My ophthalmologist told me about St. Louis Society for the Blind and Visually Impaired after having three surgeries in four months on my left eye, the only eye with vision. Multiple surgeries and a variety of eye drops were no match for my glaucoma. Even though the surgeries went as well as they could, I knew from my family history that blindness is likely for my future. So on that particular day I was upset about the idea of being disabled since that’s not how I ever thought of myself.

I had tears in my eyes when I admitted to my doctor that I was scared and that I didn’t know what to do to prepare for continued loss of vision. She told me SLSBVI would help me in many ways as I adapt to whatever my future held. She was right!

The first step was my doctor sent my vision status to Society. Next was setting an appointment for my assessment with Dr. Kate Boland. The best thing about that meeting was being tested for contrast sensitivity, a phrase I had not heard before I met Dr. Boland. She showed me a chart with a white background and letters in various stages of grey from light to dark. It suddenly made sense why I thought I was losing more vision when it was really how my eye was reacting to contrast. For example, most websites have a white background with light gray letters. I couldn’t read them so I thought I was losing more vision when it was really the issue of contrast. That made such a difference because I could find ways to adapt to contrast.

After Dr. Boland, I had an appointment with Veronica, an Occupational Therapist. Veronica helped me identify the type of lighting that was best for me. As an example, white light is better for me than light that has any kind of tint to it, such as a more yellow tone. We then determined the best range of lumens and wattage for the comfort of my eyes. Veronica asked a lot of questions about my lifestyle, what was important to me, and what do I need to live my life the way I want to live it. It was a relief to have this kind of conversation about my specific needs. She showed me how to adjust the settings on my phone, iPad, and laptop so that I could have proper contrast.  White letters on a black background work best for text; orange, yellow, and lime green hurt my eyes; and deep blue, green, or pink were good color choices. I also learned how to invert colors on my laptop to try and reverse colors on websites.

We talked about magnification relative to what I like to do. Art, books, and theater were priorities for me, which led to several different types of magnifiers to aid in reading, viewing art, and being able to see what’s happening on stage during a live performance. Each of the handheld magnifiers have a light so there’s two reasons to use them – light for better visibility and the magnification to a size I can read/see. The biggest surprise was the telescopic lenses that clip onto my glasses to help me see the stage. When I went to the Fox for Hamilton, I was in the back row of the first balcony but could see the stage clearly when I flipped down the telescopic lens. It would have been fun to just listen to the Hamilton music but I could actually see everything going on during the performance!

My contrast sensitivity also meant being in sunlight hurt my eyes so I purchased a pair of plum shade (best for glaucoma) sunglasses that fit over my glasses and block the sun on the top and on the sides, too. Since my vision continues to change, I did not want to invest in prescription sunglasses that would only last a short time so this solution was perfect.

Veronica suggested I meet with their Orientation and Mobility Specialist to help me be safe at home and while walking. My next visit to Society was with Susan who taught me how to incorporate contrast in my home so that I could adapt my routine to my vision changes. Examples include white plates on a dark placemat, colorful items in my kitchen instead of all white and silver/gray, and what to do about rugs. Susan also trained me for using a white cane because the fall assessment questionnaire indicated I was a high risk for falls. This did not surprise me because I’ve taken a few hard falls down a flight of steps, on curbs into the street, and when not seeing something on the ground in front of me. When I lost the vision in my right eye, I no longer had depth perception. When I look down, it all looks like a flat surface. And if I was going down steps, I could not tell the bottom step. The last thing I needed was to fall and break a hip, leg, or arm. Susan’s instructions gave me so much confidence in deciding when to use my cane, how to use it, and how to stay safe while using it. (Getting comfortable using a white cane is worthy of a separate article because it is a challenging decision.)

It’s easy for me to say becoming a client of SLSBVI changed my life because it has in so many ways. The newsletter led me to participate in social activities at the Society, volunteering for the Friendly Caller Program, volunteering for events, and joining a support group. I like being around people who care about making my life safe, easier, and help me be independent. While I have family and friends who support and help me, it’s not the same as being with people who get it. People who have experiences like mine, who know how it feels to be afraid of what will happen next. People who share advice for what’s worked for them, and who provide a different kind of support than any sighted person, because they understand me. How many of us have had a sighted person tell us they are blind without their glasses? They don’t mean any harm, but they can put their glasses on at any time and see. We can’t.

If you have not had a chance to explore what St. Louis Society for the Blind and Visually Impaired can do for you, I urge you to contact them as soon as possible. Just give them a call: 314-968-9000. It could change your life!