OE Patients

Tag: Dorrie

  • Seeing AI Is A Gift From Microsoft

    Seeing AI Is A Gift From Microsoft

    We love technology that empowers… especially when it gives us back something vision loss has taken. Microsoft’s Seeing AI app is all that. It is an intelligent camera that reads text on the go and tells you who and what is around you.

    Seeing AI is a sweet surprise of a package filled with stuff you’ll want. Get back to reading signs, documents, and products on the go.  And get more detail about the people and scenes you’re not seeing clearly.

    The interface is clean and nicely designed. It’s relatively easy to acclimate to, but the more you use it…the better you get. There is a Quick Help Guide in the upper right of each channel, with both text and a video tutorial.

    Here’s a rundown of the Seeing AI channels…

    • Short Text – hold the camera over text and it reads, just like that. Use it on signs, price tags, tickets, mail, packages, etc. Start reading everything in and out of sight.
    • Documents – the camera guides you to photograph the entire page and reads back. Navigates headings in documents with VoiceOver, particularly useful in reading restaurant menus. (Similar to the KNFB Reader app.)
    • Product – a bar code reader with audio guidance. In the grocery store, for example, you’ll be able to identify the brand and flavor on the ice cream container, or the fat content of the milk, or if the bread is wheat or white.
    • Person – use the camera to scan and tell you about the people around. Facial descriptions include an estimate of age and expression. Set face recognition to announce the name of someone you know when they come into view.

      Microsoft Seeing AI app describing a person sitting outside.
      Microsoft Seeing AI app describing a person sitting outside.
    • Scene – take a photo and hear the description of the scene. 

    The accuracy is very good, but not perfect. Like you, it is still learning. Help the process by sharing your thoughts and experience with the developers. There’s a link to send feedback directly from the Menu.

    The Seeing Ai app is free, available in the App Store. This is by no means a small token, it is a meaningful gift. Not long ago, technology designed for people with visual impairments was available only at very hefty prices. 

    The best is yet to come. Microsoft says this is just a glimpse into artificial intelligence.

    For latest updates to Seeing AI, read our full article here.

    Microsoft’s “Seeing AI” Video

    Please note that this article was not paid for, affiliated with, or endorsed by any third-party companies. The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author’s.


    Originally published on August 11, 2017 and updated on August 3, 2018.

  • App Happy

    App Happy

    Apps are empowering people with visual impairments in ways we could only once dream. There are apps that can read text on the go, identify people and products, turn cameras into magnifiers, summon live help, and light the way.

    Here are some apps you should know about. All are available for iPhone on the App Store and may be available for Android or Windows as well. Apps are free unless specified.

     

    Seeing AI

    Seeing AI app.

    Seeing AI app.

    Reads Short Text, Documents, Products, People & Scenes

    A magnanimous gesture from Microsoft exclusively to iPhone users. This is actually five apps in one, and it’s free!

    The Short Text channel is the grand prize, point the camera and it reads signs, price tags, labels, addresses, and more. No snapping photos or waiting to process, just point and it reads instantly on the go. This app reads documents and product barcodes with VoiceOver. It can identify people using facial recognition which does not seem all that practical, but it is fun. And try the Scene channel to get a description of the environment you are in. To learn more about Seeing AI, read our full article.

    So far, everyone agrees, this is an amazing app. Enjoy it, and remember, it’s a work in progress, just like the rest of us. Help Microsoft keep making it better by sending your feedback to [email protected].

    Click here to download the iPhone app.

     

    KNFB Reader $99

    KNFB Reader app.

    KNFB Reader app.

    High-Quality text to speech OCR (Optical Character Recognition)

    This app seemed totally worth the price, until a moment ago when Seeing AI became available, with its free document reader. There are some noteworthy differences. KNFB does not require a connection to the Internet to process;  Seeing AI does. KNFB has its own reader; Seeing AI depends on VoiceOver.

    You will find that KNFB Reader is faster, as recognition is performed on your device rather than uploading it to the cloud. Keeping the processing on your device provides better security. KNFB can be set to read text in columns and tables; Seeing AI cannot. KNFB batch mode copies and saves multi-page documents; Seeing AI does not.

    In recent updates, you can make calls, send emails, and open links directly from documents. You can even contact someone from a business card. To learn more about KNFB Reader, read our full article.

    For questions or to send feedback, contact: [email protected].  

    Click to download the iPhone app or to download the Android App.

     

    Be My Eyes

    Be My Eyes app.

    Be My Eyes app.

    Access Live Help

    This app boasts an impressive 1 million sighted volunteers on call to assist its 80 thousand visually impaired and blind users in more than 180 countries. Tapping on the main page to “Call First Available Volunteer” will establish a live video connection enabling the volunteer to read or describe what your camera is pointed at.

    If you need help with an appliance, an electronic device, distinguishing items, or reading instructions, these volunteers are ready and able. No need to worry about being a pest, call as often as you need. The wait for a volunteer is estimated at 30 seconds, and that’s pretty hard to beat!

    Click to download the iPhone app or to download the Android App.

     

    Brighter and Bigger

    Brighter and Bigger app.

    Brighter and Bigger app.

    Video Magnifier

    Just as the name says, this video magnifying app gets up to 20x bigger, with options for brightness, reverse, clearer and freeze. This makes the app perfect for reading fine print and bringing objects into sharper view. The “Brightness Reverse” and “Monochrome” modes are especially ideal for people living with cataracts and low vision. 

    Thanks to the vast improvements in mobile cameras, these magnifying apps are as good as the portable versions we once had to pay big bucks for. Opens with Siri command.

    Click to download the iPhone app or to download the Android App.

     

    iLights

    iLights app.

    iLights app.

    Digital Flashlight

    Adjustable light and blinking strobe can be conveniently turned on by asking Siri. Now you know where the flashlight is when you need it.

    Click here to download the iPhone app.

     

    BARD Mobile

    BARD Mobile app.

    BARD Mobile app.

    National Library Service Talking Books (888.657.7323)

    If you are registered for the National Library Services Talking Books program, consider going mobile. It takes a bit of time to set it up and requires patience as you learn to navigate this, sometimes cumbersome, app, but book lovers with visual impairments absolutely love the totally free access to audiobooks. To learn more about NLS, read our full article.

    Click to download the iPhone app or to download the Android App.

     

    Voice Memos

    Voice Memos app.

    Voice Memos app.

    Digital Recorder

    Always good to have a digital recorder on hand. We used to spend hundreds to have one in our pocket, now it’s sitting right in our phone for free. High-quality recording, 3 button interface. Trim, save, and share options.

    App comes with your iPhone.

     

    Please note that this article was not paid for, affiliated with, or endorsed by any third-party companies. The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author’s.

     

    Originally published on November 17, 2017 and updated on August 3, 2018.

  • Museums Making Art More Accessible

    Museums Making Art More Accessible

    If you were looking for a reason to visit Florence, here it is. The Uffizi Museum is offering Touch Tours for visually impaired and blind visitors. If you’ve never experienced a touch tour, it’s about time you do. Go ahead…book that flight.

    The Uffizi offers a guided tour enabling people with vision loss to utilize their sense of touch to get a closer “look” at the museum’s masterpiece collection of art in marble. These are beautiful ancient works, Greek and Roman sculptures.  While other visitors are admiring these works with their eyes, you, with a museum expert at your side, get to touch (hand gloved in latex, of course). It is a thrilling and memorable experience. The Uffizi by Touch Tour requires no reservation and can be arranged, upon arrival to the museum, at the ticket office.

    Florence is indeed a dreamy destination, and by all means…go!  You should also know, similar programs are widely available and most likely at a museum nearby.  The accessibility services offered are generally good for everyone. Bring a friend, this may be their only opportunity to touch an ancient artifact.

    It’s not entirely about the touch tour. There are many other ways museums are making it easier to look at art and fully experience the vibrancy, with or without sight.  Audio Guides facilitate self-guided tours and are good for everyone. The narrated guides are now also available as accessible smartphone apps, in addition to the individual museum devices. Print Access may extend to large print and Braille exhibition guides and in some cases accessible labeling of art.

     

    The Uffizi Gallery, the upper-level corridor lined with statues.

     

    Verbal Descriptions are perhaps the best accompaniment a visually impaired art lover could ask for. In itself an art, verbal imaging adds meticulously detailed and vivid descriptions including style, technique, texture, and color.  By including details that may have been missed by the viewer, these descriptions go a long way in helping to convey the full picture. Many museums offer individual verbally described tours with specially trained guides, which are highly recommended.

    In addition to the everyday access, museums offer regularly scheduled programs for people with vision loss. At the Museum of Modern Art, in NYC, join a monthly “Art In Sight” lecture and discussion series, or try “Picture This!” workshops at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  

    Get in touch with your favorite museum and go for a tour!

     

  • Microsoft’s Inclusive Workplace

    Microsoft’s Inclusive Workplace

    The 28th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) reminds us the law prohibits job discrimination and requires the provision of ‘reasonable accommodations’ for employees with disabilities, except when such accommodation would cause undue hardship.  That is, the undue hardship of the employer, not the employee.

    The need for accessible technology in the workplace often created both the accommodation and the hardship.  In fact, it was not so long ago, that the word “accessible” was mostly preceded by the word “not.”  Special third-party assistive technology was usually required to add screen magnification and speech to a desktop computer.  Because it was by nature a retrofit, the special software could be incompatible with some systems and was rarely supported by a company’s IT staff. It was not always seamless or elegant but, what really mattered was, it could keep you working, long after vision loss might have otherwise shut you down.

    That was then. Now the accessibility is built into the operating systems and the applications we use at work, decreasing the need for that awkward conversation, with an employer, to request an accommodation. The significance of this cannot be understated. It empowers employees with vision loss to make computer adjustments, as needed, and continue working without major interruptions. And in today’s workforce, it’s not even unusual to adjust your visual settings or to use speech features. It’s actually quite normal.

    ADA surely set the stage for the inclusive work environment still unfolding decades later.  The 21st Century Telecommunications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA) also must be credited for triggering the impressive progress in elevating the equality of access for all. In this scenario, it appears, legislation and innovation converged for the greater good.

    In somewhat of an equal measure, we have Microsoft to thank for elevating the accessibility of its enterprise software. Satya Nadella took the helm of the tech giant in 2014 with a strong desire to embrace accessibility, inspired by the needs of his son, born with cerebral palsy.  Just 4 years later the company’s products and workforce clearly reflect this major priority.  Jenny Lay-Flurrie, who is deaf, was appointed Microsoft’s Chief Accessibility Officer in 2016.  She is an enthusiastic champion for all people with disabilities and a powerful advocate for an inclusive workplace.

    Here are some of the built-in Microsoft Accessibility features for Vision, designed to make your computer easier to use.

    • Customize Colors for Increased Contrast
    • Do Things Quickly with Tell Me
    • Make Windows 10 Easier to See
    • Use Accessibility Checker
    • Use Magnifier to Enlarge Text & Images
    • Learn Keyboard Shortcuts to Move Faster
    • Customize Your Mouse Pointer
    • Use Narrator to Read Screen Text
    • Use Seeing AI for iPhone to Read Text, Identify People, Currency & Color, Read Product Barcodes, Describe Scenes

    *Please note, while these features accommodate a large majority of the population with vision loss, they are not meant to replace screen reading software for totally blind and non-visual computer users.

    Learn more about all of it on Microsoft’s Accessibility page.

     

    And, no need to figure anything out on your own, just call:

    Microsoft Disability Answer Desk – 800-936-5900

     

    Jenny and Satya at Abilities Summit 2018

     

    More on the subject from OE Patients:

     

  • Artists Work Through Macular Degeneration

    Artists Work Through Macular Degeneration

    You might think the work of an artist who is losing sight would come to a tragic end. Think again.

    “The Persistence of Vision”, an exhibition at the University of Cincinnati, is meant to change that perception. The collection highlights the works of 8 artists, before and during the progression of their vision loss from age-related macular degeneration.   

    Macular degeneration is the leading cause of legal blindness among people over age 65. It depletes the central vision and impairs the ability to differentiate color and detail. The peripheral vision usually remains and can be used in some ways to compensate for the loss in central.

    The process of adapting included strategizing, experimenting and improvising. Many took on a less intricate, more abstract style and all showed changes in their use of color. One artist discovered a great sense of freedom in a new less precise, more relaxed technique.  Some went from drawing to painting, others ventured from painting to drawing. In most cases, the lines became blurred but still beautiful.  In their 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, they all continued creating exquisite work.

    Beyond the obvious commonalities, the 8 artists possess a strong desire and willingness to find new ways of compensating their partial loss of sight. The subject matter is specific, but the overriding theme is universal and can be applied to all work. This is actually about the art of adjusting.

    “The Persistence of Vision” is at The Philip M. Meyers, Jr. Memorial Gallery at the University of Cincinnati, through July 29, 2018. It is part of the Vision and Art Project funded by the American Macular Degeneration Foundation.

     

    For more on The Vision and Art Project exhibition, Click Here

    For more on this in the NY Times, “Artists Who Lose Their Vision, Then See Clearly,” Click Here

     

    Image Credit: Dahlov Ipcar “Sunlight in Forest Glade” (unfinished, 2015) at The DAAP Galleries: Philip M. Meyers Jr. Memorial Gallery.

  • “Accessible TV” Seminar Highlights

    “Accessible TV” Seminar Highlights

    Last Thursday, we had a wonderful turnout for our seminar on Accessible TV.  Hosted at Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, it was the last session before our summer break, in our series on “Accessibility Resources for People with Visual Impairments.”

    Dorrie Rush, our Accessibility Expert at OE Patients, led a discussion about audible TV guides, menus, audio-described programming, and options for navigation by voice commands available from cable providers and streaming services.

     

    Dorrie Rush speaking at "Accessibility TV" Seminar.
    Dorrie Rush speaking at “Accessibility TV” Seminar.

    Summary

    We reviewed accessibility solutions currently available in the NYC area.

    For Verizon Fios customers, voice-enabled navigation can be turned on with the remote control and Amazon’s Alexa can be connected for voice commands.  Spectrum uses Roku to provide voice output and Optimum’s solution includes Fire TV.  The cable options differ by provider, so get in touch with your cable company and find out what they have to offer.  For a quick check do a web search using “Accessibility” + the name of your cable provider.

    TV watching is no longer confined to a television screen, and setting up accessibility in your personal technology is a whole different story.  With the use of Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Google Chromecast, voice-enabled navigation and voice commands are turned on directly in settings and all can be operated with the help of their respective digital assistants and smart speakers.

    To help you get these accessibility features activated and working on your own devices, click the button below to download our Accessible TV Handout with the customer service and technical support phone lines you need to know.

    “Accessible TV” Seminar Handout

    [easy_media_download url=”https://oepatientsbu.xyz/2025/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Accessibility-Center-Info-session-June_21-v1-HANDOUT-FINAL.pdf” target=”_blank” class=”directpdf” text=”Download Handout”]

     

    Related Content

    For a bit more history about these CVAA accommodations, go to our article “Talking Guide For Your TV“.

     

  • 6/21 Accessible TV

    6/21 Accessible TV

    Join Us June 21, 2018 At MEETH

    We’ll explore the options available for audible TV guides and menus, audio describing programming, and the use of voice commands from cable providers and streaming services.

    Accessibility Resources for People with Visual Impairments 

     

    Presenter:

     

     

    Dorrie Rush 

    OphthalmicEdge.org Patients

     

    WHEN:

    Thursday, June 21, 2018 

    3 to 4 pm

     

    WHERE:

    Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital 

    The Great Hall

    1st Floor

    210 East 64 Street

    (between Third and Second Ave.)

    New York, NY 10065

     

    Please RSVP as seating is limited:

    Phone: (212) 702-7760

    Online: meethaccessibility.eventbrite.com

     

    Event Flyer: 

    [easy_media_download url=”https://oepatientsbu.xyz/2025/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Accessibility-Center-Info-session-June_21-v1-WEB.pdf” target=”_blank” class=”directpdf” text=”Download PDF”]

     

    Accessible TV Handout:

    [easy_media_download url=”https://oepatientsbu.xyz/2025/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Accessibility-Center-Info-session-June_21-v1-HANDOUT-FINAL.pdf” target=”_blank” class=”directpdf” text=”Download PDF”]

     

    Save the date for our next session:

    September 20, 2018, 3 to 4 pm

    Get Organized!

     

    Hosted by the Department of Ophthalmology

    Supported by Association for Macular Diseases, Inc. 

     

     

     

  • Adjusting Your Home For Vision Loss

    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.

    If you have begun to make adjustments to accommodate vision loss, you know small changes can make a big difference. Comfort begins at home. No need to do a total renovation or spend a fortune on home improvements. Here are some ways to elevate the accessibility of your home environment today.

     

    A minimalistic style living room with color contrast.
    A minimalistic living room with color contrast.

     

    COLOR CONTRAST AND TEXTURE

    • Use light color plates on dark color placemats
    • Use contrast cutting boards and colored ceramic kitchen knives
    • Contrast furniture with rugs, pillows, throws
    • Contrast colors for doors, moldings, and cabinets
    • Contrast and texture on edge of steps
    • Place textured dots on appliance settings

     

    USE SMART SPEAKERS

    • Set kitchen timers and alarms
    • Check the time, weather, news
    • Listen to music, audiobooks, podcasts
    • Order household items online
    • Turn on lights and adjust the thermostat

     

    GO MINIMALIST, LESS IS MORE

    • Keep a clear path through rooms
    • Remove hazardous rugs and furniture
    • Get rid of clutter
    • Edit and organize closets, cabinets, and drawers

     

    LIGHTEN UP

    • Choose lighting that suits your needs
    • Maximize natural light and minimize glare with updated blinds or shades that adjust well

     

    Taking charge and making adjustments to compensate for vision loss is empowering. There’s plenty more about this on OE Patients and we’ve linked it below, along with the NY Times article mentioned at the top.

     

    Related Articles

    Smart Speakers You Ask They Answer

    Low Vision Awareness: Time to Get Organized

    7 Low Vision Tips to Start Your Day

    Home Safety and Light CheckUp

     

    Here is the article from the NY Times Real Estate section that inspired our post:

    Simple Home Improvements for the Vision Impaired
    By Robert Wright, NY Times April 13, 2018

     

  • 5/17 The Many Voices of iPhone

    5/17 The Many Voices of iPhone

    Join Us May 17, 2018 At MEETH

    Learn how to make the iPhone easier on your eyes using VoiceOver & Speak Screen for text to speech, Dictation to replace typing for speech text, and Siri for voice commands.

    Accessibility Resources for People with Visual Impairments

     

    Presenter:

     

     

    Dorrie Rush 

    OphthalmicEdge.org Patients

     

    WHEN:

    Thursday, May 17, 2018 

    3 to 4 pm

     

    WHERE:

    Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital 

    The Great Hall

    1st Floor

    210 East 64 Street

    (between Third and Second Ave.)

    New York, NY 10065

     

    Please RSVP as seating is limited:

    Phone: (212) 702-7760

    Online: meethaccessibility.eventbrite.com

     

    Event Flyer: 

    [easy_media_download url=”https://oepatientsbu.xyz/2025/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Accessibility-Center-Info-session-May_17-v1a.pdf” target=”_blank” class=”directpdf” text=”Download PDF”]

     

    iPhone Dictation Handout:

    [easy_media_download url=”https://oepatientsbu.xyz/2025/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Accessibility-Center-Info-session-May_17-HANDOUT-1.pdf” target=”_blank” class=”directpdf” text=”Download PDF”]

     

    iPhone VoiceOver Gestures Handout: 

    [easy_media_download url=”https://oepatientsbu.xyz/2025/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Accessibility-Center-Info-session-May_17-HANDOUT-2.pdf” target=”_blank” class=”directpdf” text=”Download PDF”]

     

     

    Save the date for our next session:

    June 21, 2018, 3 to 4 pm

    Accessible TV 

     

    Hosted by the Department of Ophthalmology

    Supported by Association for Macular Diseases, Inc. 

     

     

     

  • 4/19 Smart Speakers

    4/19 Smart Speakers

    Join Us April 19, 2018 at MEETH

    Alexa, Google, and Siri are the virtual assistants that make life easier for everyone, especially people with vision loss. We’ll talk about 20 things they can do if you ask. 

    Accessibility Resources for People with Visual Impairments 

     

    Presenter:

     

     

    Dorrie Rush 

    OphthalmicEdge.org Patients

     

    WHEN:

    Thursday, April 19, 2018 

    3 to 4 pm

     

    WHERE:

    Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital 

    The Great Hall

    1st Floor

    210 East 64 Street

    (between Third and Second Ave.)

    New York, NY 10065

     

    Please RSVP as seating is limited:

    Phone: (212)  702-7760

    Online: meethaccessibility.eventbrite.com

     

    Event Flyer: 

    [easy_media_download url=”https://oepatientsbu.xyz/2025/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Download-MEETH-Accessibility-Session-Event-Flyer.pdf” target=”_blank” class=”directpdf” text=”Download PDF”]

     

    20 Things Alexa and Google Home Will Do Handout: 

    [easy_media_download url=”https://oepatientsbu.xyz/2025/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Accessibility-Center-Info-session-April_19-v4dd-HANDOUT.pdf” target=”_blank” class=”directpdf” text=”Download PDF”]

     

     

    Save the date for our next session:

    May 17, 2018, 3 to 4 pm

    The Many Voices of iPhone

     

    Hosted by the Department of Ophthalmology

    Supported by Association for Macular Diseases, Inc. 

     

     

     

  • AAO Video: Technologies for Patients with Low Vision

    AAO Video: Technologies for Patients with Low Vision

    In a recent video from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Drs. Mary Lou Jackson and Mark Bona take a brief look at an interesting selection of low vision technology.  Here is the list of products they mention with our summary and comment.  The video is linked at the end of this post.

     

     

    Handheld Victor Reader Stream

    Victor Reader Stream: $369

    This was the go-to digital reading device for people with low vision or blindness in the pre-iPhone era.  Still recommended by low vision specialists for it’s simple and tactile interface.

     

     

    Seeing AI app reading an address on an envelope.
    Seeing AI app reading an address on an envelope.

    Seeing AI App: FREE

    This very new and very popular iPhone app from Microsoft is available on the App Store.  It reads text instantly and on the go, identifies products, colors, currency and more.  We talked about the first release and the upgrade on OE Patients posts titled:

    Seeing AI is a Gift from Microsoft

    Seeing AI Gets an Upgrade

     

     

    Portable video magnifier used on newspaper text.
    Portable video magnifier used on newspaper text.

    Portable Video Magnifier: $200 – $1,000

    We agree video magnifiers offer a powerful boost to a wide range of low vision patients.  Read what we say on OE Patients in the post titled: Magnifiers Are A Must. 

     

     

    A man using eSight glasses to read a document.
    A man using eSight glasses to read a document.

    eSight: $5,950

    A head-mounted video magnification device.  Here’s what we said about it in OE Patients post titled: eSight Up Close

     

     

    Jordy, optical viewing device.
    Jordy, optical viewing device.

    Jordy: $3,620

    A head-mounted video magnifier recently reintroduced as a lower priced competitor to eSight.  Jordy also converts to a desktop magnifier with the purchase of an optional dock.

     

     

    Aira: $89 – $329 per month

    Aira (pronounced I-ra) is a new service, for a monthly fee offers access to a sighted agent, summoned by a tap on the Aira smart glasses and connected by a live video feed.  The agent will provide on the spot detailed guidance when needed.  This is an innovative concept and we are very interested to see how people with low vision take to it.

     

     

    Click here for the AAO video.

     

  • Frank Bruni Faces Vision Loss with Grace

    Frank Bruni Faces Vision Loss with Grace

    It is one of those things you hope never happens to you, and then it does. “Am I Going Blind?” (NY Times Feb. 23, 2018) is Frank Bruni’s intense and honest account of the life-altering experience known as vision loss. In his case, a stroke of the eye took a “chunk” of sight from one eye as he slept.  And it might come back for more.

    In the months that ensue, he navigates an altered dimension.  There is the cycle of doctors, diagnostics, and treatment (or lack thereof).  The seemingly endless stream of questions that sometimes are left hanging in the air.  He resists the pull of fear or anger.  Despite the increase in typos, he finds careful determination is key to adjusting as he works. He discovers the best antidote to weakness is strength.

    He draws inspiration from others. David Tatel, a Federal Appeals Court Judge, who lost his sight 40 years before and coped successfully by never dwelling on it.  Peter Walsten, Senior Politics Editor for the Washington Post, is not deterred by a lack of central vision.  He tells Frank to remember, “it’s not your brain that’s affected, it’s your eyesight.”  Joe Lovett, a filmmaker who documents his slowly progressing glaucoma in “Going Blind,” advises respect for the “blessings of the here and now’ because you cannot live in fear of “future losses.”

    He is grateful for all the sights he can take in today and states, “My eyesight is in jeopardy.  But I see some things more clearly than ever.”  The fact is, he knows seeing clearly has little to do with visual acuity.  I think it would be safe to say we can look forward to Frank Bruni’s clarity on the op-ed pages for a long time to come.

    The article is recommended reading for anyone living with vision loss. It reminds us that life goes on.

    Read “Am I Going Blind?” on the NY Times.

    Frank Bruni. Source: MSNBC
    Frank Bruni. Source: MSNBC

     

    Main Image Source: Ben Wiseman