Vision loss is a very personal thing. Each of us come with different
personalities, different sorts of vision loss, different points in our
lives when it occurs, different expectations, different support...or
lack of support, different health concerns, different skills, and very
different abilities to adapt to blindness or severe vision loss.
For many folk, when they first lose vision, it is important to them to
tell everyone exactly what is going on in their eyes. When I taught
an Attitude Class in the orientation and training center, at some
point early on, I would suggest that we go around the room and tell
the class whatever we wanted to share regarding our eyes and how we
felt it impacted our lives. When we were finally finished, I would
say something like, "Okay, you can see how we are quite different in
how much we see, and how we feel about it. But one thing we do have
in common. We have lost enough vision that the world will look upon
us as Blind. And since the world, the sighted world, is not informed
enough to understand just what we can do, and not do, it falls upon us
to be their teachers." I would continue...as is my long winded habit,
and tell the students, "You may have the flu, or a diabetic reaction,
and I might excuse you from class or some specific task, but never,
never, never use your vision loss as an excuse. Since most blind
people have some usable sight, be thankful for what you are able to
see. But we are going to set aside your remaining sight and learn to
trust your other senses. Especially those senses that are still fully
up and running. Today you are all depending upon eyesight that is
iffy at best, and could get you into a real jam. But by sharpening
your remaining senses, learning to rely on them, you will find that at
the end of this program you will use whatever sight you have, as an
enhancement."
Without training, without positive direction, suddenly going from
decent vision to drastically altered vision can be immobilizing.
Reminding them that anything worth having is worth working for, these
new students roll up their sleeves and begin upon a journey of hard
work, lasting from 6 to 9 months.
Carl Jarvis
On 7/13/17, Bonnie L. Sherrell <blslarner@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I have been seeing better in my left eye than my right eye for years, and
often
what I see with my right eye simply gets totally overwritten by what's seen
by
the left one.
If Mr. Keillor has deteriorating vision in the eye that didn't get operated
upon, then I find myself wondering if they didn't operate on the proper
eye!
By the way--am going to collect my new glasses prescription today. Was told
the
glasses would be ready next Monday, so the optician must have worked his
behind
off to get these done to return to Costco yesterday afternoon! I'll see
how
well I see out of my right eye now, although the prescription is becoming
so
strong what I see through the right lens tends to make things look VERY
small
anymore.
Bonnie L. Sherrell
Teacher at Large
"Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very
wise cannot see all ends." LOTR
"Don't go where I can't follow."
We gave the Goblin King control of our nation!
