Blindness basics; at least from my perception.
Those of you who know me know that when I was younger, I could see a significantly more amount than I can now. I learned how to read in large print before I learned Braille. I used magnifiers and CCTVs to read large print along with it being enlarged on a copier. I could determine some colors and see some detail depending on lighting, contrast, and size of what I was looking at. Often times people I was with were surprised at some of the things I could see. Also, people like my parents got used to what I could and could not see and so were able to help in those ways. I can remember one specific time I surprised my mom in what I could see. We were on the beach in Hilton Head South Carolina around sunset. We had gone on a walk and as we were walking I first pointed to some lights off in the distance. It was down the beach and to me almost seemed out in the water. When I pointed and asked what it was, she told me it was the lights from savanna. I was totally blown away. All I saw was little lights in the distance, but the fact she then told me that, I was amazed. A little later I pointed out the sunset and how pretty it was. In those moments, I know my mom was surprised because it was very rare when all of a sudden, I pointed out something I saw and it was not something you’d think I could see. But it did happen.
These days though, it doesn’t happen anymore. When I was around 19, I started to develop a secondary eye condition on top of the one I was born with which over time significantly decreased my vision. Now, I have light perception and some shapes, but not any color definition anymore or detail. Its interesting how the brain works because even though I can’t see well at all anymore, my brain often tries to fill in gaps and almost fools me into seeing things I really am not seeing. It’s almost like when you picture things in a book while you’re reading. When I then go to focus on things, I realize just how much I can’t see.
The amount of sight a person has varies so much from person to person. No one person sees everything the exact same way especially with visual impairments. This is because of the factors that go into it. These can be lighting, contrast, how someone is feeling etc. It’s why every person who has a visual impairment has different needs. One thing may work for one person but not another.
When I was growing up, I would tell people I’m visually impaired. I didn’t use the word blind because to me, I wasn’t blind. Now, because the sight I do have is so limited, I just say I’m blind because what I have isn’t usable anymore. Trying to explain it in terms of what I can see is hard. I know it’s a concept those who don’t have problems with their vision have trouble imagining.
Tomorrow, I will be talking about and debunking some very popular misconceptions people have about blindness and visual impairment.
Blindness basics; at least from my perception.
Those of you who know me know that when I was younger, I could see a significantly more amount than I can now. I learned how to read in large print before I learned Braille. I used magnifiers and CCTVs to read large print along with it being enlarged on a copier. I could determine some colors and see some detail depending on lighting, contrast, and size of what I was looking at. Often times people I was with were surprised at some of the things I could see. Also, people like my parents got used to what I could and could not see and so were able to help in those ways. I can remember one specific time I surprised my mom in what I could see. We were on the beach in Hilton Head South Carolina around sunset. We had gone on a walk and as we were walking I first pointed to some lights off in the distance. It was down the beach and to me almost seemed out in the water. When I pointed and asked what it was, she told me it was the lights from savanna. I was totally blown away. All I saw was little lights in the distance, but the fact she then told me that, I was amazed. A little later I pointed out the sunset and how pretty it was. In those moments, I know my mom was surprised because it was very rare when all of a sudden, I pointed out something I saw and it was not something you’d think I could see. But it did happen.
These days though, it doesn’t happen anymore. When I was around 19, I started to develop a secondary eye condition on top of the one I was born with which over time significantly decreased my vision. Now, I have light perception and some shapes, but not any color definition anymore or detail. Its interesting how the brain works because even though I can’t see well at all anymore, my brain often tries to fill in gaps and almost fools me into seeing things I really am not seeing. It’s almost like when you picture things in a book while you’re reading. When I then go to focus on things, I realize just how much I can’t see.
The amount of sight a person has varies so much from person to person. No one person sees everything the exact same way especially with visual impairments. This is because of the factors that go into it. These can be lighting, contrast, how someone is feeling etc. It’s why every person who has a visual impairment has different needs. One thing may work for one person but not another.
When I was growing up, I would tell people I’m visually impaired. I didn’t use the word blind because to me, I wasn’t blind. Now, because the sight I do have is so limited, I just say I’m blind because what I have isn’t usable anymore. Trying to explain it in terms of what I can see is hard. I know it’s a concept those who don’t have problems with their vision have trouble imagining.
Tomorrow, I will be talking about and debunking some very popular misconceptions people have about blindness and visual impairment.
Blindness basics; at least from my perception.
Those of you who know me know that when I was younger, I could see a significantly more amount than I can now. I learned how to read in large print before I learned Braille. I used magnifiers and CCTVs to read large print along with it being enlarged on a copier. I could determine some colors and see some detail depending on lighting, contrast, and size of what I was looking at. Often times people I was with were surprised at some of the things I could see. Also, people like my parents got used to what I could and could not see and so were able to help in those ways. I can remember one specific time I surprised my mom in what I could see. We were on the beach in Hilton Head South Carolina around sunset. We had gone on a walk and as we were walking I first pointed to some lights off in the distance. It was down the beach and to me almost seemed out in the water. When I pointed and asked what it was, she told me it was the lights from savanna. I was totally blown away. All I saw was little lights in the distance, but the fact she then told me that, I was amazed. A little later I pointed out the sunset and how pretty it was. In those moments, I know my mom was surprised because it was very rare when all of a sudden, I pointed out something I saw and it was not something you’d think I could see. But it did happen.
These days though, it doesn’t happen anymore. When I was around 19, I started to develop a secondary eye condition on top of the one I was born with which over time significantly decreased my vision. Now, I have light perception and some shapes, but not any color definition anymore or detail. Its interesting how the brain works because even though I can’t see well at all anymore, my brain often tries to fill in gaps and almost fools me into seeing things I really am not seeing. It’s almost like when you picture things in a book while you’re reading. When I then go to focus on things, I realize just how much I can’t see.
The amount of sight a person has varies so much from person to person. No one person sees everything the exact same way especially with visual impairments. This is because of the factors that go into it. These can be lighting, contrast, how someone is feeling etc. It’s why every person who has a visual impairment has different needs. One thing may work for one person but not another.
When I was growing up, I would tell people I’m visually impaired. I didn’t use the word blind because to me, I wasn’t blind. Now, because the sight I do have is so limited, I just say I’m blind because what I have isn’t usable anymore. Trying to explain it in terms of what I can see is hard. I know it’s a concept those who don’t have problems with their vision have trouble imagining.
Tomorrow, I will be talking about and debunking some very popular misconceptions people have about blindness and visual impairment.
Life Through Our Eyes 