OE Patients

Tag: blind

  • Your Driver Has Arrived

    Your Driver Has Arrived

    Ride-hailing apps offer a cash-less convenience, that is often quicker and cheaper than the taxis and car services we once depended on. They also add a most welcome element of freedom to the non-driving population.

    While we were patiently awaiting the self-driving car, the transportation concept, formerly known as “taxicab,” was disrupted by technology. The driver is still completely necessary, but the method of getting a ride, where and when you want it, is now transacted primarily on mobile apps. Uber and Lyft are the dominant services, and there are others to choose from depending on your location. Finding a service / app that works for you will help to keep the process within your comfort zone. If ride-hailing apps are just not your thing, there are options for ordering the cars by phone.

    Making transportation more accessible, naturally has many upsides, and of course, there a few downsides as well. Here are some tips for getting yourself the smoothest ride.

    Silver car with a Lyft sticker on the windshield.
    Silver car with a Lyft sticker on the windshield.

    Ordering A Car

    • With app downloaded and account created, set pickup location, select destination, choose ride type, confirm pickup, review driver details and head to pickup location.
    • Cars can be ordered for immediate pickup or scheduled in advance.
    • Uber rides can also be ordered alternatively, without the app, from a mobile phone, by calling  1-833-USE-UBER (1-833-873-8237). Car and driver details are confirmed to you by text message.
    • Cars from Uber and Lyft can also be ordered by phone through GoGo Grandparent, a service that manages the process and the ride for an added fee.
    Hand holding up smartphone to display yellow screen for Uber Spotlight. Image credit: Uber
    Hand holding up smartphone to display yellow screen for Uber Spotlight. Image credit: Uber

    Finding the Car

    The apps provide the license plate, make and model of the car, the name and a photo of the driver, and an alert when the car has arrived. None of these details are helpful if you are unable to identify those elements visually. In a quiet location or at a private home, the car will be obvious. On a busy city street, finding the car is usually a challenge for anyone, particularly when you are blind or have low vision.

    • Speak directly with the driver, through the app, and let them know you are visually impaired, and tell them exactly where you are waiting, so they can get to where you are or let you know exactly where they are.
    • Ask the driver to honk twice to help you identify the car.
    • Use Uber’s Spotlight feature, in crowded locations and at night, by tapping the Spotlight button on the bottom right corner of the app. Your phone screen lights up with an assigned color, the driver sees the same color on their screen. Holding up the light helps them find you. 
    • To confirm you have the right car, ask the driver “Who are you picking up?,” or “What is your name?”
    • Order an Uber Assist or Lyft Assist, in areas where it is available, and the driver will meet you at your front door and see you to the door of your destination.

    Safety Measures

    • Communicate your trip details to family or friends through sharing options in the apps.
    • There is an emergency button in most apps, but even quicker to call 911.

    Give Feedback

    We always recommend providing feedback. If there are ways your experience could be improved, say so. Your suggestions can ultimately benefit all ride-sharers.

    Post originally published Apr 19, 2019 and updated Feb 6, 2025

  • The Benevolence Of Be My Eyes

    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.

  • Surprises Contained in the White Cane

    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. But once I finally ended the resistance, it did not take long to discover what I had been missing. It turns out, I am not at all special in this respect; making peace with this mobility device is often a complicated personal process.

    What is it that holds us back? On Girl Gone Blind, Maria Johnson opens her post on the topic with this explanation, “If I use a cane… then the whole world will stare at me. I will look like a BLIND person! I’m only sorta kinda blind. I can see contrast and blurry objects, so I’ll be fine without it. I don’t want to hold a cane. It just stresses me out. White canes and ugly sunglasses are not for me. What if my friends see me with it? They will look and whisper… “OMG. Look at Maria! She must be really blind now… she needs to use one of those things, you know, a white cane!”

    I, too, did not want the world to see me as a blind person, because I don’t see myself that way. Blindness is generally understood as total darkness, but that is not accurate for 85% of people who are legally blind, according to the American Foundation for the Blind. It’s a conundrum, of poor public awareness caused by inaccurate terminology, and a correction is long overdue. Vision loss is a spectrum, and that deserves a better understanding.

    During the pandemic, my low vision got lower. The change was not subtle, more things disappeared in my broken visual field, objects appeared more pixelated, the haziness got denser. I hoped maybe the change was temporary, but I knew that was unlikely and unrealistic. Two retinal exams provided no explanation for the decrease in sight. I began adjusting, again, and took a few falls in the process. It was time for a cane.

    A fair amount of procrastination preceded a call to purchase a cane from Ambutech. The sales representative, Laura, was thoughtful and thorough; there was much more to know about a mobility cane than I expected. She patiently explained the cane types, lengths, tips, and handles. Do I want aluminum, graphite or fiberglass? She informed me that all white canes are reserved for people who are totally blind, and canes with red at the bottom indicate the user has some sight. Who knew? I ordered a long white graphic cane with a marshmallow tip, red bottom with a black handle. And somehow I got it just right.

    It was 10 days before the package arrived and another week before I opened the box. On that morning I took it for a walk on the Bronx River Bike Path, or I should say, it took me. For the first half mile, or so, I fought with the cane. Until my partner, Neil, took the cane out of my hand and showed me what I might do to get along better with it. His experience with the mobility cane was purely observational, but in that moment his guidance was immensely helpful. That was the turning point, it all began to click.

    Dorrie on the Bronx River Path, walking
    with mobility cane, in the midst of fall foliage

    I was amazed at how much better I felt walking along the path’s bumps and dips, just knowing what was ahead of me and underfoot. My acquired fear of tripping or falling largely abated as the sweeping arc of my cane proceeded. Bikes slowed down when they saw the cane, and everyone called out a greeting. The cane informed me when there was a curb, a curb cut, or a rocky stretch of pavement. On the way back through city streets, I discovered how it solved my problems walking up, and especially down, steps. It still feels gleeful to gracefully navigate a flight of stairs. I felt good again, walking everywhere with the cane; it gave me a renewed sense of security and restored my confidence.

    From that day, to my great surprise, the cane sits at my front door and goes out whenever I do. Traveling in and out of New York City with the cane is comfortable again and also filled with surprises. Perhaps the most unexpected was how sweet I found the kindness of strangers. As I exited Grand Central Terminal and walked up Lexington Avenue, I discovered a lovely and quiet benevolence on the bustling streets, thanks to the white cane.

    Dorrie Rush discusses The Not-So-Straight Line to the White Cane with Hadley Presents host Ricky Enger…Listen Here.

  • Aira At The Airport

    Aira At The Airport

    There are challenges involved in traveling through airports, always, for everyone. Add a visual impairment to the mix and you’ve got an excellent excuse to just stay at home. A travel companion could solve a lot of the problems, but there isn’t always one available. You can request assistance at the airport, but it may arrive holding a sign you cannot read and pushing a wheelchair you do not need.

    For a while now we’ve been thinking the best solution to navigating the inside of an airport would come in the form of an interior mapping system and a really, really smart digital assistant. As much as we love the incredible strides technology is helping us take, navigation systems and digital assistants have not yet proven to be precise enough for this task. While we were waiting patiently for that, we started hearing about something called Aira (pronounced I-ra), a technology that depends on humans for accuracy.

    Travelers in London Heathrow Airport.
    Travelers in London Heathrow Airport.

    How Aira Works

    Turns out, that even in this intensely technological time, people still provide the most dependable source of assistance. Imagine that. Aira is a service that connects you with an agent via smartphone for live remote assistance, they call it “visual interpreting.” This independence-enhancing accessibility solution could possibly take the pain out of asking for help. You are not disturbing anyone; it is exactly what they are there to do.

    The agents are trained to guide you. They can see a 120-degree view through the camera of your phone, much more than you’re seeing. Aira customers are called “Explorers,” and that makes it sound a little like we’re playing a game, but why not, perhaps it will make airport travel fun again.

    How Much Aira Costs

    Aira is a subscription service, now starting at $29 a month for 30 minutes with an agent, $99 for 120 minutes, and up from there. The service is accessed by a mobile app. Paying subscribers can call an agent for assistance navigating through any airport within the service area of North America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.

    Where Aira is Free

    There is also a network of airports that subscribe to Aira and provide free guest access to their customers. At last count, 50+ airports were actively participating in the Aira Network including JFK International, LaGuardia, Newark, Syracuse, Boston Logan, Charlotte Douglas, Dallas Love Field, and Toronto Pearson. A complete list of free airport locations seemed to be elusive. A representative from Aira suggested using the in-app search to find all locations on the network, but that did not render a list either. When in doubt, we suggest calling an agent on the app, or Aira customer service at one of the phone numbers listed below, to confirm if the airport you’re heading to provides the visual interpreting service for free.

    Get started with the Aira app on the App Store and on Google Play.

    Website: Aira

    Customer Service:

    North America: 800.835.1934

    Australia: 800.765.096 

    United Kingdom: 800.046.5668 

    New Zealand: 800.425.451

    This post was originally published on Jan 17, 2019, and updated on Jul 14, 2022.

    Note: We receive no compensation from organizations, products or services mentioned on OE Patients.

     

  • Smartphone Barcode Readers Help Visually impaired People

    Smartphone Barcode Readers Help Visually impaired People

    Universal Product Codes (UPC) are the barcodes found on just about every product sold at retail. They are 12-digit codes that identify the product details. These are the codes scanned at the register each time you check out, perhaps most notably, at the supermarket. You know how they look, although you probably don’t think much about them. The information in product barcodes can be enormously helpful for people with vision loss, yet this is not an application widely adopted, possibly because the talking scanners created for blind and visually impaired users were previously priced out of range for everyday consumers. Today barcode readers are available in two popular accessibility apps, and they’re free.

    UPC barcodes on stickers.
    UPC barcodes on stickers

    Product barcodes can be surprisingly useful in the kitchen to get a product’s cooking instructions or nutrition facts when you cannot read the packaging and prefer to have it spoken. In a store, barcodes can be very useful in determining the specific flavor, scent, color and size of the item you’re looking at. Some codes have a lot of information to read through, others have less, depending on the type of product and its requirements.

    Seeing AI on iPhone scanning barcode to identify product. Image credit: Microsoft.com
    Seeing AI on iPhone scanning barcode to identify
    product. Image credit: Microsoft.com

    Accessible Barcode Reading Apps

    The Seeing AI app, developed by Microsoft for iOS, includes the Product Channel, which is a talking barcode reader. If you can’t find the barcode visually, audible cues indicate its location. Once found, the barcode is scanned automatically and the product details are spoken. The UPC on a small box of pasta says the product name “Barilla Orzo.” At the bottom of the screen there is a tab to access “More Info” including product weight and cooking instructions, ingredients and nutritional information, all of which is incredibly easy and very useful for a visually impaired person. This app also reads Short Text, Documents, Currency, Color and more.

    For Android, Google developed Lookout, an app that also offers reads barcodes in its Shopping Mode. Like Seeing Ai, this app also offers modes for Quick Read, Document Scan, Explore and Food Labels. 

  • Get Accessible News at NFB-Newsline

    Get Accessible News at NFB-Newsline

     

    It would be completely reasonable to expect that reading the news on a mobile app should be more accessible than ever, for people with vision loss, but this is not actually the case. The navigation of your favorite newspaper still feels rather unrefined.  Whether reading with your eyes, or a speech feature, the pages may suddenly lurch back or forward, leaving you searching to find your place again.  Articles loaded with ads, and other links, chronically  disrupt your focus. Depending on the day, a mobile screen reader might just leap over an entire section of text or mispronounce a bunch of words. The images frequently are not labeled, instead providing long digital codes in place of descriptions. It all makes you wonder, why is award winning journalism so hard to read?

    The solution that may resolve many of these issues is NFB- Newsline.  A fee free news service offering audio content to anyone who is blind, has low vision or is print disabled. Subscribers are granted access to over 500 publications including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, Time, Consumer Reports and hundreds more.  Select options for local news publications, emergency alerts and even local TV listings by provider.  There are many ways to get NEWSLINE, on an app, with Alexa on an Echo device, online or by email,  or dial in to listen on any phone. 

     

    Image shows young woman listening to the news on an iPhone.
    Image shows young woman listening to the news on an iPhone.

     

    iOS NEWSLINE MOBILE APP 

    Get the Apple iOS app, on the App Store, for use with iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, all fully accessible with VoiceOver or Braille display.  The app has a free version of KNFB Reader Basic with functions that scan any printed text and read it aloud, on the go. 

     

    AMAZON ALEXA

    Hands free access via Alexa on any Echo product. Personalize settings and navigate to sections and articles using voice commands. 

    Visit Alexa instructions

    visit Alexa training video

    ONLINE & EMAIL

    Go to http://www.nfbnewslineonline.org/ to access or email full publications, sections or articles.

     

    DIAL IN BY PHONE

    NFB-NEWSLINe audio content can also be accessed by phone with the touch of buttons that enable reading and voice controls. 

    Visit NEWSLINE phone instructions

     

    There’s a lot available here, and it may seem overwhelming, so step back and take a breath. First sign up. Then decide how you want to access your news? Now follow the links for more info, or even better yet, call the wonderfully helpful information line for help getting set up and acclimated.

    Call NFB-NEWSLINE: 866-504-7300

     

    To sign up for Newsline call NFB or complete the application online. All subscribers to NLS Talking Books program are pre-approved. 

    Online Application

    Email: [email protected]

     

  • Starbucks Focus on Accessibility

    Starbucks Focus on Accessibility

    There’s a lot to choose from at Starbucks, and for a person who is visually impaired, or blind, it can be a very tall order.  Browsing the menu, posted high above the barista, is simply out of reach.  We stick with the usual Caffe Latte, or Chai, because we have no idea a Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino even exists. If we want something to eat with our delicious beverage, that selection too will require a certain degree of sight. Identifying the sandwiches in a refrigeration case may be possible with low vision, but reading the label, to figure out what lies between the bread, will not be so easy. We wonder, are there any sous-vide egg white bites available today?

     

    Image shows hand holding a triumphant Frappuccino
    Image shows hand holding a triumphant Frappuccino

     

    Working around obstacles is something people who are visually impaired do everyday. Starbucks is working to minimized the challenges in their stores. To improve access to visual information, the   Seattle based coffee chain is offering several options to address accessibility issues and elevate inclusion.

     

    image shows logo for Aira app
    Image shows logo for Aira app

     

    Aira guest access is now available in all US Starbucks locations. Aira is a smartphone app (pronounced I-ra) that connects users to a live agent trained in reading and navigation assistance for people who have low vision or are blind.  The Aira service utilizes a combination of human and artificial intelligence, providing instant access to a sighted guide when you need it. The app will tell you when you’re in a sponsored location like Starbucks, Target, Bank of America, Walgreens and Wegmans, in which case the business is paying Aira to provide you, the customer, with visual assistance. The Aira agents will help you get around the store and tell you what’s on the menu, in the cases and on the counter. More about Aira

    In the US and Canada, Starbucks added a large print and braille menu, actually the braille is a textured overlay on top of the large print pages. It is the largest large print menu we’ve ever seen, weighing in at 30 pages. For people who don’t read large print or braille, the menu on Starbucks website and mobile app, with newly improved accessibility, are probably better options.

    The accessibility updates are linked to Starbucks new diversity and inclusion initiatives and company wide goals. The commitment is serious and there will be more attention paid to accessibility and the inclusive design of everything.

    Stop in and celebrate your freedom of choice with a Green Tea Frappuccino!
  • Google’s Lookout 2.0

    Google’s Lookout 2.0

    Not very long ago, news about developing technologies for people visually impaired or blind was not widely reported, if reported at all.  It was also unusual for this kind of news to be attached to the biggest technology companies on the planet. All that has definitely changed! In 2018, Google announced an Android app in development called ‘Lookout,’ its purpose to help people with vision loss, identify objects around them and read text. The news was quickly shared by many news outlets, noteworthy because while Google has been involved in the creation of accessible Android applications for quite some time, they had not previously made big pronouncements about it.

    The accessibility app was first launched in 2019 and has recently been updated. Lookout is designed to deliver spoken notifications with minimal interaction.  So it does not create a juggling act for the user, it is recommended that the smartphone be carried in a shirt pocket or on a lanyard, camera facing out.

    Powered by artificial intelligence (AI), it utilizes camera vision to help people, who are visually impaired, get the information they need without having to ask others for help.  The enhanced access is delivered now in these 5 modes:

    • Explore – identifies objects in your environment
    • Shopping – reads barcodes and currency
    • Quick Read – for signs, labels and mail

    The newest features in 2.0 are:

    • Food labels – identification of packaged foods
    • Document scan – captures and reads full detail

    Lookout 2.0 is now available on Google Play for devices running Android 6.0 Marshmallow or later with 2GB of RAM available.  This is a free app, it does not require an internet connection and uses machine learning to identify items of importance and keep delivering the information people are interested in. In addition to English, the app is now localized for French, German and Italian.

    Get more information about using Lookout and share your feedback by contacting the Google Disability Support Team online or on the BeMYEyes app.

    Lookout is not currently available for Apple iOS devices, but a similar app called Seeing AI is.

    This article was previously published Jul 26, 2019 and updated Mar 26, 2021.

  • The Frankness of Bruni

    The Frankness of Bruni

    Millions are affected by vision loss that cannot be corrected, yet it is quite rare that someone with a high profile is willing to openly share their experience.  In 1998, Henry Grunwald, the former managing editor of Time magazine and editor and chief of Time, Inc., published a memoir describing the ways age-related macular disease imposed on life as he knew it. The title, “Twilight: Losing Sight, Gaining Insight,” gave us the first clue, that Henry was, despite the challenges, working things out.

    Two decades later, in a somewhat similar fashion, Frank Bruni, New York Times journalist and author, is sharing his personal experience losing sight suddenly to a stroke of the eye.  From his first insightful column on the subject, titled “Am I Going Blind?,” we learn that Frank, like Henry, is acquiring a new outlook.  Frank Bruni speaks to us in a way that is compelling, whether you know vision loss intimately or not.  He is also writing a book about the life-changing experience, which will be published in 2022.

    A stroke of the eye is referred to by the acronym “NAION” for non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy which refers to loss of blood flow to the optic nerve (the connection between the eye and the brain).  This condition typically causes sudden vision loss in one eye, without any pain.  There is a 20% chance it will happen in the other eye, which you hope and pray is not the case.  There is currently no treatment to reverse the loss or restore the sight.

    It has been two years since Frank woke up one Saturday morning in October and discovered his vision had changed.  His good eye compensates for the eye that is impaired, but not completely.  Some might think it quite reasonable for a writer facing vision loss to give up on writing entirely, but that would be in many cases a serious misunderstanding.  The gifts we are given rise above vision loss, as a rule.  This is the lesson Grunwald and Bruni teach.  Frank explores how visually impaired and blind writers rise to the occasion in his column titled “Writing With Your Eyes Closed,” and you don’t have to be a writer to get the point.

    Frank has been a voice at The New York Times for over 25 years, talking politics, food, religion and now he’s added vision to the mix.  His recent podcast interview for Hadley Presents with Ricky Enger, brought us more information about his process of adjusting.  Nearly two years into his experience, Frank has arrived at some powerful conclusions that we can all benefit from.

    Image of Frank Bruni speaking at a podium.
    Image of Frank Bruni speaking at a podium.

    Perspective

    He now understands “how crucial perspective is.”  By looking around you may come to realize your own challenges are a “pittance compared to what most people deal with.”  He focuses on the many ways he is “lucky.”

    Adjusting

    He decides to prepare, just in case, by getting used to listening to audiobooks.  This is not always an easy or quick adjustment.  Frank rediscovers why he loves visual reading and switches his strategy back to reading print for as long as he possibly can.

    Writing

    The speed of his writing has slowed a bit from what was a very fast pace, and he must be diligent with the correction of typos, but he now understands writing is a gift that is actually not dependent on good eye sight.  He learned touch typing in high school and that is a very important skill to have, no need to look at the keys.

    Technology

    He has a great appreciation for the accessibility in today’s technology and gives a shout out to Apple for the accessibility features that cover the spectrum of vision loss.  He utilizes the changes to font sizes, light and brightness, remarking that 20 years ago this would not have been possible.

    Physicians

    Frank is surprised and dismayed by the lack of information or guidance he was offered by doctors about dealing with the inherent psychological and emotional impact of losing sight.  What he did hear from the doctors was, “So sorry, this is a rough blow, nothing we can do.”  He considers the omission a dereliction of duty, and is concerned for the patients who don’t have the ability or resources to figure out what to do next.

    Listen to the Hadley Presents podcast:
    NYT Columnist Frank Bruni on Vision Loss and Life in Perspective

     

     

    *Featured image source: Seattle Arts & Lectures*

  • Grandpa, You Can See That?

    Grandpa, You Can See That?

    There is a famous proverb I learned in drama class many years ago and thought it apropos for this article.  “Do not judge a man until you’ve walked two moons in his moccasins.”  I offer up this advice, with a tinge of humor, for family, friends, colleagues and caregivers.  Having contracted macular degeneration more than 50 years ago, I feel well qualified to share my insights.

    Grandkids, or maybe even spouses, leave shoes, toys, and other obstacles in the middle of the living room floor.  They know you have a visual impairment, but it’s their house too, and this is normal behavior.  There are other usual and obvious hazards created by loved ones all the time, unintentionally.  Cabinet doors, closet doors, and drawers left open are undetectable by my eyes until it’s too late, and a collision is the end game.  The Bible tells us, not to place stumbling blocks in the path of the blind.  Although this may be a metaphor for life’s travails, for me it’s a truism.

    The pointing finger really gets my goat.  I walk into a retail store wearing the standard blindness indicators, dark glasses and white cane.  I ask a sales associate for help locating an item.  The answer comes back, “It’s over there,” and I see, peripherally, the finger is pointing in a general direction.  To avoid repeating this experience, I learned it’s best to immediately go to the register and state directly, “Can you help me find something? I’m blind.”  This pronouncement is necessary because in many stores the training is not inclusive of the accouterments of vision loss, or how to accommodate customers who are visually impaired.

    My lovely wife is always exhorting me to use the motorized cart when we shop, because I have difficulty walking.  I constantly tell her, “Honey, I’m blind in my left eye, leaving me with no depth perception, and I’m afraid I’ll hit somebody.”

    Neighbors, not accustomed to living with a person who has low vision, can be unaware of the pitfalls.  Serving me water in a clear glass is a risky move, placing the glass on a mirrored coffee table top, totally treacherous.

    Sometimes, even the youngest child can surprise you.  It happened on a trip to the zoo with our 5 year old great-granddaughter.  We were enjoying ice cream cones and getting a little messy.  My wife asked where the ladies room was and I pointed to the restrooms behind her.  My little one exclaimed, “Grandpa, you can see that?”  I told her that I knew where it was because I had used the facilities before, but was charmed at her cognition of my condition.

    And a child shall lead the way.

     

  • Event Recap: Give & Take

    Event Recap: Give & Take

    We learn so much from each other about living with vision loss, and that is why we dedicated this Accessibility Resource session to sharing our best finds.  If you are the recipient of good advice you never forget where it came from or how it impacted your life, and it should always be paid forward.  Our audience enthusiastically shared their best tips, and we are delighted to pass them along.

     

    NLS Talking Books

    Free and easy access to audiobooks from the National Library Service, for moving from the visual reading of print books to the equally satisfying experience of audiobooks. 

    On OE: Get Back The Joy Of Reading With NLS

     

    Bookshare

    A huge library of accessible ebooks, including textbooks, newspapers and magazines, which can be read on a variety of devices including smartphones and tablets.  Membership for qualifying users is $50 a year, U.S. students join fee-free.

    More at bookshare.org 

     

    Access Seating

    At most theater and concert venues seats are available in first few rows for people with visual impairments.

    On OE: VIP Seating Is There For You

     

    White Cane

    If you find it difficult to be open about your visual impairment or low vision, the white cane can do the talking.  It informs people around you that you have vision loss, and it lets you know what lies ahead, helping restore your sense of confidence and independence.   

    On OE: Consider The Long White Cane

     

    On Your Terms

    It is natural, normal and okay to deal with vision loss on your own terms, in your own time, at your own speed. 

     

    Don’t Be Afraid To Ask

    Ask a person to read a sign, push an elevator button, tell you if you’re heading in the right direction.  You’ll get surprisingly, and overwhelmingly, positive results.

     

    Using iPhone’s VoiceOver

    The process of switching from visual to audible access is not so easy at first, but anyone who has done it will tell you the screen reader in iPhone will open up a whole new world.  Don’t let the challenges of a learning curve deter you.  Stay the course, it’s totally worth the work!

    On OE: Let iPhone’s VoiceOver Do The Reading

     

    Apple Accessibility

    So much is available in the accessibility settings in all Apple devices.  They make a real difference for visually impaired and blind users.  Explore on your iOS device Settings> General> Accessibility, or on your Mac, click on the apple in the upper left corner, go to System Preferences, then open Accessibility.  And you can always call Apple Accessibility at 877-204-3930.

     

    Don’t Be Afraid To Travel

    Keep on exploring new places near and far.  Use Google Maps and Blind Square for help with navigation and location information.  The apps tell you how to get where you want to go, where you are and what’s around you. 

    More at blindsquare.com

     

    Vision Rehab

    Vision rehab prepares you to continue to do what you need to do armed with new skills.  The white cane was again credited with speaking on your behalf.  And the wearing of bright colors was also recommended to help you stand out.

    More about this on AOA.org

     

    Ride-Sharing Tips

    We were asked to review our advice for Uber and Lyft.

    Here it is: Your Driver Has Arrived

     

    GoGo Grandparent

    This is a service that arranges an Uber or Lyft by phone for a small added fee.

    On OE: GoGo Grandparent Gets An Uber Without An App

     

    KNFB Reader App

    Converts text to speech by photographing a printed page and reading the text aloud.

    On OE: App Rapidly Turns Text To Speech

     

    Seeing AI

    App developed by Microsoft that reads text instantly when phone is pointed at it.  Reads documents, identifies currency and color, describes senes and faces.

    On OE: Seeing AI Is A Gift From Microsoft

     

    Many thanks to all who contributed their very good advice.  If you have a tip to share…please let us know.

     

  • NYC Museums Present A Vivid Picture

    NYC Museums Present A Vivid Picture

    Vision loss has a way of making all art appear a little too abstract.  It changes the way you perceive color and detail.  Sometimes it’s just impossible to figure out what it is exactly, that you are looking at.

    For all of those reasons, the verbal description and touch tours offered at many museums have a profound way of giving us back the vivid detail we feared was forever lost.  If you have had the pleasure of this experience, you’re nodding in agreement right now. If you haven’t, well then it’s time to book yourself a tour right away!

    Let this list of museum access programs, in NYC, be your inspiration.  Enjoy the amazing experience whenever you can, in New York, or find out what’s happening in your town.  And we’ll keep updating this list as we discover more programs.

     

    American Folk Art Museum

    2 Lincoln Square
    (Columbus Avenue between 65th and 66th Streets)
    New York, NY 10023

    Call: (212). 595. 9533, ext. 381
    E-mail: [email protected]

    Web: folkartmuseum.org/accessibility

    Large Print labels are available in all galleries. Verbal imaging and touch tours are offered with one-month advance scheduling, and the museum participated in Art Beyond Sight events.

     

    American Museum of Natural History

    Central Park West at 79th Street
    New York, NY 10024

    Call: (212) 313-7565
    Email: [email protected]

    Web: amnh.org

    Monthly Science Sense Tours highlight specific themes and exhibits, engaging participants through extensive verbal descriptions and touchable objects. Advance registration is required for individuals and groups.

      

    Brooklyn Museum

    200 Eastern Parkway
    Brooklyn, NY 11238

    Call: (718) 501-6225
    E-mail: [email protected]

    Web: brooklynmuseum.org

    Programs that include verbal description and touch tours are on the museum’s calendar monthly.

     

    Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum

    2 East 91 Street (at Fifth Ave)
    New York, NY 10128

    Call: (212) 849-8400

    Web: cooperhewitt.org

    Dynamic verbal description + sensory tours are offered monthly at Cooper Hewitt.  Join a Cooper Hewitt educator, curator, or staff member in conversation and explore a selection of objects through detailed narration and touch.

     

    Guggenheim Museum

    1071 Fifth Ave (at East 88th Street)
    New York, NY 10128

    Call: (212) 360-4355
    E-mail: [email protected]

    Web: guggenheim.org

    Monthly Mind’s Eye tours and workshops for visitors who are blind or have low vision are conducted by arts and education professionals through verbal description, conversation, sensory experiences, and creative practice.  Mind’s Eye tours are free with an RSVP required one week before the program date.

     

    Metropolitan Museum of Art gallery showing sculptures by Auguste Rodin.

    Metropolitan Museum of Art

    1000 Fifth Avenue (at 82 St)
    New York, NY 10028

    Call: (212) 650-2010
    E-mail: [email protected]

    Web: metmuseum.org

    The Met offers Touch Collection, Verbal Imaging Tours and Guided Touch Tours, to enhance the experience for people with vision loss, available upon request to individuals and groups. Picture This! workshops explore works of art through detailed description and touch.

    Seeing Through Drawing workshops enable the artist in you to create your own work with the inspiration of the museum’s collection, verbal imaging, experimentation with techniques and materials.

     

    Museum of Modern Art

    11 West 53rd Street
    New York, NY 10019

    Call: (212) 408-6347
    E-mail: [email protected]

    Web: moma.org

    Touch Tours are a very special experience, particularly at MoMA where you’ll get to touch a work of art by Picasso, Matisse or Rodin.  Art InSight tours are scheduled monthly, offering exploration of the museum’s entire collection through vivid, detailed descriptions.  Both tours are also offered by request.

    Accessible audio guides with verbal description are available on the MoMA app and on MoMA.org. The museum will soon make audio description available for its movie screenings.

     

    The Rubin Museum of Art

    150 West 17 Street
    New York, NY  10011

    Call: (212) 620-5000

    Web: rubinmuseum.org

    The Rubin Museum offers verbal description and sensory tours for visitors who are blind or partially sighted.  These free tours, which include Museum admission, take visitors on a journey that weaves together the culture, history, religion, and art of the Himalayas.

     

    Tenement Museum

    108 Orchard Street (at Delancey Street)
    New York, NY 10002

    Call: (646) 518-3038
    E-mail: [email protected]

    Web: tenement.org

    To experience the life of a 19th-century immigrant living in a tenement on New York’s Lower East Side, tours that combine verbal description and touch can be arranged for groups of 5 or more.

     

    Whitney Museum of American Art

    99 Gansevoort St
    New York, NY 10014

    Call: (212) 570-3600 or (212) 570-7789
    E-mail: [email protected]

    Web: whitney.org

    The Whitney’s verbal description tours provide an opportunity to enjoy the twentieth- and twenty-first-century American art exhibitions with a museum educator trained to provide vivid, detailed verbal description of the works on display, while experiencing a selection of objects through touch. These free, 90-minute tours take place when the galleries are closed to the general public.  Tours are held monthly as well as by request with three weeks advance notice.