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Crafting when you have a visual impairment
I’m not saying I do things the same way as sighted people, but there are tips and tricks that can enable visually impaired people to craft. Like most things, I turned to the online community. I asked other visually impaired people what crafts they did and what they would recommend to others. Thankfully, they had loads of suggestions.
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Getting a guide dog: I’m on the waiting list!
In November 2019 I applied for a guide dog, then a year later I was added to the waiting list! The process was more in-depth than I had anticipated. However, I cannot thank the team at Guide Dogs for their amazing support so far. Since sharing my news about a guide dog I’ve had a lot of questions about what it involves and why I qualify for one. So I thought I would share my experience. I hope this post helps you on your guide dog journey and allows others to learn more about the process.
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A first look at the RealSAM Smart Speaker [AD]
RealSAM is a range of voice-controlled products that allow visually impaired people to access information. The latest being the RealSAM Smart Speaker which launches 8th March. It’s a fully voice-controlled media player which you run through a Google Home or Amazon Alexa. I think the foundations allows the product to revolutionize how blind and partially sighted people access information on a daily basis. With new features being added, the possibilities of this product are endless. Find out how you can get access to the RealSAM Smart Speaker and take advantage of their amazing launch deal.
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“But you don’t look blind!”
If you’re blind or partially sighted you’ve probably heard this comment before. However, on the surface I agree with you. I can’t possibly be blind if I look at you, use my phone or look into the camera for a picture. On the other hand, I can be registered blind and do all of those things.
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Realising you’re reliant on a long cane
This was never meant to happen. Back in 2016 I started to lose my sight, by 2017 I was registered as partially sighted and began using a long cane. It was a Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO) at the hospital who suggested using a cane as it would allow me to maintain independence. After a few training sessions from a rehabilitation officer, that was it. I became a long cane user.
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OrCam Read, is it worth the investment?
The OrCam Read is a portable reading device. After been designed for people reading difficulties like dyslexia and reading fatigue, it is equally (if not more) beneficial for visually impaired people. The device is a piece of assistive technology that allows you to turn written text into audio almost instantly using a camera. Due to the camera you are able to capture a whole page to translate, with physical and digital text being recognised.
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What can you see if you’re partially sighted?
This is my interpretation of how I see the world around me. Due to the limitations of a camera I’m unable to show you how my vision changes. My sight can depend on the distance between an object and myself, As well as many other factors. Therefore, they are not entirely accurate.
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6 Things I Wish I’d Known When I Started Losing my Sight
I was in my first year of university when changes in my sight started to happen. It was then several months later that I was registered as partially sighted. This has never been something that was anticipated to happen and is something that I continue to get used to. However, over the last two and half years I have started to use a long cane, graduated from university and now work full-time. I fully appreciate that losing your sight can be a devastating and ongoing process, yet here’s what I wish someone would have told me.
