False Beliefs We Have After Sight Loss and What To Do About Them 

Hi Derek, I was a few weeks shy of my 55th birthday when my sight loss was diagnosed here in the UK. I was pretty much in limbo for a while because after being told I was going blind and would need a field of vision test alongside a visual acuity test to determine if I was partially sighted or blind, these would generate the paperwork needed (Certificate of Vision Impairment) a copy of which would go to my local County Council department that deals with the training I’d need to stay independent. I was in limbo for 9 months before I had someone to come and assess my needs, and I finally got white cane training. Well I’m a stubbornly independent woman who dealt with worse poo than losing my sight, so I’d pretty much learned all the everyday tips the ROVI (Rehabilitation Officer Vision Impairment) had. I did have a short pity party because I felt looking after my toddler grandson regularly would be too difficult after my son-in-law asked how he’d bruised his face in my care (literally by walking into a door) they found other child care while I learned how to live my everyday life (and found videos on RU-vid to help me). Just look at me now (nearly 6.5 years after diagnosis). I hop on buses and trains confidently, go walking in my local countryside solo, I’m sewing again, and all the daily essentials independently. I am pretty much not impeded by my sight loss itself, only by sighted people getting in my way 😉 I find having the correct tools, and techniques is what I need for a full and successful life. I also learned not all tools and techniques work for everyone as we are all different. Oh and when I say I’ve had worse poo in my life than becoming medically blind I’m not diminishing anyone else’s experience of sight loss. It’s just not as physically, or emotionally debilitating to me as some of my other life experiences (domestic violence, raising 3 children as a solo parent, stillbirth of my granddaughter, to name a few).

I am “not enough” is the biggest and worst one… thanks again Derek!

I like your videos because you seem genuine. You’re honest about where you are. I had an insight with this video. Even before my site lies I had downtimes, times where I doubted myself, times, where I thought I wasn’t going to accomplish certain things. So, like you said, it’s just different now. And I’m not gonna let the negativity win. I agree with you, you have to just keep encouraging yourself and encouraging others. Thanks Derek have a blessed day.

As a totally blind successful adult and working guy, the thing that I faced when I was growing up was how am I going to eat around myself without having to relie on others. Well, i was told “well, you are going to find ways and taking the bus.” Oh my gosh i was so excited about taking the bus sense I had done it back in preschool. That was my first encounter with the bus. It took over an hour to and from school. And hour to and an hour back even a bit more. Well, when I got to high school I was so worried about dating asking people girls of course out on dates I thought was fake. For me it seemed fake for me to ask girls out cause i couldn’t drive. Well, I even remember pulling girls aside even at church asking them how they felt about that and even back then they told me “just bee yourself.” It doesn’t matter if you take the bus or not it is not a shameful thing and people that are sighted even do it all the time. As a mater of fact, many many sighted people don’t diver. They take the bus. I was ashamed of that in high school cause I thought i was being fake where in reality I was facing the truth. Now as a successful adult I am still single these days and living my dream commuting by bus and working. I had to get over this thought that i would never drive and even though I loved sitting in cars when i was a kid I had to get that out of my memory that yes. Their are ways to bee independent. I just hated asking people for help. Today i use my recourses and yes. Hahaha I do take the bus every where and I am proud of that. Over the years I have learned to bee a professional bus rider.❤

Enjoying your content and really liking the production quality you are bringing. Really inspiring me. Content is the most important thing, I really agree with that. Thank you very much.👍. Personally, I have been working on a project for a RU-vid channel and for some reason I am struggling just to start it. Maybe just thinking that my content or production is not going to be good enough. I need to think differently.

They always look good u can't tell