In Regards to Being Blind

I am legally blind. I was born with a genetic condition called Stargardt’s, which is a form of Macular Degeneration. As the macula begins to breakdown, I lose more of my central vision, which is responsible for detailed vision. My peripheral vision is good, thankfully because it’s what I’ve got to navigate the world, and is more of a soft-focus.

The further things are away from me, the more they become jsut shape and color. I get around just fine. I don’t walk into people or trashcans, well any more than the average person of course. The issue is mostly with detail stuff like facial recognition, reading street signs, address’, price tags, etc. I use a jewelers loupe (magnifying glass) to read things like labels and price tags. I use the built in accessibility features on my Mac to zoom in on my computer screen, and their text-to-speech functions to navigate emails, websites, etc. and I listen to audio books for reading some magazines and books. 

What this means for clients

My vision doesn’t ask much of clients. Sometimes I have a hard time finding a clients place the first time, as address numbers can be difficult to see. But I’ll normally just call when I arrive and ask that they come down so that I know which door I’m supposed to be at. Clients often will tell me they have set out a glass of water for me and make it a point to tell me where they have set it, as to make sure I don’t knock it over. But other than that I’m pretty self sufficient. 

I’m also totally open to any questions and curiosities that you might have. So feel free to ask.