Listen Up: Free Low-Vision Audio Recordings

Three million people in the U.S. age 40 and older have low vision. According to 2010 research by the National Eye Institute, the number of Americans with low vision will continue to grow dramatically, from 2.9 million in 2010, to 5 million in 2030, to 8.9 million in 2050, as our population ages. In response, The Hadley School for the Blind, the largest provider of distance education for people who are blind or visually impaired worldwide, has launched a series of 10 free audio recordings designed to help those living with low vision maintain their independence. Available through the new Low Vision Focus @ Hadley program the recordings share practical ways to address daily living skills made difficult by vision loss.

Low-Vision Audio Recordings

The recordings are available on CD, NLS (National Library Service) cartridge and as free mp3 audio downloads from the Low Vision Focus @ Hadley (LVF) website at www.lowvisionfocus.org. Individuals are required to register online to receive access to the free audio recordings or they should call 1-855-830-5355 for the CDs or NLS cartridges. Each recording is approximately 30 minutes long and covers a different aspect of living independently with low vision. This series helps people move forward using step-by-step tips and techniques, along with information and resources to help maximize the vision they have.

Following are the 10 audio lesson topics and a sample tip from each:

Making the Kitchen User Friendly
It’s a good idea to have two different cutting boards – a light colored one and another that’s darker. This will allow you to choose a background color that contrasts with the color of the food you’re working with. So, slice white onion or mozzarella cheese on the dark surface, and carrots or green peppers on the light colored board.
Low Vision Cooking
When putting a pan on a burner, make it a habit to move the panhandle over the counter. It’s also a good idea to point it in a consistent direction.
Doing Simple Kitchen Tasks
When you’re cooking with spices, don’t add spices by shaking them over the mixed ingredients, because once you add too much, they can’t be removed. Instead, shake spices into your palm and pinch the amount that you want. You can always add more.
Basic Tactile Marking
When marking a microwave keypad with tactile dots, put one dot on each number – but add an extra dot on the number five. Since the five button is in the middle, the double dot will let you identify it, so you can use it to figure out where the other numbers are around it.
Simple Home Modifications
The direction that the light is coming from is just as important as the source. A lamp with a gooseneck or an adjustable swing arm will help you to position it right where you need the light. Remember, whatever you use, make sure it’s completely shaded, so no light is directed in your eyes making it difficult to see the object.
Getting Around the House
Every place in your home where sound can be heard is a great landmark for the room. Constant sounds like a ticking clock are a great way to tell where you are. Other less dependable sounds like the traffic on the street can tell you where the windows are, your neighbor’s television can let you know where the living room is, and the intermittent motor hum of your refrigerator can always point you towards your kitchen.
Looking Your Best
To mark your shampoo and conditioner, think about it this way: when you’re washing your hair, you use the shampoo first, and the conditioner second. To mark them, just put one rubber band around the shampoo, and then two rubber bands around the conditioner. It’s a simple concept – the container used first gets one mark, and the second gets two.
Keeping Prescriptions in Order
Open your pill bottles over a tray or baking sheet lined with dark colored felt. If you drop a pill, it won’t bounce on the floor and it will be easier to see.
Going Out for a Meal
When reaching for glassware, approach the glass from above, bringing your hand down to the rim, and then to the bottom to pick it up. Putting it down in a consistent place on the table will help you find it more easily.
Going Out with a Friend
A sighted guide is someone who has enough vision to help you get from one place to another safely. You will hold onto their upper arm with your hand so both of you maintain physical contact as you walk. When you’re approaching obstacles or changes in your path like doorways, stairs, or sidewalk curbs, it’s the sighted guide’s job to give you verbal and physical information to keep you aware of the surroundings.

While the LVF is geared toward older adults, the program is open to any individual who is experiencing sight loss or caring for someone who may be losing his or her vision. Adult children of seniors living with low vision are encouraged to take advantage of the online resources to assist their parents. Caregivers and professionals, especially those working with low vision support groups in local communities, are also encouraged to utilize the resources available through the LVF website.

In addition to downloadable recordings, the Web site offers links to free low vision webinars, Hadley distance education courses that are relevant to those with low vision, tips and resource lists. In the future, Hadley will provide free, “quick tip” videos through the Web site that complement the audio recordings as well as new monthly webinars.

“We are so excited to offer Low Vision Focus @ Hadley and enable this growing population to retain their independence and live with confidence,” says VP of Education and Training and head of Low Vision Focus @ Hadley, Doug Anzlovar.

For more information or questions, call 855-830-5355 or email lowvisionfocus@hadley.edu.

9/22/15

Sheryl Bass, MA, MSW
The Hadley School for the Blind

Vision Rehabilitation Services

The term “vision rehabilitation” covers a wide range of services that can help you learn how to remain active with vision loss while maintaining your independence and quality of life.

Vision Rehabilitation Services

The following are different vision rehabilitation services you can access in addition to the information and help you will receive from your ophthalmologist or optometrist.

Communication skills: These help you with reading, writing and assistive computer technology. In some cases you may even want to learn braille.
Counseling: This can be beneficial, not only to you, but and family and/or friends that want to better understand or help you with your vision loss.
Independent living skills: These skills can be a simple as learning how to cook safely, take care of your personal appearance, manage your finances, keep exercising, or enjoy hobbies. The people that come to your home to help you keep your independent may also suggest home modifications to make life easier and help ensure your safety.
Independent movement and travel skills: These skills are important not only to help with your independence, but also to keep you from isolating yourself. Isolation is a common problem with vision loss as you may not want people to know you are losing your vision, or you are afraid of falling or embarrassing yourself. However, isolation can lead to depression.
Low vision evaluations and training: There are a variety of hand-held and desktop magnifiers, special reading glasses, lighting sources and other devices that help you make the most of your remaining vision.
Vocational rehabilitation: Loss of vision does not necessarily mean you can no longer work. Vocational evaluation and training, along with job modification and restructuring, can keep you enjoying the work you have enjoyed and depend on.

Vision Rehabilitation Service Providers

When looking for vision rehabilitation services, what should you know? You are best looking for a specially trained person including low vision therapists, vision rehabilitation therapists, and orientation and mobility specialists. They each have completed a standardized certification process that will let them help guide you as you work toward your vision goals.

Certified Low Vision Therapists (CLVTs): These therapists work with you to use your remaining vision with various devices and assistive technology. They also help you determine what modification you might need at home or work to remain independent and safe.
Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (CVRTs): These therapists teach special adaptive skills that will allow you to confidently carry out a range of daily activities.
Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS or O&Ms): These specialists teach skills that help you navigate safely and confidently when you are home, in the community or traveling far from home. This can include the use of a cane, GPS devices or public transportation. They also include guide dog instructors, but this training is more intense and takes place at a guide dog facility for several days.

To remain active and independent may require learning new skills, but it is important to find the right person to help you learn those skills. By finding the best person to suit your needs, the process can be a fun and positive experience.

9/17/15

Susan DeRemer, CFRE
Vice President of Development
Discovery Eye Foundation

Is There Life After Vision Loss?

Vision loss does not have to result in isolation and withdrawing from rewarding and enjoyable activities that life has to offer. Jim Vorndran, one of my long-time low vision patients who suffers from macular degeneration wrote: “The greatest obstacle is fear…fear of the unknown and of apparent helplessness. It is difficult to admit to myself and to others that I can no longer do the things I used to do with almost no effort. But once I have begun to embrace this, I am ready to begin to learn to walk once again. “

Is There Life After Vision Loss?

Jim wrote: “Vision loss can be a source of frustration but I also see it as an opportunity, and in some strange way as a gift. It has slowed me down so that I can pay greater attention to what is going on around me.”

living with vision loss — Susan F. was able to start reading magazines after simple reading glasses (stronger for low vision patients) and low vision therapy.

In my ten years of providing low vision care, many patients receive the devastating news of potentially progressive vision loss without being presented with resources or support, and families often do not know how to cope. Their determination to maintain or improve their quality of life is often a source of inspiration.

Macular degeneration is the primary cause of vision loss in the US, followed by diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. There are steps to take in order to continue enjoying daily life and reduce the isolation that vision loss can bring.

Following is a list of six steps to follow in order to maintain quality of life and to be pro-active in finding ways to cope.

Be informed about your eye condition

Learn as much as possible about your eye condition. Ask your eye doctor what level of vision you have and where you see best in your field of view. Macular degeneration results in loss of central vision while the peripheral vision is still healthy. Glaucoma has the opposite effect. Ask about the prognosis of your condition, treatment options (both medical and rehabilitative),ways to slow down the progression, and current research and clinical trials in this field. Be proactive about how the progression of your condition is affecting your vision. Most eye doctors will have written materials and you can read these on your own, or ask a spouse or family member to read it to you. This will help them to understand your condition as well.

Schedule a low vision evaluation

Many of my patients and their families had never heard about low vision care. Low vision is defined as “vision which is insufficient to do what you want to do”. Most will mention that their glasses are not

Establish a “Wish List”

Vision loss does not have to mean discontinuing everything you did before. It might just mean a different way of doing things. It is first important to write a list of things you would like to be able to do. The top three are usually: reading, driving, and watching TV. Other wish list items will include sewing, playing bridge, cooking, etc. Once you write this list, you can then track down the resources that will help you fulfill this.

For example, while a handful of low vision patients may still be able to continue driving (to be determined by trained specialists), others will need transportation resources such as Access, talking devices, magnification devices or software, books on tape, etc.

Low vision devices and vision rehabilitation

Some of these devices and/or low vision therapy can help you fulfill your wish list. These include simple hand-held lighted magnifiers to more sophisticated assistive-technology devices such as a CCTV, and prescription telescopes. A low vision specialist can help determine if you are a candidate for low vision therapy, or if one of these devices would be appropriate and what your insurance would cover.

Community resources and volunteering

Support groups, such as the Macular Degeneration Partnership, can be a helpful resource to share and gain experiences from others who are coping with the same condition. One of my patients, Bonnie D., started a support group at her church, when she realized that several others also had AMD. It was successful, and they met once a month, learning from each other.

Some people also find rewarding experiences in volunteering to help others. One patient goes to a nursing home via public transportation twice a month to sit with those who are bedridden and accompany them. She said it helps her to forget her own difficulties and to be more optimistic when she sees there are others who need more help.

Incorporate technology resources

As Jim V. writes “For me, a major challenge has been to overcome resistance to using electronic devices but now that I am freeing myself from that frustrating challenge, I am learning about many opportunities available.” Jim is now an avid iPad user since the font size can be easily increased and the user can switch to voice-over to read what is on the screen. He was able to receive technology training at a local center for the blind and partially sighted. He has discovered magnification software, apps for iPhone an iPad such as ZoomReader.

These are examples of how quality of life can continue even after vision loss. Life can still be enriching, engaging, and enterprising. It all depends on you.

List of Resources:

Braille Institute
Classes, training, on-site demonstrations of assistive-technology
www.brailleinstitute.org

Access Transportation Services
www.accessla.org

Computer Screen Readers
This is a free screen reader for the blind and visually impaired.
www.nvaccess.org

AI Squared
Computer software and other products that magnify and/or read the screen: Zoom Text, Zoom Reader for iPhones
www.aisquared.com

Support Group
Macular Degeneration Partnership
AMD.org

6/25/15

Lisa Limtiaco, OD
Dr. Richlin, OD & Associates
Beverly Hills, CA

Vision Recap Of Previous Articles of Interest

Besides the comments that we get, one of the best parts of putting together this blog is the wonderful group of guests who share their expertise and personal stories. I want to thank all of the eye care professionals and friends that have contributed to make this blog a success.

Here is a quick vision recap of some of the articles we had in the past that you may have missed.

Jullia A. Rosdahl, MD, PhD – Coffee and Glaucoma and Taking Control of Glaucoma

David Liao, MD, PhD – What Are A Macular Pucker and Macular Hole?

Kooshay Malek – Being A Blind Artist

Dan Roberts – 15 Things Doctors Might Like Us To Know

Jennifer Villeneuve – Living With KC Isn’t Easy

Daniel D. Esmaili, MD – Posterior Vitreous Detachment

Donna Cole – Living With Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Pouya N. Dayani, MD – Diabetes And The Potential For Diabetic Retinopathy

Robin Heinz Bratslavsky – Adjustments Can Help With Depression

Judith Delgado – Drugs to Treat Dry AMD and Inflammation

Kate Streit – Hadley’s Online Education for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Catherine Warren, RN – Can Keratoconus Progression Be Predicted?

Richard H. Roe, MD, MHS – Uveitis Explained

Sumit (Sam) Garg, MD – Cataract Surgery and Keratoconus

Howard J. Kaplan, MD – Spotlight Text – A New Way to Read

Gerry Trickle – Imagination and KC

In addition to the topics above, here are few more articles that cover a variety of vision issues:

If you have any topics that you would like to read about, please let us know in the comments section below.

6/23/15

Susan DeRemer, CFRE
Vice President of Development
Discovery Eye Foundation

Coping With Retinitis Pigmentosa

Tribulations, Travels and Tennis Balls

Linda Becker stopped playing tennis at night because she couldn’t see the balls coming at her. “Coincidentally, I saw something about night blindness on TV, so I went to my optometrist,” Becker says. He confirmed she had night blindness and sent her for more testing. An ophthalmologist told her: “I’m sorry, but you have retinis pigmentosa, and you’ll be blind some day.”

“As a young mother, I couldn’t wrap my head around that,” Becker says. So she entered a decade of denial until she started to sideswipe other cars while driving. “I drove into my development one day, and there was a thump over the hood of my car. I thought, ‘Oh my god, what did I do? Did I kill somebody?’ I pulled over, and a police officer who happened to be driving behind me came over to my window. I was devastated. I said, ‘What have I done?’ He told me a jogger who wasn’t paying attention had tripped over the hood of my car. But I knew if I could have seen better, I would have stopped. That was the day I put my car keys down.”

Coping with Retinitis Pigmentosa

Encouraged by her kids to get a guide dog, Becker called Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB). She learned she needed orientation and mobility (O&M) skills, including knowing how to walk with a white cane, before she could be considered for a dog.

“I called the Braille Institute, and it was daunting, to say the least: Thinking about walking with a white cane, having people know I’m blind and feeling disabled. Going through that whole transition — I didn’t want to even face it,” she recalls. “But I went, and I took classes, until I knew it was time for me to have a guide dog. I’ve always been a dog person, and I’d rather use my dog as a mobility tool than a cane. Plus, I wanted the companionship.”

She successfully completed the GDB requirement of walking one mile to and from her home with the cane. She then completed two weeks of on-site training at GDB’s campus in Oregon, where she was paired with Lyla, a yellow English Lab.

Becker started teaching classes at the Braille Institute and helping others navigate their vision-loss transition. She teaches a 14-week sensory-awareness class. “It helps develop and educate your other senses when you start losing your sight,” she says. “It humbles me. I have no sight now. My transition of going to the Braille Institute, learning to use a white cane, then learning to have a guide dog, taught me a whole lot about myself and feeling very independent. I was able to speak about guide dogs and speak about blindness — and be a teacher.”

She became an outreach ambassador for the Braille Institute, facilitating low-vision support groups throughout Orange County, Calif. She also went to work for GDB as an alumni-outreach representative, putting together workshops and helping people learn about the “guide-dog lifestyle.”

Now 66 years old, Becker finds the most enjoyment in traveling. “Being with a guide dog and in the blindness community took me places,” she says. “I was asked to be a keynote speaker here or an ambassador there. I’d never done that type of thing before, and I’d never traveled much. I just kept hopping on airplanes with my guide dog and going to hotels and trying to figure things out. I ask questions and collect tips, so I can share with others how easy it can be to travel with or without usable sight. It is really exciting, and I’m really driven to go different places.”

Since Lyla’s retirement, Becker travels regularly with her guide dog, Anchorage, a yellow lab. “He gives me courage,” she says. The pair is currently planning a trip to Australia and New Zealand. Becker is no longer daunted by learning new skills, exploring new places or even flying tennis balls — Anchorage is quite happy to deal with those when he is off-duty.

For more on traveling with guide dogs, including Becker’s adventures with Lyla and Anchorage, read “Traveling Tails”.

5/26/15

Lauren Hauptman
Lauren Hauptman INK

Living Well With Low Vision Online Courses

As of May 5th, 10 new audio lessons offering tips and techniques for living well with low vision are now available as part of the newly-launched Low Vision Focus @ Hadley (LVF). These low vision online courses offer practical knowledge to make life easier.

Low vision is defined by having significant difficulty seeing even after one’s vision is corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses, surgery or medicine. Some typical symptoms of low vision include dimness, haziness, and having difficulty recognizing faces, reading labels and safely moving around. Low vision can make everyday tasks like reading the mail, shopping, cooking and paying the bills difficult. According to 2010 research by the National Eye Institute, the number of Americans with low vision will continue to grow dramatically, from 2.9 million in 2010, to 5 million in 2030, to 8.9 million in 2050, as our population ages. One out of every six older adults will experience age-related vision loss due to conditions such as macular degeneration, glaucoma or diabetes.

As the largest provider of distance education for people who are blind and visually impaired worldwide, The Hadley School for the Blind (www.hadley.edu) is building on its history and expertise with this new program. The LVF is designed to help those living with low vision maintain their independence by sharing practical ways to address daily living skills made difficult by vision loss. Most low vision assistance focuses on a device that is meant to correct the vision problem. The LVF, however, offers ways for older adults to educate themselves on their condition as well as learn adaptive techniques to continue the tasks of daily living. The LVF is unique in that it offers those living with low vision the opportunity to learn and take advantage of our resources from the comfort of their own homes, at a time that is convenient for them, with the benefit of one-on-one counseling and support, at no cost to them.

A newly-revised series of 10 audio lessons is the core component of the LVF. Each lesson is approximately 30 minutes long and is available on a CD that is mailed to the client. The CDs are free for the client to keep. When a new client comes to the LVF, he or she speaks with an intake coordinator to determine which lesson(s) best meet their needs based on their challenges with low vision. Clients will be limited in their requests to two lessons initially. Additional titles may be requested once the client has had the opportunity to listen to these initial lessons and determine future need. The audio lessons include:

Making the Kitchen User Friendly	Getting Around in the House
Basic Tactile Marking	Going Out with a Friend
Doing Simple Kitchen Tasks	Keeping Prescriptions in Order
Low Vision Cooking	Looking Your Best
Going Out for a Meal	Simple Home Modifications

While the LVF is geared primarily toward seniors, adult children of seniors living with low vision are encouraged to take advantage of the resources offered by the LVF to aid their parents in the adjustment process. Additionally, while many of the people who are living with low vision are seniors, the program is open to any individual who is experiencing sight loss. Clients and professionals also are encouraged to utilize the programming of the LVF in either the development of new low vision support groups in local communities or to sustain existing support group networks.

In the future, Hadley will provide free, educational videos and webinars as part of the Low Vision Focus and the program will soon reference popular Hadley courses that may be of interest to individuals with low vision.

“We are so excited to offer the Low Vision Focus @ Hadley and enable this growing population to retain their independence and live with confidence,” says the dean of Educational Programs and Instruction and interim Director of the Low Vision Focus @ Hadley Doug Anzlovar.
For more information or to begin taking advantage of the LVF, please visit www.lowvisionfocus.org or call toll-free at 1-855-830-5355.

5/21/15

Kate Streit
Media and Marketing Specialist
The Hadley School for the Blind

Must Love Dogs

Traveling with Guide Dogs

Adam Lawrence was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) when he was 17, but the disease did not have a profound effect on his life until his early 40s. “I sometimes had trouble with bright sunlight during the day, but I dealt with it by wearing dark sunglasses. Then one morning, I woke up, and it was like I was staring through a haze of pepper,” he says.

Lawrence gave up his job in the banking industry, as he could no longer see the contracts he needed to review. “I had to stop working and driving, and I had to figure out how to adapt,” he recalls. “I was great at organization, so my job became running the house, while my wife went to work. I got a scanner and a JAWS (Job Access With Speech) screen-reader for my computer, and I learned to read Braille.”

Lawrence is now legally blind, and his RP had another profound affect on his life about seven years ago, when he and his wife encountered Guide Dogs of America (GDA) at a fundraising event.

“I didn’t plan to get a guide dog, but they had a chocolate Lab puppy on the table” he says with a smile. “They put my hand on the puppy, and there was no turning back.”

Lawrence went through an interview and then an intensive 28-day on-site orientation program at GDA’s school in Sylmar, Calif. He was paired with a black and tan Labrador named Escort — also known as “the greatest dog in the world.”

With Escort, Lawrence feels a sureness and freedom he never experienced with other mobility tools. “When I walk with a cane, I don’t feel as confident, and I’m much slower. He gives me confidence, mobility and ability.”

Now in their sixth year as a team, Lawrence and Escort are virtually inseparable. They even shop together: “A person in the market takes our list, then Escort and I follow them around the store.”

They also travel extensively and have been everywhere from Mexico to New England to Colorado, where they went rock-climbing. “On the way down, Escort chose the more difficult path for himself, and left the easier path for me. He’s amazing,” Lawrence says.

Lawrence is quick to point out that “Escort is not a GPS. I have to plan and know where we are going. He’s there to keep me safe; he’s not there to figure out where to go — that’s my job.”

For more on traveling with guide dogs, including Lawrence’s adventures with Escort, read “Traveling Tails”, an article from our most recent e-newsletter.

5/19/15

Lauren Hauptman
Lauren Hauptman INK

Traveling With Low Or No Vision

What Good is Sitting Alone in Your Room?

Traveling with low or no vision

There is a whole world out there to discover — regardless of whether you can see it all with your eyes. No one will tell you traveling with low or no vision does not present challenges, but there are precious few that cannot be overcome with planning, creativity and patience.

A plethora of for-profit and nonprofit companies exist to help you navigate the complexities of traveling with a vision disability — from technology and websites, to travel agents and tour operators. And don’t overlook helpful — and free! — resources such as your friends and family, assistance pets and even complete strangers.

Travel Tools
Everyday tools become even more essential when you are traveling in unfamiliar surroundings. A mobility cane (consider a small travel version) will let you find your way more easily — and notify others of your vision issues. This is especially helpful for two reasons: Strangers are less likely to get in your way and more likely to help if you ask for it. In a recent DEF blog post (“Visual Aids and Techniques When Traveling”

Linda Becker, who has retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and travels primarily with her guide dog, is planning her next trip to Australia and New Zealand with Mind’s Eye Travel, a company that specializes in creating tours especially for people who are blind or visually impaired, as well as providing sighted guides. There are many such companies that will assist you with all facets of travel, from immigration documents to reservations to tour guides. Traveleyes offers discounts to sighted travelers in exchange for helping guide non-sighted travelers during group vacations around the world. DisabledTravelers.com is a good resource for companies that specialize in travel for people with accessibility issues. It includes reviews and recommendations on everything from airlines and cruises, to travel agents and hotels.

Plan, Prep, Pack
Ask any experienced low-vision traveler, and they will tell you planning, planning and more planning is the key to successful travel. Not only will it make your trip go more smoothly, it will give you peace of mind, as well as the ability to relax and enjoy yourself. The fewer surprises, the more confident and comfortable you will feel. And if something does goes awry, it is easier “go with the flow,” because everything else has been planned.

Right at the top of the list with planning is, well, making a list. Prepare a list of all the items you will need, then double it. That means if you wear contact lenses, pack at least one extra pair, as well as cleaning solutions. Same goes for glasses and sunglasses. Make sure you have plenty of the medications and other supplies you use on a day-to-day basis. Most seasoned travelers suggest you have multiples of all these stashed in different bags: your carry-on, your suitcase and a handbag of some kind that never leaves your side. This way, if one bag gets lost, you still have another one or two. Sample sizes may become your best friend!

Carolyn Hammett, an accomplished photographer and world traveler who has keratoconus (KC), advises: “Be prepared; having backups makes you more comfortable. Be ready to change contact lenses in public restroom if you need to. Have one of everything you need, vision-wise, with you at all times.” To learn more about Hammett and see what she packs for a two-week trip, see “Through a Lens with One Eye Blind,” a story from our recent e-newsletter focused on travel experiences and tips.

“Leave extra time, notify airlines or others in advance that you may need assistance, and don’t be afraid to ask for help,” says Adam Lawrence, who also has RP and travels regularly with his guide dog. (Read more about traveling with guide dogs in “Traveling Tails”, from an article in our recent e-newsletter.

Speaking of help, don’t forget the helper sitting next to you right now, whether it’s a spouse, a friend or a guide dog. Traveling alone can be vexing for people with full vision, so it’s natural for those with low vision to feel even more anxiety.

Dame Judi Dench, who has age-related macular degeneration (AMD), recently told Radio Times she no longer travels alone. “I need someone to say, ‘Look out, there’s a step here!’ or else I fall all over the place like a mad, drunk lady,” she said.

“Don’t travel by yourself the first time — go with someone you trust, and let them know how much help you want,” Hammett says. “I’ve gotten to the point where I tell my husband, ‘Don’t tell me anything until I screw up.’”

With planning, preparation and practice, you may get to a point where you feel comfortable traveling alone. You will only know your limitations if you try to stretch them.

“Just try,” Hammett says. “Do it once to find out if you can.”

Additional Resources

Access-Able Travel Source’s “Travel Tips for People Who are Blind or Visually Impaired”

Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality

Transportation Security Administration’s “Passengers Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision”

5/14/15

Lauren Hauptman
Lauren Hauptman INK

Eyeglasses Timeline

Eyeglasses are something we all take for granted, but they haven’t always existed. More than 700 year ago you had to learn to live with poor vision. Now more than 6 in 10 people in the US wear either glasses or contact lenses, with 60% of them being far-sighted. Here is an eyeglasses timeline to see how eyeglasses have evolved.

5/12/15

Susan DeRemer, CFRE
Vice President of Development
Discovery Eye Foundation

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Lifestyle

Listen Up: Free Low-Vision Audio Recordings

Low-Vision Audio Recordings

Coping With Retinitis Pigmentosa

Tribulations, Travels and Tennis Balls

Coping with Retinitis Pigmentosa

Must Love Dogs

Traveling with Guide Dogs

Eyeglasses Timeline

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Low-Vision Audio Recordings

Vision Rehabilitation Services

Vision Rehabilitation Service Providers

Is There Life After Vision Loss?

List of Resources:

Tribulations, Travels and Tennis Balls

Coping with Retinitis Pigmentosa

Traveling with Guide Dogs

What Good is Sitting Alone in Your Room?

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