Yep, it's true. I'm legally blind. That means my vision is worse than 20/200. Explaining this always confuses me but I think the deal is this: what I see at 20 feet away, a normal person can see at 200 feet away. It doesn't make any sense to me, though, because I can't see anything that is 20 feet away soooo... yeah. If there's, like, an ophthalmologist or an OT or even just someone smarter than me reading this who wants to explain in the comments, please feel free!
Most people are surprised when they first find out I'm blind and often relieved to know that I am not just a mean girl scowling at them with squinty eyes all the time (that happened!). Besides the scowly, squinty face I do fake it pretty good. I mean, I reeeeally fake it. Here's a little secret, unless you write big in my birthday card, I just open it up, pretend to read it and then move on to the present. I usually go back and read the card later with my zoomy device or my phone but yeah, in the moment? Totally faking. When people point stuff out to me a lot of times I just pretend to be able to see it. As I write this I realize that kind of makes me the biggest poser around but honestly? I get tired of saying, "I can't see that." And having the other person go, "oh yeah." Total conversation stopper right there. Also, if I am with people I don't know well, it's just easier than going into a whole explanation. I'm going to reframe and consider it to be due to my excellent acting skills and not that my pants are on fire 90% of the time!
My vision loss is due to macular degeneration, which you've probably heard of. And the macular degeneration is due to a genetic condition called Stargardt's Disease, which you probably haven't heard of. Stargardt's affects like, 1 in a zillion or something like that (again, a smart person is welcome to correct in the comments). I was first diagnosed as a young teenager, when my eye doctor spotted "white spots" at the back of my eyes and didn't know what they were. I didn't understand at the time that this meant I was actually going to go blind. I just knew that the ophthalmologist said I couldn't be a pilot, which didn't much matter to me because I wasn't going to be a pilot... I was going to be Anna Wintour. Or maybe a lawyer. And most certainly NOT a teacher. My vision didn't start to change until I was in university and it has slowly been deteriorating ever since.
People always ask me, "so what do you see?" It's hard to explain. Basically there is a blind spot, sometimes it's black or grey but most of the time it's just super blurry, right in the middle of my field of vision. And no, you can't replicate this by pointing at your eyes and trying to block out the centre of your vision... it's not the same. So I still have my peripheral vision, which is great but peripheral vision can't see detail. So what I'm left with is the shape and colour of things. It's what makes me a really good friend because I'm always going to think you look great. I can't see that zit on your face or that stain on your shirt! It also means I'm not scared of bugs because I have no idea they are there (except spiders, I seem to have a sixth sense for those!). And it's what makes me really good at ignoring the gross parts of my job. If you can't see the boogers going into the mouth, you have no reason to gag! Unless I hear the slurp... then it's barf city.
Which reminds me of my second most frequently asked question: "are your other senses heightened because you can't see? The answer? I have no idea. I don't think I hear particularly well. In fact, I actually have a theory that because I can't see people's lips moving, I have trouble making out what they are saying sometimes. I don't think I smell or taste things any more strongly than anybody else but how would you even know that? And it's not like I'm using my taste or smell to identify things that I can't see. I'm not walking around going, hmmm... I can't see what bus number this is so I'm just going to give it a lick and see if I can figure it out. That said, my hilarious family has decided my sense of sarcasm is heightened due to my loss of vision.
So that's the story and the reason behind needing the eSight Eyewear If you are so inclined to help out please feel free to share this blog post on your Facebook or Twitter feeds. And if you're really inclined and would like to prevent me from licking any more busses, please go click the donate now button at the top of the page to give a little bit of cash toward my big purchase!
Thanks for your support!! xo
Most people are surprised when they first find out I'm blind and often relieved to know that I am not just a mean girl scowling at them with squinty eyes all the time (that happened!). Besides the scowly, squinty face I do fake it pretty good. I mean, I reeeeally fake it. Here's a little secret, unless you write big in my birthday card, I just open it up, pretend to read it and then move on to the present. I usually go back and read the card later with my zoomy device or my phone but yeah, in the moment? Totally faking. When people point stuff out to me a lot of times I just pretend to be able to see it. As I write this I realize that kind of makes me the biggest poser around but honestly? I get tired of saying, "I can't see that." And having the other person go, "oh yeah." Total conversation stopper right there. Also, if I am with people I don't know well, it's just easier than going into a whole explanation. I'm going to reframe and consider it to be due to my excellent acting skills and not that my pants are on fire 90% of the time!
My vision loss is due to macular degeneration, which you've probably heard of. And the macular degeneration is due to a genetic condition called Stargardt's Disease, which you probably haven't heard of. Stargardt's affects like, 1 in a zillion or something like that (again, a smart person is welcome to correct in the comments). I was first diagnosed as a young teenager, when my eye doctor spotted "white spots" at the back of my eyes and didn't know what they were. I didn't understand at the time that this meant I was actually going to go blind. I just knew that the ophthalmologist said I couldn't be a pilot, which didn't much matter to me because I wasn't going to be a pilot... I was going to be Anna Wintour. Or maybe a lawyer. And most certainly NOT a teacher. My vision didn't start to change until I was in university and it has slowly been deteriorating ever since.
People always ask me, "so what do you see?" It's hard to explain. Basically there is a blind spot, sometimes it's black or grey but most of the time it's just super blurry, right in the middle of my field of vision. And no, you can't replicate this by pointing at your eyes and trying to block out the centre of your vision... it's not the same. So I still have my peripheral vision, which is great but peripheral vision can't see detail. So what I'm left with is the shape and colour of things. It's what makes me a really good friend because I'm always going to think you look great. I can't see that zit on your face or that stain on your shirt! It also means I'm not scared of bugs because I have no idea they are there (except spiders, I seem to have a sixth sense for those!). And it's what makes me really good at ignoring the gross parts of my job. If you can't see the boogers going into the mouth, you have no reason to gag! Unless I hear the slurp... then it's barf city.
Which reminds me of my second most frequently asked question: "are your other senses heightened because you can't see? The answer? I have no idea. I don't think I hear particularly well. In fact, I actually have a theory that because I can't see people's lips moving, I have trouble making out what they are saying sometimes. I don't think I smell or taste things any more strongly than anybody else but how would you even know that? And it's not like I'm using my taste or smell to identify things that I can't see. I'm not walking around going, hmmm... I can't see what bus number this is so I'm just going to give it a lick and see if I can figure it out. That said, my hilarious family has decided my sense of sarcasm is heightened due to my loss of vision.
So that's the story and the reason behind needing the eSight Eyewear If you are so inclined to help out please feel free to share this blog post on your Facebook or Twitter feeds. And if you're really inclined and would like to prevent me from licking any more busses, please go click the donate now button at the top of the page to give a little bit of cash toward my big purchase!
Thanks for your support!! xo
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