that my bio mom was diabetic and had a history of drug and alcohol abuse, not sure if that mixed with me being born premature would've also contributed to my vision impairment or not.
PixelGhost97 3 points 1y ago
My right eye is completely blind from retinopathy of prematurity but I still have vision in my left eye. The only issues I have with my left eye is light sensitivity and near sightedness.
TK_Sleepytime 3 points 1y ago
I had cancer in both eyes at birth. Right eye was already totally blind so it was removed when I was an infant. Left eye had the lens removed because radiation therapy caused a cataract at age 4. Now, with glasses, I can see around 20/100 in my left eye but being autistic means I have visual processing and light sensitivities on top of that.
SiriuslyGranger 3 points 1y ago
If you can see perfectly out of one eye then you wouldn’t be considered blind.
0encantadora_ava8 [OP] 1 points 1y ago
I have many other problems, some I'm not even sure what they're known as but I know I have issues with vision in both eyes.
SiriuslyGranger 1 points 1y ago
Hmm. I see….
isolatedPsychonaut 2 points 1y ago
I was! I was born on June 19th, 2002. I was supposed to be born on October 18th of the same year. Being born at 23 weeks has resulted in an underdeveloped ocular nerve in my left eye amongst other unfortunate health complications. It's safe to say my left eye is entirely nonfunctional.
The fear of losing sight in my right eye, which even then requires glasses, utterly dominates my life. This fear coupled with ADHD and Autism has lead to me suffering what can be described as borderline mysophobia. I don't use those terms loosely, either. I will wash my hands 'til they're so dry it hurts to even apply lotion to them (and such a shame, too! I just bought this lovely strawberry shortcake lotion for my 20th birthday and it stings on contact) and any surfaces I touch regularly such as a doorknob or kitchen sink are cleaned religiously.
I got into gardening a short while back and while I love it, I'm so damn scared of getting something like dirt in my good eye that I will hold the hand trowel (or whatever it's called) at a distance just to prevent any dirt from flinging it's way up at my face. Kinda tough trying to grow milkweed for monarchs and salad greens for yourself when dirt and other contaminants that can lead to blindness are lurking around every corner.
I'm sorry if I got wayyy sidetracked, I just don't feel I have anyone to really talk to about this. I feel real alone in my struggles.
The fear of losing sight in my right eye, which even then requires glasses, utterly dominates my life. This fear coupled with ADHD and Autism has lead to me suffering what can be described as borderline mysophobia. I don't use those terms loosely, either. I will wash my hands 'til they're so dry it hurts to even apply lotion to them (and such a shame, too! I just bought this lovely strawberry shortcake lotion for my 20th birthday and it stings on contact) and any surfaces I touch regularly such as a doorknob or kitchen sink are cleaned religiously.
I got into gardening a short while back and while I love it, I'm so damn scared of getting something like dirt in my good eye that I will hold the hand trowel (or whatever it's called) at a distance just to prevent any dirt from flinging it's way up at my face. Kinda tough trying to grow milkweed for monarchs and salad greens for yourself when dirt and other contaminants that can lead to blindness are lurking around every corner.
I'm sorry if I got wayyy sidetracked, I just don't feel I have anyone to really talk to about this. I feel real alone in my struggles.
Rimond14 2 points 1y ago
I lost significant amount of my vision due to corneal ulcer in my left eye 👀 I can still see with my left eye but it's foggy my right eye is ok but left eye looks bad due to corneal opacity. Maybe I need a surgery but doctor told it won't be useful and I can do all stuff with other eye and it's been long since I lost significant vision (Probably 15 years).
DrillInstructorJan 2 points 1y ago
I did once work with someone who had been born prematurely and put on oxygen which had led to her being completely blind in one eye, but it didn't seem to bother her. It was a only very rarely a bit awkward when she maybe did need some help with something she was always very reluctant to ask for it in my presence out of embarrassment. Obviously I couldn't have cared less, she should ask for what she needs, but she was very cautious and I regretted making her feel that way. It happens with almost anyone who has any sort of long term condition they see as "less bad" than mine, including with someone I know who has type one diabetes which seems to me as if it's a complete nightmare.
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