Embarking on a trip, with vision loss, is a challenge. Awareness and planning will serve to elevate your confidence, comfort and safety. It always helps to learn about services and utilize them when possible. Start here with a review of some of the travel advice and accommodations we’ve shared on OE.
Research and preparation is pivotal, when traveling near and far, with a visual impairment. Don’t leave the house without a plan for how you’ll deal with obstacles you’ll encounter.
Help getting through the airport is widely available. It can be arranged when booking flights, and some airlines even have dedicated accessibility phone lines for your convenience.
Transportation to and from airports, as well as rides during your visit, can be arranged by app. Here are some helpful tips for managing the process with vision loss.
Live assistance is available, through this app on your smartphone, at many airports free of charge. The Aira visual interpreting service is also accessible for a fee, and can be very useful at travel hubs, hotels, etc.
Hilton hotels has partnered with the Be My Eyes app to provide accessibility support, to guests, who are blind or visually impaired, in the United States and Canada. We also discuss how to utilize apps and services at any hotel.
This airline has improved the travel experience for people with vision loss with an accessible flight map and a dedicated disabilities support phone line.
Planning is pivotal to successfully navigating many of life’s experiences and particularly important when traveling with a visual impairment. A bit of minor organizing will alleviate worries about getting around airports, terminals, and hotels.
Learning to ask for assistance is a very good skill to develop when living with vision loss, so go ahead and embrace this opportunity to practice. Don’t be too self-conscious, you’re not asking for anything extraordinary, just requesting information, most likely directional in nature.
Seeking help while moving through an airport or train terminal, isn’t at all unusual. It may not be obvious to others that you are not able to see a sign or location they are pointing to, in which case it is appropriate to say so and ask for a more detailed description.
Arrange for Meet and Assist
Greatly reduce the stress of navigating a busy travel hub by asking for assistance at the time of booking. Your need for accommodation will be registered in the system and may also be indicated on the ticket or boarding pass.
Meet and Assist are airport accommodations that provide a sighted trained escort who is able to accelerate the journey through security and to the gate. They will show you the location of the restroom and snack bar before alerting the gate staff of your arrival. For ease of transport, a wheelchair may be offered, which you can accept or decline.
Assistance can be arranged from arrival through destination, including connecting flights, depending on your needs.
Airport terminal attendants checking in people.
Priority Boarding
At the gate, help is available for boarding and locating your assigned seat. It’s always a good idea to take advantage of priority boarding and get settled before the plane fills up. Early boarding and assistance are also available at railway terminals.
Luggage Identification
We recommend traveling light and with carrying-on luggage instead of checking. These days, it’s the smarter and more economical choice for all travelers. It’s always best to carry a bag you can easily identify. If the bag is basic black, mark it with a bright ribbon or unique luggage tag.
Hotel Accessibility
At the time of booking and at check-in, request help and get acquainted with the hotel. Request a room near the elevator. Ask for assistance getting to the room. Get familiar with elevator and buttons for your floor and lobby. It’s also good to review how to turn on/off the TV, AC, etc.
Don’t hesitate to request assistance if you need it. Concierge and hotel staff are eager to make you comfortable. Gratuities are always appreciated.
Even if you’re not traveling alone, do these things anyway, it makes the trip easier to deal with for everyone.
An earlier version of this post was published Apr 7, 2022 and updated Mar 13, 2025.
Almost any degree of vision loss makes reading a challenge. It doesn’t take much to realize just how much is dependent on our ability to see. The reading of books requires significant adjustment. I can vividly recall the last few print books I was able to consume with my eyes, more than twenty years ago. The words were slowly fading away and there were no corrective lenses, magnifiers or reading machines that provided a reasonable replacement. Over time I embraced audiobooks and more reading options became possible through mobile technologies.
Considering the many ways I’d learned to compensate over the years, it seemed my reading was covered. That is until my partner, Neil, said he would like to read books to me. There wasn’t actually a day that went by when he wasn’t already reading something to me, like news articles, restaurant menus, movie reviews and cooking directions. But now we were reading best selling novels together. It is the sweetest, most loving gift, and you don’t have to be visually impaired to appreciate it. He happens to be a skilled reader and approaches the task with enthusiasm and ease. I can ask him to pause, repeat, or search a definition. There is no set schedule, we fit in a chapter or two, here and there, on an almost daily basis. A book club built for two, we summarize, question, laugh and cry together as the story unfolds. We love to predict what is coming and how the book will end.
Currently immersed in the fifteenth title of our successful reading venture, I wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone. A beautiful experience, which can be as good for the reader as it is for the listener. Reading aloud together can bring you closer, improve memory, and elevate your overall perspective. As it turns out, Neil and I are not the only two enjoying the practice of reading together. Articles discussing the benefits of reading to someone you love, include: A Simple Way to Build Intimacy in The New York Times, Read Me A Story in The Guardian, and Try This In Bed Tonight on Oprah Daily.
Consider creating your own Book Club for Two. Ease into the process with a quick read, an essay or a short story. Read the summaries and discuss your reading list together.
Post originally published May 31, 2023 and update Mar 12, 2025
Receiving a diagnosis that includes vision loss, will throw you into a state of consternation. The information is as murky as the vision it portends. The problem is progressive and there is, currently, no treatment, but a lot of research is underway and maybe they’ll find a cure, soon. Meanwhile, the doctor will follow your case closely and hopefully your eye sight will not change dramatically in the short term. You have more questions than answers, so this is where you ask, “What should I do now?” And now means now, not later. The response, may very well sound like, “There is nothing you can do.” But this is not an acceptable answer.
There is, in fact, plenty you can do and so much you will want to know. A better answer, actually the best answer, would be for your healthcare provider to take just a few moments to suggest connecting with Hadley’s informative programs and services, which will support you every step of the way forward.
Getting help doesn’t have to be difficult.
At Hadley, you have the freedom to decide what, when and how to learn. Membership requires no forms, no referrals, no assessments, no fees. There is no need for transportation, no waiting list and no legal blindness requirement. Get started any time and work at your own pace. Review your topics of interest online at HadleyHelps.org, or request information by phone at 800-323-4238.
How Hadley helps.
From the homepage Hadley asks, “What would you like to learn now?” It is a compelling invitation, followed by the main sections, including Daily Living, Adjusting to Vision Loss, Technology, Working and more. Discover a wealth of audio workshops, podcasts and discussion groups. Explore a section or search a topic. You’ll find this incredibly comprehensive reference always ready when you are. With Hadley you’ll gain a sense of community, confidence and comfort.
Hadley welcomes adults with vision loss, their family members, friends, colleagues and healthcare professionals. There are no limitations to what you learn or when you lean it.
It’s time for a quick review of the ten top searched posts on OE Patients in 2024. The popular posts include practical tips and encouraging advice focused on living better with vision loss, and well worth referencing again.
1. Hottest Low Vision Gifts: A curated list of desirable gifts for individuals with low vision, including universally appealing items and invaluable presents.
2. 8 Ways to Practice Eccentric Viewing: Guidance on techniques to utilize peripheral vision effectively, beneficial for those experiencing central vision loss.
4. GoGo Grandparent Gets Uber Without App: This uniquely specialized membership service facilitates and monitors orders for Uber, DoorDash, Instacart, and more, without requiring an app or smartphone.
5. Doctor, Am I Going Blind?An article addressing the common fear associated with vision loss, often reassuring that the answer is “No.”
Illustration of a UPC bar code complete with inventory number
6. Smartphone Barcode Readers Help Visually Impaired: Insights into how product barcodes can be scanned to provide product details, directions and instructions, not otherwise easily accessible to customers with vision loss.
8. Alexa, Read My Book: Instructions on how Amazon’s voice assistant can read Kindle books or play Audible books upon request, offering an independent way to enjoy literature.
9. Surprises Contained in the White Cane: A discussion on the personal journey of accepting and utilizing a white cane, highlighting the independence it can provide.
The acronym KISS is an abbreviation for the design principle: Keep It Simple Stupid, or if you prefer, Keep It Simple Sweetheart. The phrase is clear and uncomplicated, just like the message it conveys. KISS reminds us that systems and products function best when kept uncomplicated and easy to understand. Keeping it simple is not only a design principle, but also a philosophy for life.
How KISS Applies to Vision Loss
Experiencing uncorrectable changes in eyesight, at any level, can throw aspects of daily life out of whack. Activities that were once natural, may become more complicated. Adopting the Keep It Simple mind set, and adjusting one step at a time, will prove beneficial over the short term and long term. Developing more accessible solutions improves efficiency, reduces time consumption and stress.
Prioritizing simplicity is a process in itself. Get into the habit of minimizing the complexity of every day things. Here are some helpful articles that reflect the KISS principle.
Get Your House in Order
Key to simplifying life is organizing. It may not be as easy to look for things as it once was. A neat and tidy environment will compensate in substantial ways. Think about how nice it is to open a drawer and find exactly what you’re looking for, because it is right where you left it. With low vision often it is easier to put our hands on something before our eyes see that it’s there. Read Time to Get Organized
Think Small
When the thought of doing something different or learning something new is daunting, think small. Breaking down tasks into smaller increments is often a recommended step toward simplifying. Let’s explore ways to get things done in minutes instead of hours. Read Small Changes Are Big
Create Kitchen Comfort
Whether you enjoy preparing good food, or just consuming it, low vision will not bring an end to either. It helps to simplify, in much the same way other daily activities do. It’s always good to consider helpful tips along the way. Read 10 Kitchen Tips for Low Vision Cooks
Streamline Payment Process
Paying bills can be an unpleasant experience on many levels. Adding vision loss to this process will make it a dreaded task each and every month. Time to automate payments for the greatest of ease. Read Make Bill Paying Easier
Asking for Help
Human assistance is simply the best way to get some things done, like getting through an airport. Read Arrange Airport Assistance
Got a tip to share about keeping it simple? Email it to [email protected].
The relinquishment of car keys, or a driver’s license, to a visual impairment, is a life-changing moment we do our best to avoid. It is not uncommon for people with impaired vision to drive only to destinations to which they “know the way by heart,” or with passengers who can read them the signs.
Many states do provide some exemptions to the unforgiving 20/40 visual acuity requirement, which may come as a surprise to those in fear of having their license revoked. The qualification often requires a detailed examination by an ophthalmologist or optometrist, driving training, a specialized road test, and annual recertification. Some drivers can obtain a restricted license with the use of telescopic lenses that succeed in correcting vision to the 20/40 baseline. This adaptation requires a vision exam to prescribe the bioptic telescope, undergoing training, and taking a road test before receiving the specialized license.
The restriction, most frequently exercised, with and without the authorization of the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), is driving during daylight hours only. Although not yet condoned for visually impaired drivers, assisted driving features can also help, such as lane departure warnings, blind-spot alerts, pedestrian and obstacle detectors, and autonomous emergency braking. The promise of actual self-driving vehicles remains illusive. Should it ever come to fruition, many of these issues would be solved.
View of road from driver’s seat of car.
It would seem that many people would fail to meet the 20/40 acuity required to drive. The fact is, corrective lenses are the dominant qualifier. A person can also have severely impaired vision in one eye and passable vision in the other, which meets the requirement.
Can you drive if you are legally blind?
Legal blindness is a government standard measurement of visual acuity that qualifies a person for disability benefits and disqualifies their ability to drive. The US Social Security Administration defines legal blindness as vision that cannot be improved with corrective lenses and is no better than 20/200 or a visual field of 20 degrees or less in both eyes.
If you want to continue driving, please do it responsibly and with good judgment. Denial is a defense mechanism, but in the case of driving with low vision, it can also be as deadly as a loaded gun. Here are the questions to ask yourself and guidelines to consider.
• Are you putting yourself and others at risk?
• Do you feel safe and confident behind the wheel?
• Do you avoid driving at night or in poor visibility?
• Do you stick to familiar routes?
• Have you discussed vision aids for driving with your ophthalmologist or optometrists?
• Had any close calls or near misses lately?
• Are you aware of your state’s requirements and exemptions for drivers with vision impairment?
• Do you have an alternative and independent mode of transportation available, like Uber or GoGo Grandparent?
November 5, 2024, Election Day in the USA, is approaching. Election laws and voting regulations vary by state, some have recently changed in significant ways, so it’s important to check current policy for early and absentee voting where you live. The best way to confirm your registration and mail-in deadlines is to call your local Board of Elections or go to Can I Vote and select your state.
Voting with vision loss can certainly present challenges, but that should never preclude you from exercising your right. Democracy is a serious business and we’ve seen, in many elections now, how every vote matters. All eligible voters should participate in the process, no excuses.
The way elections are managed from state to state may vary, but the basic rules of voting are the same across America. You must be registered to vote in every state, except North Dakota. Voters with visual impairments should know there are several ways to get the job done with relative ease.
Vote Absentee Ballot
Absentee ballots are available in all 50 states and can be requested in advance, online, or by phone at your local Board of Elections. For many people with vision loss, this is the preferred method because it can be accomplished in the privacy of your own home. The post office cannot guarantee the delivery of mailed ballots less than 2 weeks before the election, which means this process should be completed by the second week of October. Your ballot can be delivered by hand to the Board of Elections office or polling place during the early voting period or on Election Day.
Voter placing her completed ballot in box
Vote in Person with Assistance
On Election Day or once the early voting phase begins, plan to join a friend or family member and get a little help casting your ballot. This is an option many visually impaired voters find easiest to accomplish. Your polling place will also offer in-person voting assistance. To ensure transparency, the assistance provided is bipartisan in nature. Your ballot will be marked as you wish, with the oversight of a designated Democrat on your left, and a designated Republican on your right. It’s actually a meaningful gesture for the country, a representation of how our political parties can work together for the common good.
Accessible Voting Machines
To vote in person, independently, ask for the accessible voting machine which enables your use of enlarged text, or an audible guide, to assist in marking your ballot. The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) requires one accessible ballot-marking device, and that a person trained in its use, be available in every polling location.
Giving up your vote is never a good option.
Go to vote.org online for help registering, checking your registration status, requesting a mail-in ballot, or learning more about your state’s voting options and requirements.
Post originally published Sep 24, 2020, and most recently updated Aug 7, 2024
Finding the right gift, for someone who has a visual impairment, can be complicated. Great gifts come in many forms and at many prices. So, as usual, we are including some gifts that don’t cost a lot and some that don’t cost anything, because the gift of empowerment is priceless!
Gift Box With A White Ribbon In Female Hands. Gift Giving. The Woman Gives A Gift. Birthday Present.
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⭐️These Gifts are Priceless…
• OE Subscription – Free
Sign someone you love up for monthly email updates providing the best practical tips and most encouraging advice for living with vision loss. And get them connected to the OE Patients Podcast, a must for listeners with low vision, available on OE, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
This free app connects visually impaired and blind users with 4 million sighted volunteers, ready to lend a good pair of eyes, or get specialized help from Google, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Spotify, Accessible Pharmacy and many more.
A must-have stocking stuffer. This is the most coveted and appreciated writing tool for low vision users. Its dark bold line never bleeds through paper. Buy on Amazon.
• AutoDrop – $7
Another great stocking stuffer that everyone will thank you for. This guide for getting the drops into the eye, not all over the face, is inexpensive enough to give in multiples.
Image shows vibrant and delicious looking freshly picked oranges.
• A Case of Oranges -$30+
Citrus is getting a lot of good press, and oranges are always a crowd pleaser. We are learning that an orange a day, may keep the vision loss at bay, particularly in the case of age-related macular degeneration. Send someone you love a case and help them get into the regular habit of enjoying the benefits.
Treat someone you love to a subscription and they’ll get to enjoy 1 new audiobook, of their choosing, each month.
Visit the Audible website and you might even find a special deal.
Image shows hand holding smartphone while using Aira app in supermarket.
• Aira – $30+ a month
Everyone with vision loss should know there are professionally trained agents available on this subscription based service to assist with all kinds of tasks through the smartphone camera, on the Aira app. Call for help reading cooking directions, setting a thermostat or appliance setting, confirming a location and reading text. Help is also available fee free at guest locations like: AT&T, Bank of America, Starbucks, Target, Walgreens and Wegmans.
Subscriptions begin at $29 a month for 30 minutes.
Fund a subscription or give a gift credit at: Aira.io
Call Customer Care: 800-835-1934
• GoGo Grandparent – $10+ a month
The service will not only get you an Uber or a Lyft without a smartphone, it now accepts phone orders for delivery of meals and groceries. Open an account for someone you love or upgrade them to GoGo Gold. Here’s how it works:
A most desirable gift for anyone, but particularly sweet and thoughtful for someone with vision loss who depends on the audible features of their mobile devices. Pairs with Apple devices without needing even a click.
This gift will eliminate the potential for self-loathing that occurs when you can’t find keys, wallets or other personal essentials. A small disk is attached to lead you to the item or prevent it’s loss to begin with.
At this point, the Amazon Kindle is a classic e-Reader and an old favorite among people needing a boost in contrast or font size. The Kindle Paperwhite is a great choice and one of the truly easy electronics to operate.
Alexa, Google, Siri, it’s your pick, we love them all! A variety of models to choose from, with something for everyone. This is a most desirable gift and it’s perfectly fine to have more than one around the house.
The voice-controlled smart speaker connects to the intelligent assistant Alexa. Ask for news, weather, sports scores, trivia. It will read you a book or order your groceries, and that’s just the beginning. This item has been widely adopted by people with low vision and blindness. It’s good for everyone!
Gift cards are the most popular gift in America, they provide benefit to the giver and the receiver, especially easy when they’re digital. It is perhaps the most thoughtful gift of all, to fund the gift your recipient desires.
When the thought of doing something different or learning something new is daunting, think small. Breaking down changes into mini or bite-size increments is an easier route to long-term success. Implementing this concept for adjusting to progressive vision loss, or low vision, is tried and true. Let’s explore ways to get things done in minutes instead of hours. Breaking up monotony and boosting efficiency will help restore our sense of stability.
Woman looks at her thumb and index finger making symbol for small
The One Minute Rule
An easy and effective way to keep your home or office in order. Don’t put off anything you can do in 1 minute. Hang up clothes, fold laundry, answer an email or pay a bill. Don’t think too much about it, just do it. It becomes habitual, in a good way. And, no need to time yourself, the one-minute rule works beautifully even if it takes 2 or 3 minutes.
Ten Minute Rule
Tackle a time-consuming task or project in 10-minute sessions. Organize the kitchen, one drawer, or one cabinet at a time. Clean a closet in small sections, place an order online or check in with a friend. It’s perfectly fine if it takes 15 or 20, the goal is to get things done.
Micro Learning
The pandemic also showed us the essential nature of technology. It would be hard to imagine independence without it. In terms of manageability, micro-learning is the way to go. That means advancing your ability one skill at a time. No need to put that off or wait for it to be developed, it’s already available whenever you want it 24/7 at HadleyHelps.org and at these Accessibility Support Phone Lines. Devote a few minutes a week to improving your tech ability.
Exercise Snacks
Recharge with a few minutes of exercise several times a day. No need to change your clothes. Can be indoors or out. Grab some weights or exercise bands. Do jumping jacks, squats, or wall push-ups. Put on some music and dance or just run in place. Make it your own or try something like this: The Standing 7- Minute Workout. More about these healthy snacks from Cleveland Clinic.
Thinking small is ultimately a better way to think big!
Post originally published Jan 22, 2021 and updated Feb 22, 2024
Adjusting to vision loss always means accepting that some things will be different, and that very likely includes the speed at which you get things done. It doesn’t mean you can’t, it just means you need to allow more time. Personal and professional skills and abilities are not less valuable at a slightly slower speed. If you make an amazing omelet, or write beautiful poetry, or negotiate incredible contracts…don’t let vision loss stop you.
Giving up is never the best option. Learning a new way to do something independently, feels better than depending on others to do it.
Be patient with yourself and consider these practical tips to help you keep it moving.
Get Organized.
Whether it’s a closet, kitchen, or bathroom — everything has its place. Being able to reach into a utensil drawer or a medicine cabinet and find what you’re looking for, because it’s exactly where it belongs, is priceless. Time to Get Organized.
Leave Extra Time.
It is no longer feasible to operate by the seat of your pants. Giving yourself a cushion in terms of time is the smart way to proceed.
Manage Expectations.
Don’t overestimate how much you can realistically get done in any given time period. Re-evaluate, prioritize, and acknowledge accomplishments.
Use Magnification.
Make sure you have the right tools to magnify the text you encounter each day. Magnifiers Are A Must
Listen.
Consider transitioning some of your daily reading to listening. There are numerous ways to utilize audio for books, newspapers, and computers.
Set up online banking and eliminate the arduous monthly hell of writing check and balancing accounts on paper. Your balance updates automatically online and your bills are paid with the press of a button. No envelopes, no stamps, no snail mail. 6 ways To Make Bill Paying Easier.
Practice.
Learning something new requires practice. Don’t give up on anything until you’ve repeated it 20 times. By then you will have totally adjusted over to it. And, once you know it, you know it. Learning at Any Age with Vision Loss.
Post originally published Nov 21, 2017 and updated Nov 9, 2023
Man reading restaurant menu options to his dinner companion
One of the most frequently asked questions from people living with low vision is: How do you read the restaurant menu? There are many good options for accomplishing this task depending on the degree of visual impairment.
This is all about making adjustments, and accepting that picking up a menu and reading it the way you once did, may not be something you can reenact. Keep in mind, the goal is to select food you will enjoy, not to read every dish on the menu.
Here are some of the ways we can successfully overcome the challenges of menu reading and return to savoring the culinary and social experience.
Flashlights & Magnifiers – It is not at all unusual to see people in dimly lit restaurants pull out their mobile phone flashlight and point it at the menu. The same goes for magnifiers, sometimes on the phone, sometimes on their own with the light built in. So no need to feel weird — everybody’s doing it.
Online Menu – Making a menu selection in advance will allow you to relax. Google search “menu” + the restaurant name to review choices. (With iPhone use Speak Screen or VoiceOver to read the menu aloud, on larger screens increase the text size.)
Ask – It is perfectly fine to ask a companion to read some sections from the menu to you, but try to ask for specific categories like, “What are the salads or soups?” Also, ask if there is a large print menu.
Specials – Asking the wait staff to read you the menu is not realistic, but do ask for the specials of the day or for their recommendations in specific categories.
Seeing AI – The popular iPhone app from Microsoft has Short Text and Document channels that can be useful for menu reading. A recent update to the Document channel (version 5.2) takes a picture of the menu and reads it back or allows you to ask questions like, “What are the seafood options?” Seeing AI Gets Upgrade
The QR Code Menu — When it’s available, use your mobile phone to scan the code and the menu is instantly available on your screen. Make it a talking menu using accessibility speech features like VoiceOver and Speak Screen in iOS, or TalkBack and Select to Speak in Android. Listen to the menu options privately with your ear buds.
In essence, finding a new approach to reading menus will get you back to enjoying the food, the company, the conversation, and the atmosphere. It’s even okay to just say, “I’ll have what she’s having.”
This article was originally published January 24, 2018 and last updated Oct 20, 2023.
