Author: Dorrie Rush

Alexa, Read My Book

While researching Amazon’s Accessibility, we discovered just how desirable it can be to have Alexa read to us. Amazon’s well known, much loved, voice assistant will read Kindle e-books with her voice or play Audible audiobooks, all you have to do is ask.

This is surely one of the easiest options available for reading books. It’s a natural for people with vision loss, and a great convenience for anyone who wants to continue reading while they do other things. Ironically, Alexa’s skills do not even come under the heading of ‘accessibility’, yet it is the functionality we’ve been waiting for.

Amazon Fire 7 tablet unboxed

We learned more about this fantastic feature in an email from our friend Steven. He wrote, “I purchased the brand new Fire 7 tablet.” Fire tablets vary in screen size, storage capacity and price starting at $60. “It is hands-free using Alexa vocal commands to open a book, pause the book, fast forward, go to a different chapter, etc. All of which I saw demonstrated at the (Amazon Books) store. Alexa is built in to the Fire tablet, no additional devices are required.” He appreciated his in-store experience. “The sales person was great, totally setting up and downloading my tablet and it was fully functional when I left the store, except for connecting it to wifi when I got home.”

Steven’s in-store approach can no longer be duplicated, since Amazon has closed all 24 of it’s physical book stores. Another good option is to phone Amazon’s Accessibility Customer Service at 888-283-1678. They can help you make the purchase online and walk through the setup which requires entering a wifi password and Amazon account.

The very same voice commands that control the reading on the tablet, do the same on an Amazon Echo speaker. Alexa can read Kindle books that are authorized for Text to Speech or Screen Reader Enabled. It seems the majority of books are eligible, just be sure to check before you buy a Kindle book.

Alexa will also read your Kindle and Audible books on an iOS device or Android, although it’s not quite as hands-free or as agreeable as it is on an Amazon device. In this case you would open the Alexa app and tap the button to ask.

Amazon Alexa speaker next to smart phone with Amazon apps

How to Ask Alexa

Kindle Alexa commands:

– Read my Kindle book “To Kill A Mockingbird”

– Play

– Pause

– Resume

– Stop

– Skip Back / Skip Ahead

It is Alexa’s very own familiar voice that reads the Kindle books, and she’s a very good reader. Audible books are read by an array of professional readers including authors, actors and celebrities.

More about Kindle and Alexa

Audible Alexa commands:

– Play the audiobook “War and Peace”

– Play

– Pause

– Resume

– Stop

– Go Back / Go Forward (30 seconds)

– Next / Previous Chapter

– Go to Chapter 5

More about Audible and Alexa Go ahead and ask, Alexa is ready when you are!

This article was first published on OE, Jul 5, 2019 and last updated Aug 18, 2023

August 18, 2023
Are You A Dictator?
There is something magical about dictation. Spoken words are rapidly turned to text. The instantaneous nature is pretty amazing, but the best thing is dictation takes the place of typing.

Whether you have a visual impairment, or not, typing on a tiny touchscreen keyboard is a tedious task. That is why more and more people are becoming dictators.

In Apple iOS devices, Dictation is available whenever there is a keyboard on screen. The Dictation button is the microphone icon at the lower right corner or left of the Space Bar, depending on device. If the microphone key is not there, first go to Settings and click General, next click Keyboard, now go to Enable Dictation and turn on.

Here are the steps for dictating with iPhone or iPad.
- Tap on the Dictation / microphone button below the keyboard and be prepared to start speaking following the single ding tone.
- Finish speaking and tap again, you will hear a second single ding and your spoken words will appear in the text field.
(With Apple’s VoiceOver screen reader use a two-finger double tap to activate Dictation, and a second two-finger double tap to stop, VoiceOver then reads the text aloud.)

iPhone screenshot shows microphone button
on search bar and below keyboard.
- Speak clearly for best results. Noisy environments will create conflict. Dictate one sentence at a time for accuracy. Correct errors on imperfect transcripts or delete all and try, try again.
- To include punctuation, just say so. Finish a sentence with a “period” or a “question mark.” Follow a salutation with a “comma“ or a “colon.” Also say, “new line,” new paragraph,” “all caps,” “apostrophe,” “hyphen,” or “exclamation mark.”
Practicing can actually be fun, so go ahead and do it. You’ll be a powerful dictator in no time!

Get steps for Android Talk to Write at Support.Google.com.

Previously published Feb 4, 2020 and updated Aug 8, 2023
August 8, 2023
Finding A Vision Loss Support Group
People dealing with vision loss often find a great benefit in talking with others who understand and live with the same challenges. Connecting with others who are going through similar experiences, provides an opportunity to share first hand knowledge, coping strategies, concerns and emotions. A supportive group can fill the void not addressed by medical care or the support of family and friends.

Support groups may be in-person, tele-support or online communities. The groups may be led by professional or non-professional facilitators. Some groups offer guest speakers and educational programming. They may be offered through a non-profit advocacy group, clinic, hospital, community center or independent entity.

Finding the group with common experience is not usually as easy as a Google search. Access and availability is dependent on location and limits in size.

People in a support group

How to Explore the Possible Options
- Ask Your Physician and Healthcare Team
First inquire with your doctor, or low vision specialist, and their office staff, or patient advocate, for programs they recommend or refer to. They will know of local resources or vision rehab agencies offering support programs. If they have no resources, ask for an introduction to another patient who is adjusting well.
- Contact Vision Rehab Organizations Near You
Reach out to agencies serving people with vision loss in your area. Ask to speak with a counselor or social worker about support groups offered.
- Research Community Center Programs
Senior and community centers are an excellent resource for support groups, particularly focused on age-related vision loss and low vision. If your local center is not providing these programs, ask them if they know of other centers that do.
- Contact Local Chapter Organizations
For support groups serving people with a specific type of vision loss, or disease, it is helpful to contact local groups in your area to learn about support programs offered. In this context, a Google search can give you direct contact info, For macular degeneration, go to MDSupport.org and MacularSociety.org or learn about TeleSupport. Learn about support groups for inherited retinal diseases through local chapters of Foundation Fighting Blindness, and for glaucoma through the Glaucoma Research Foundation.
- Facebook Communities & Support Groups
Search communities and support groups on Facebook that are disease specific or more general in focus: Stargardt Disease, Diabetic Retinopathy, Macular Degeneration, Retinitis Pigmentosa, Low Vision and Blindness.
June 30, 2023
Hadley Shares Voices of Vision Loss

Insights & Sound Bites is a wonderful opportunity to learn from others what helped them most in the process of coping and adjusting to vision loss. The sound bites are audio recordings, each just a few minutes in length, sharing the power of personal experience. Log in any time you want and listen as often as you wish. Hear the voices of vision loss on topics that include, moving forward, coming full circle and finding perspective. In essence, it’s a word-of-mouth sharing session and access is available whenever you need it, no limits in time or attendees.

Douglas Walker hosts Hadley’s Insights & Sound Bites

This collection of bite-sized podcasts is about giving as well as receiving. The host, Douglas Walker, ends each segment with an invitation to take part with a contribution of your own. The message says, “Was there something that someone said to you or something that happened along the way that made all the difference in the world in helping you adjust to living with vision loss? We‘d love to hear from you if you’d like to share with us, just leave us a message on our Insights & Sound Bites voicemail by calling, 847-512-4867. Or, you can use your smartphone or computer and email us a recording to: [email protected]. Again, my name is Douglas Walker. Take care and I’ll see you next time.”

The team at Hadley knows how to deliver meaningful and supportive content for people with vision loss. Hadley Presents: A Conversation with the Experts, is the original and ever-popular podcast, hosted by Ricky Enger. For tips on Adjusting, Daily Living, Working, Technology and Recreation, log on to HadleyHelps.org. Join a wide array of monthly Discussion Groups on topics of your interest: What’s Cooking, Travel Talk, Tech It Out, Embrace Braille, Writer’s Circle, Crafting Circle, Book Nook, Resource Roundtable and Hadley Growers. You can even speak live to an expert or have content mailed to you.

Connect with Hadley…

Online at: HadleyHelps.org

By Phone at: 800-323-4238

Listen to: Insights & Sound Bites

Call in your Insight Sound Bite to: 847-512-4867

Or email a recording to: [email protected]

June 28, 2023
OKO App Makes Walk Signals Accessible
Crossing the street is a risky business when you can’t see the signal on the other side. People with vision loss develop strategies as the traffic lights become less and less visible to the eyes. Depending on the intersection, and traffic patterns, stepping off the curb can be a real leap of faith. Accessible Pedestrian Signals have been around for decades, however they are expensive to install and a challenge to maintain. In cities large and small, no matter how many audible signals exist, visually impaired people will inevitably encounter crosswalks that are not accessible. Then what? If you cannot see the pedestrian signal it is unlikely that you can turn around and hunt for another signal that is accessible. This is where the OKO app comes in.

How OKO Works

OKO is a smart camera app, that detects and reads crosswalk signals instantly, providing information in audio, visual and haptic feedback. When the camera is pointed to opposite side of street the app detects status of pedestrian signal and immediately begins to inform the user with 3 types of feedback. Play the sounds in the app to familiarize yourself before heading to the street.
- DON’T WALK – audible tone and haptic vibration is a slow beat and Red screen means STOP
- WALK – audible tone and haptic vibration is a fast beat and Green screen means GO
- COUNTDOWN – audible tone and haptic vibration is a timed beat and yellow screen means WAIT
The app is similar to Seeing AI in it’s simplicity and quick response. Before you take it for a spin you’ll have to agree to the terms of use, a reminder that OKO is not a replacement for mobility devices and training. It is currently available for iOS in the United States and Belgium, with more countries in testing mode. The app developer, AEYES, is also working on a feature that will read the signs on city transit buses.

Get it on the App Store at: OKO Ai Copilot for the Blind. And when you need it, just say, “Hey Siri, Open OKO.”

Watch Video of OKO App by Sam Seavey, The Blind Life
May 19, 2023
AI and Chatbot Chatter

Launched in late November 2022, Chat GPT amassed a record setting 100 million monthly users by January 2023. TikTok took 9 months to reach the same milestone, and for Instagram it took 2 1/2 years. Created by Open AI, an American artificial intelligence (AI) development lab, a nonprofit at the start, it’s mission to “promote and develop friendly AI.” Now a for profit company, Open AI received $13 billion investment from Microsoft, igniting a fierce competition, with Google, to establish a newly dominant AI internet search engine.

Sounds like just the thing we’ve been waiting for, a voice assistant with a PHd. But it is not clear the new chatbot technology will enhance visual accessibility or elevate the intelligence of the voice assistants we’ve come to depend on, like Siri, Google and Alexa. Chat GPT goes beyond answering basic questions on topics relating to trivia, history and pop culture, setting reminders and managing smart home devices. Chat GPT is able to conduct natural sounding conversations with users, while providing more in-depth responses. Chat GPT also has a memory and ability to draw from it for future reference. Think of it as a research assistant, geared to work more than play, and predicted to change the way we work in ways good and bad.

Plenty has been reported about the nefarious side of chatbots too. They can be mean and nasty, tell lies and spread hate. The same behavioral issues surfaced in earlier chatbots, causing them to be taken offline, but no indication the current bots will be fired for insubordination. In separate segments on 60 Minutes, neither Google’s Sundar Pichai nor Microsoft’s Brad Smith, seemed confident in the ability to control their tech creatures. In March, more than 1,000 tech industry leaders signed an open letter calling for a 6-month moratorium on further development to minimize the dangers to humanity. Several days later leaders from the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence released it’s own letter warning of the risks. This month the “godfather of AI” severed ties with Google to warn of the perils ahead, and a few days later the White House summoned the chief executives from leading AI companies, Google, Microsoft, Open AI and Anthropic, warning of the potentially dramatic threats AI can pose to safety and security, infringe civil rights and privacy and erode public trust and democracy. Have they lost control of “friendly AI?”

In terms of chatbots for visually impaired and blind users, Microsoft Accessibility is partnering on the development of many new applications. Be My Eyes is testing a Visual Volunteer meant to provide a real world audio description capability. We’ll see much more to come on this.

May 5, 2023
Why Get a Second Opinion
Some decisions require a good deal of thought and collaboration. It is perfectly natural to consult the advice of others for guidance. The very same premise applies to healthcare. When you lack confidence or clarity in diagnosis or treatment relating to a serious medical issue, it’s time for a second opinion. No need for hesitation, most doctors welcome the practice. In fact, they too are accustomed to seeking the opinions of their colleagues in the course of patient care.

Obtaining a second medical opinion is not a casual endeavor. Check with your health insurance company to confirm what is required for coverage. Your current specialist or primary care physician is a good source for referral to the second opinion. The consulting doctor should have the same level of training and experience, but should not be a close colleague of the first. Other resources for the second specialist include the insurance provider, local medical center, medical association or online search. Some well-known medical institutions such as, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic and Weill Cornell offer online consultation. In all cases, medical records must be shared from the first opinion.

Doctor in consultation with patient

10 Good Reasons to Seek a Second Opinion
- Diagnosis is unclear or in question
- Doctor says nothing can be done
- Treatment is unsupported by clinical evidence for your condition
- Current treatment is not working
- The communication is poor
- You are concerned about the risks and potential side effects
- You have a rare condition and need an experienced specialist
- The doctor cannot identify the problem
- The doctor is dismissive of your concerns
- Peace of mind
Remember, you are an equal partner in the management of your healthcare and the decision making process. It is helpful to organize your questions and concerns, in writing for review with the first and second doctor. Communication is key to a successful doctor/patient relationship. Read more about how to Communicate Better With Your Doctor.
April 28, 2023
Spring Clean, Refresh & Organize
Sprouting greenery, blooming buds and warming temperatures deliver a clear and hope filled message of growth and renewal. Bring that freshness from outdoors inside with a good spring cleanup and get a needed boost to mental health and overall well-being at the end of a long winter.

Don’t let the task overwhelm you. Prioritize the areas needing most attention, then break those down into projects that will take 1-hour or less. In the kitchen, clean up and organize a single drawer or cabinet at a time. In the closet, weed out the old unused items, then put the keepers in good order. Whatever your approach, the result is uplifting.

A seasonal refresh holds rewards even greater for people with vision loss. Choose a few ways you can quickly improve your environment at home and think of it as a gift you give yourself. Clean always feels good and getting organized makes it possible to reach for something and find it in its designated place, which is a habit you’ll be delighted to repeat, over and over again, it never gets old.

Image of hands in rubber gloves washing dishes.

Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Get rid of clutter. Will you ever read that stack of magazines? Do you really need a CD collection? If in doubt, throw it out!
- Clean your refrigerator thoroughly, and throw out old or expired items. Organize the shelves so the items used regularly are prioritized.
Image of cooking tools and utensils neatly
organized in a kitchen drawer.
- Organize your kitchen for daily use, one section at a time. Make sure utensil drawers are neatly arranged, and that your favorite dishes and glassware are easy to access. Clean all surfaces and wash all items with hot soapy water so they feel fresh and new.
- Having your windows and carpets cleaned is a great way to refresh.
- Now is the time to get your bathroom organized anew. Get rid of all the items you don’t use and give the things you’re always searching for their own special spot.
Image of leafy houseplant in a white ceramic pot.
- Treat yourself to a new indoor foliage or a flowering houseplant. Refreshing the greenery cleanses the air and lifts your spirit.
- Clean a closet or two. Get rid of clothes you don’t wear, you can donate to charity or consign them for resale.
- Reorganize your closet for the new season. Put away winter gear neatly, for easy access when needed.
- Get your home office cleaned up and organized as well, it’s guaranteed to improved productivity.
- Go paperless, all bills and financial statements are available online.
- Don’t forget to do a much-needed cleaning to purge old mail, outdated files and apps from your computer and mobile devices.
For more on this topic, see Related Posts at the bottom of page.

This post was first published Mar 27, 2020 and most recently updated Apr 18, 2023.
April 18, 2023
Accessible Workouts For Visually Impaired People

Regular exercise delivers both immediate and long-term benefits to our physical and mental wellbeing. For people with vision loss, working out can be complicated. But it doesn’t have to be. Exercise with a buddy, get some help from a trainer, or click on some well-described guided exercise in the privacy of your own home. Do it your way, there are plenty of options. Included in this curated collection of accessible workouts are strength training and feel-good exercises, accessible equipment, eyes-free audio guides, and wonderful tips on the topic from our friends at Hadley.

Friends workout together using exercise and
medicine balls

Daily Moves Keep Your Body Happy

The body is built to move and doing so upgrades all the markers of good health which carry us well into old age. Start improving the way you feel by working these movements naturally into your day. Stand on one leg while brushing your teeth, squeeze your butt whenever standing still, walk while talking on the phone, sit on the floor and get up again, bounce or skip to improve balance and don’t forget to squat. Start practicing these life changing moves today with this guide from The Guardian.

Group of mature adults in strength training session

Cane and Able Fitness

Evan Schwarbrock doesn’t let vision loss interfere with his fitness; it is an essential part of his mental health and he wants to help you, too. In 2020, the professional trainer launched Cane and Able Fitness online to create an accessible resource for people with visual impairments. The website offers straightforward information on strength training, mobility and nutrition, workshops, consulting services and remote coaching. Get tips for comfortable working out at home or in the gym. Read the profile in SHAPE and visit CaneAndAbleFitness.com.

Smiling mature woman stretching after workout

The 8-Minute Joy Workout – NY Times

Whether you’re an avid exerciser or an anxious avoider, this workout will become a daily ritual, so good you’ll be delighted to repeat it, at least once every day. It’s easy to follow, and it makes you feel good immediately. Watch (or listen to) the video and you cannot contain yourself. It’s no accident, the movements are actually proven to elicit joy. The author and creator, Kelly McGonigal, is a psychologist who has also taught exercise classes for two decades and is well studied in the science of emotion. Get started with the video here.

Peloton’s Larger Text & Audio Features

The first known company to build accessibility features into internet-connected stationary bikes and treadmills. A TalkBack screen reader provides visually impaired users with audio feedback and live captions support users with hearing impairment. The inclusive features can be enabled in Peloton equipment owned privately or shared at a fitness center. The Accessibility Team at Peloton will answer your questions and help you get started. Contact [email protected]

Couple exercising together at home

Hadley’s Sports & Exercise Series

As always, the experts at Hadley have created a comprehensive guide filled with inspiring ideas for approaching fitness activities in your own way. Sports and exercise tips are presented in a friendly audio format ready to make fitness easier “no matter what your level of vision,” topics include: running, biking, skiing, boating, open water swimming, exercising in a class, using fitness equipment at home, and working out in a Gym. Hadley’s bite-size tutorials are also available in additional audio and print formats. Go to Sports & Exercise Series here.

Eyes Free Fitness – YouTube

An audio-only, well-described, series of 20-minute workouts, most led by Mel Scott of Blind Alive. Sessions work on upper body, lower body, stretching, balance, breathing, and strengthening. A soothing, friendly program that accommodates a wide range of ages and abilities. Access the Eyes Free Exercise Channel here.

Note: If you don’t normally exercise, are embarking on a more rigorous program, or have underlying conditions, consult with your physician first.

This post was first published Aug 22, 2022 and updated Apr 13, 2023.

April 13, 2023
Reporting Accessibility Issues

The accessibility of technology has come a long way, which is not to say it’s all smooth sailing. Issues arise and surprise, creating frustration and inconvenience, or even abruptly ending access as we’ve come to know it. Some play it safe, to avoid sorrow, by ignoring software updates, but that too will come back and bite you. So when it happens do not suffer in silence, take action, make some noise! Before you do anything, remember to close all apps and shut down the device, then reboot, because sometimes that works like magic.

If the accessibility issue is on an Apple device, well that might be lucky because they are well equipped to deal with it. First, report the problem to Apple Accessibility Support by phone at: 887-204-3930. An accessibility specialist will be able to help you fix it or find a workaround. They will also report the trouble to software engineers and tell you if others have registered the same complaint. For unresolved issues, it never hurts to also send feedback by email to: [email protected]. The more they hear from users, the higher it moves in priority. When all goes well, the glitch is fixed in the next software update.

These steps can and should be exercised with issues on software from Microsoft, Google, Amazon and others. Consult OE’s inside guide to Accessibility Support Phone Lines for more.

1. Troubleshoot by turning the feature off, then on again in Settings and, or close all apps, reboot device to see if issue resolves.

2. Contact the accessibility support team by phone.

3. Report the issue with your device name and software version.

4. Ask for fix or possible workaround.

5. Back up phone report with email.

6. Check periodically for update.

March 30, 2023
The Benevolence Of Be My Eyes

Volunteerism is alive and well as demonstrated every day in the Be My Eyes app. The concept was conceived in 2012 by furniture craftsman Hans Jørgen Wiberg, who began losing his vision twenty-five years prior. It was his idea to provide access to sighted assistance for people with low vision or blindness. The app name leaves no doubt about its purpose. I recall being incredibly impressed in the early days of BME, when there were 150,000 volunteers, today there are over 6.4 million helping more than 480,000 people with vision loss. The fact that so many are interested in lending their eyes to a total stranger, is a testament to humanity.

Built on the kind assistance of humans, the BME app is now testing a “Virtual Volunteer” powered by ChatGPT-4. If you want to be part of the beta testing process, there is a registration page on the app, but no guarantee you’ll get in, there is a waiting list. In a post on Mashable, one of the participating testers, Lucy Edwards, is reported to have used the conversational AI tool as tour guide, food blog, reader of restaurant menus and fashion catalogs, language translator and personal trainer. It will be very interesting to see how this develops, live human kindness vs. Ai chatbot.

For now the all-live volunteers are able to offer their service, at times that are convenient to them. BME creates an opportunity to give back in a sort of micro-lending kind of way, in small increments of time, free of rigid scheduling commitments. The visually impaired user is able to call for help whenever it is needed, without feeling they are imposing. The volunteers are logged in because they are ready and willing to help someone, possibly you.

The app, available for iOS and Android, is designed with a fittingly friendly user interface. The two main options on the uncomplicated homepage are “Call a Volunteer” -or- “Get Trained Support”. Expert company representatives are available in the categories of: Assistive Technology, Beauty & Grooming, Blindness Organizations, Careers, Civic Engagement, Food & Beverage, Home & Cleaning, Personal Health or Technical Support. Participating companies include: Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Spotify, Pantene, Hadley, Lighthouse San Francisco, Accessible Pharmacy, Rite Aid and more.

The service is active in 150 countries and available in 185 languages. When you call a volunteer, BME sends out the request to the nearest available volunteers by location and language. There is no limit to the number of calls or time spent, however it is best to say, at the start of a call, if you expect the call to be lengthy. The app provides a rating system to register feedback about your experience, good or bad.

Here are 100 Ways to Use BME. I have used the app for assistance reading a thermostat, setting the oven temperature, reading hand-written notes and product directions. All these encounters with BME volunteers were pleasant, constructive and successful. There is a “Community” tab at the bottom of every page worth exploring for inspiring stories from users and volunteers.

And, by the way, all Be My Eyes Services are free.

Blue and white Be My Eyes logo with white text on black background.

Download the apps and learn more at BeMyEyes.com.

Article originally published Oct 4, 2019 and updated Mar 30, 2023.

March 30, 2023
Adjusting to More Vision Loss, Again

Losing sight is most often an incremental process, not a one shot deal. Progressive vision loss
comes at a pace that allows us to compensate, unlike a sudden, dramatic loss, but both can
turn our lives upside down for a time. We might even forget, in the midst of these changes, the
power we possess as human beings to tap into our natural resilience. Which is not to say that
any of this is easy, and no matter how many times we’ve adjusted to more vision loss, each
new event can be a significant challenge. The thing to remember is, we can and will adjust,
again.

A change in vision may be disconcerting at any level. Some patients find a 5 or 10 point decline in acuity unnerving. For others, larger dips allow for quieter compensations. All the while we’re hoping for little or no change, and even when we are doing all the right things, more vision loss can occur. Maybe it’s temporary, just a bad day or a stressful week, but hopefully nothing permanent. This, of course, warrants an eye exam. Unfortunately there may be no treatment to correct the problem, or it’s possible the eye doctor will not see what we are seeing, which does not mean it’s not happening or nothing can be done.

It can bring on an overwhelming sense of anxiety, despair and fear. We grieve the lost vision
and begin, once more, to maximize our remaining sight. We make peace with the new normal.
It’s all about adjusting, again. Talking with others who have experienced progressing vision loss
is therapeutic, as is talking with a psychotherapist. Find vision loss resources, such as
adjustment classes near you. Find the compensatory strategies that maintain confidence in
tasks of daily living, for comfort at home, at work, and out in the world.

Here’s more content from OE to help with adjusting.

Happy woman wearing glasses giving thumbs up on
a yellow background.

The Art of Adjusting

Change is notoriously difficult, especially when it is unwelcome. Adjusting the way we do things to compensate for vision loss requires — flexibility. A willingness to change is the gift that keeps giving. Read More

Adjusting Your Home for Vision Loss

You know coping with vision impairments is a topic of the times when it’s covered in the Real Estate section of the New York Times. Be assured, you are far from alone. The likelihood of experiencing some type of visual impairment becomes more prevalent with age and the numbers affected will double over the coming decade. So it’s a good idea to get your house in order. Read More

Hands reaching into organized kitchen drawers.

10 Kitchen Tips for Low Vision Cooks

If you enjoy preparing good food and consuming it, low vision will not bring an end to that. It requires some adjusting, in very much the same way all other daily activities do. If cooking is not your thing, the fact remains, preparing food and eating is a necessity. Read More

Coworkers looking at large screen computer.

Adjusting to vision Loss on the Job

Legal blindness does not have to be a career-ending injury. The need for making adjustments at work may seem like an overwhelming proposition, but plenty succeed while building the skills and continue working to a retirement of their own designation. On the other hand, giving up on a job prematurely is often regrettable. Before you start thinking about leaving a job, think about staying. Read More

Visually impaired person with white cane crossing
city street.

Surprises Contained in the White Cane

Vision loss is an intrusion that we all deal with in our own way. Our ability to thrive is contingent upon a willingness to make large and small adjustments to compensate for diminishing eyesight. Knowing all that did not prevent me from heavily avoiding the white cane. Making peace with this mobility device is often a complicated personal process. Read More

Mature woman working with vision rehab therapist.

Is Vision Rehab the Best Kept Secret?

Patients with progressing vision loss, for which there is no treatment or correction, are frequently told, “Nothing can be done.” The statement is meant, specifically, to say there is no medical intervention available. Too many times the patient interprets the words to mean, “There is nothing anyone or anything can do for you.” But that’s not true. At this point in the dialogue between doctor and patient, would be a good time to consider vision rehab services. But it often goes unmentioned. Read More

March 24, 2023