As a Registered Blind person of 20+years please remember the power of the long cane to assist travel. When you don't use it you are scared of "bumping" into people and objects but when you do use it with skill and phhysical confidence people move aside like the parting of the Red Sea. McIntyre Scotland
Your absolutely right about people parting like the red sea. My friend is visually impaired and people will give us a lot more space when I am guiding and she is using her cane. She taught me that is I am with her and not guiding to stay a step behind so not to get in her way. My friend is absolutely fantastic and I love how she was opened my eyes to understand how to make things easier when we are out and about together.
I think you’re smart phone is, and it’s time progresses will become even more, the most valuable tool you have. Magnification, reading of text, AI interpretation, GPS directions, and everything else. It provides is absolutely amazing. The ability to dictate and have information. Read aloud is invaluable. Itme. Outside of a CCTV and a cane. It is the most important tool we have. And I think with time it will surpass even them. time it will supplant, even though.
This video has been so helpful to me. I am legally blind and I'm looking at doing cane training. I had an incident in an airport that someone was a bit Sharp until I told her I'm sorry I can't see that I'm legally blind. The airline affiliate changed her to him quite quickly. It is so important to advocate for yourself.
Sam, I have wet AMD. I've completely lost the central vision in my right eye and the peripheral vision is very blurry and contorted. Avastin injections didn't help. A few months ago, the same thing started in my 'good' eye and the vision is already deteriorating in that one too. How can I find words to say thank you? Those two words are so, so inadequate for expressing my deep gratitude. I've viewed and saved a number of your videos while I can still see to do that. I live in a 3rd world country where there is some help for the blind but not much. I believe you have, single handedly, given my 'sight' back to me. I may not be able to see soon, but I CAN SPEAK and I'm a techno savvy great grandmother. God bless you, Sam!!!
oh my gosh...thank you thank you thank you. I am blessed to have found this video. I have a 17 yr old son whom has been visually impaired for 2 yrs and have not had the proper resources to help him. Neglectful on me...maybe and I am ashamed. anyway he is going on his senior year and he wants to go off to college. We recently got in with the Southern College of Optometry and hopeful on the path of assistance, with all that being said, the doctor suggested a walking cane. Immediately my husband got defensive and said he did not need it. BUT you nailed it when saying it served as a visual que to others that he may need assistance. Garret gets so upset when bumps into things or people. So thank you for clarifying that need for a cane. I am now subscribed and look forward to more helpful videos. God bless.
I'm so happy you found this video helpful and are now subscribed because I have so many other videos that I think your family will find helpful as well! There's absolutely no reason to feel ashamed for a lack of knowledge about this world. It's perfectly normal and understandable that the majority of the cited world are unaware of what's available for people with low vision. I encourage you to check out the different playlists on my channel. I have videos on all sorts of topics including assistive technology, how to's, interviews with other important people in the visually impaired community, video games, even a playlist called why it sucks to be blind! I try to focus on the positives and the humor about being visually impaired, it's doesn't have to be all doom and gloom! If there's anything else I can do to help, please let me know!
Hey Sabrina, I would love to talk to you about your experience of learning about resources for your visually impaired son through RU-vid! I'm currently researching this subject and would love to talk to you. If you'd be at all interested in sharing your story with me, I would love to hear from you at my email km.story.sourcing@gmail.com. Hope to hear from you, and that your son is doing well!
Sabrina Pruett never mind what your hubby days get a cane for your son I’ve used a long cane for years now, in fact I have different coloured ones, I’ve never been ashamed either. I feel naked without it.
Thank You Most things are expensive or early brakeable. I have retinitis pigmentosa so my needs are a little different. I use similar tools including a da Vinci cut. I love the cool electronics But I would Likly brake them and tech just keeps getting better Jim
I found your channel from an article I found on Twitter and I'm so excited to find out there are other people just like me making videos, for me I lost my eyesight from being in a type one diabetic I lost use of my left eyesight when I was younger and now my right eye just in the past three years with my right eye I have some light perception just not enough to know what's making it or where it's coming from. Technology is the only thing that's really keeping me going everything from daily life to making and editing in my own videos,
Thanks for this. I make a sort of newsletter for the parents of my students. I'll be sure to include the link to this video. My high school braille student sometimes have "Fun Friday" where we watch your videos together. She gets to choose the activity so watching your videos is high up on her list.
Very well done video. FYI - Legally Blind is less than 20/200 in the better eye with correction. You can get help with device costs through your local Lions Clubs also. Smart Phones and Apps are a must as well. I have a talking calculator too. 😎
haha I use my cane mostly in the airport too! I have low vision so I don't look "blind" so sometimes it doesn't seem to convince people that I do need some help getting around a busy airport which most of the time I will not be familiar with other than my own airport in my city.
Sam your videos are fantastic and so informative! I just love them. I'm getting so many tips as well as loving seeing the way you live and finding comparisons in your life to ours. It's easy to think you're the only people doing these things (like the chair by the tv) until you see someone else do it. I feel so lucky to have found your channel. I'm just trying to get my bf to watch it more now. All these products etc are great, especially the scales! I just wish there was a store that sold your amazing attitude and confidence, as that's really what's holding him (my bf) back the most. Do you have any words of wisdom for him/us? He'd rather suffer than ask for help or appear vulnerable and it worries me. Xx
Sam, seems you and I are very much the same. Looks like we have the same visual loss. I have LHON. which is mostly loss of the central vision. I got my white magnifier a long time ago and am never without it. With all my tools and toys, my white 12x magnifier is my number one item.When I got mine about 10 years ago it was not cheap. cost me about $60.
my DaVinchi CCTV showed up today for my home business. I am so excited. my cane helps a LOT. and my dark over eyes are good for outdoors. i wish I could find more "stylish" black out glasses haha.
Brother it's very nice to see your video on RU-vid I am doctor Ahmed from India I am also suffering from retinitis pigmentosa I am very happy to see your presentation
Welcome to the community! It’s a very large and supportive group of people, you’re lucky to be one of us, LOL! Definitely check out some of my other videos, including the one where I talk about why I love being visually impaired.
OMG ! You and I are using so many of the same tools. I’m thrilled that I have found your videos. We must have similar vision. I have recently lost my job due to covid. I’m seeking remote work. Do you have any recommendations of organizations that hire visually impaired? Like you, I do pretty well and people don’t know so I explain what these tools are and how they help me. Everyday has challenges being legally blind. I’ve got to support myself. Any suggestions?
You could contact a vocational rehabilitation specialist in your area to get help with employment. You could also reach out to national organizations like the American Council for the blind and the national Federation of the blind to see if they have employment suggestions
I stumbled upon this vid in my "recommended" list. I'm legally blind due to glaucoma. I'm 44 and my sight is more or less changing and thus worsening... Doctors told my mom I would be lucky to have any sight after 30. I've "beaten" the odds. I hope you will continue to make vids on this typic.
Thank you so much you give me hope I just found out that my right I supposedly gone do the surgery now I have to figure out what to do to say subscribe to your Channel and I really feel that I have hope thanks so much
I am interested in the round magnifier you use all the time, with the white case. could you post a link to the specific page I can purchase one from? I couldn't find it at Maxi Aids.com. I'm 47 and was diagnosed with Stargardt's in my late teens. As everyone has said, you do such a great job with your videos. I'm learning a lot. Please accept this big hug and a high-five from all of us out here who appreciate your style and your sharing.
Thanks for the kind words and I will take that hug and high five! Here's the link ~ www.amazon.com/10X-Eschenbach-Pocket-Magnifier-White/dp/B009AVRJBI/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&qid=1419030329&sr=8-24&keywords=eschenbach+magnifier You may be able to find it cheaper somewhere else!
I am a bit unusual; I am a braille reading partial. I have about 20 over 400 in one eye and nothing in the other. I use a talking computer and talkback on an Android phone. I use Braille for some reading and for notes and labels. I find the relatively Orbit reader Braille display to be a grand little machine for making Braille portable. I suppose that my favorite device is the Victor Reader Trek, it is a book player, music player. Recorder and a GPS made for blind folks walking. I can use magnifiers but I get tired very quickly. I use a cane when I leave the house. It serves as a step finder, and as you said, lets other people know that I may need a little help or that I didn’t bump into them on purpose. I really like your information. Thanks
Hi! I ordered a monocular for my low vision relative and used this video as reference and it was very informative! I just wanna ask... you mentioned in a more recent comment that you no longer use monoculars and I just wanted to ask why so I can advice them on what to expect. Thanks!
Binoculars are great, but when someone’s vision reaches a certain point, they become less useful. The problem is that they have small lenses which don’t let a lot of light in. This can make the image dark and hard to see.
What monoculars do you use? Any companies you’d recommend. I use these mostly in settings similar to a classroom. I tend to sit at the front and need it to see the board or screen. So doesn’t need to be for very large distance, though having the option is nice. Thanks.
I actually don’t use monoculars anymore because they don’t really work for me. I would see if Eschenbach has any, I’ve always been impressed with their optics.
Where did you get the black cane. Starting to not see stuff at night. And when I transition from light to dark rooms. It takes a minute. Also the inside and outside. When it is to brite. And the black cane looks like, hey do not pity me!
Do you use the pen friend? It was given to me by the commission of the blind , I think its like your dot tiles ? Not sure what that is but you can use the pen friend on anything you want to identify , like spices , clothes , cds , canned food , I was also given a spice rack that dispenses I believe its an 18 teaspoon of spice at a time , you fill in and label the spice you want on them and can adjust to the amount you want to dispense , I can definitely use that talking scale ! Thank you for all you do to help make our lives more independent! 1
I tried to find the loop magnifier you like but could not find it at the site you posted. can you give me more detail? I have Stargardt's like you and my biggest challenge right now is reading menus at restaurants and thought this would be something I can easily slip in my pocket. thanks for the videos, they really help
I believe I have a link in my Amazon shop. You can find the link to the shop in the description below the video. If it isn’t in The description of that video, check one of my more recent videos. The magnifier is made by Eschenbach, so you could always check their website as well.
Hi, I have low vision & im looking for a bicycle to ride as I no longer can drive. I’m looking for a 3-wheeler electric or non, but with the 2 wheels in front. Can you recommend a company? And thank you
What can I have to make my life easier as a blind person, when I can't learn braille language because of my other conditions,please? Can you make a video about this? Thanks.
Sam, I know an elderly man who has recently developed severe visual impairment/partial blindness. He needs to use his Windows computer. Do you know any software which offers a audio user interface from startup and an audio user interface for an email client app?
Windows narrator is Microsoft built-in screen reader. It can be turned on when setting up a new computer, which will allow a blind person to set it up unassisted. It’s the screen reader that works throughout the system so it would also be useful for email. That is the only one that will work for setting up a computer. After the computer is up and running, there are a couple other screen reader software‘s that can be installed and used. If he is using a Mac, the screen reader is called voice over.
The lens magnifier,, part of Microsoft windows and can be found typing in mag in the search box left bottom, works great. along with a screen reader. Screen reader i use is 'speak' offered by Chrome and found the best voice is Microsoft Dave. The mag can be beefed up, % I use is 800% with little difficulty to find the text I need to have read to me. Love this combo, as you just click the text to red, I am as quick as most posters online and no one knows the difference.
Geoffrey Gonzalez friend is there any proper treatment or medicine for retinitis pigmentosa in your country I am doctor Ahmed from India can you please let me know
How did you get the black cane? I keep getting told to just re cover a white one. I’m still not exactly happy about re colouring a cane because people recognise the white and red but if they are doing other colours that means people are recognising other colours. I currently have big red and white fluffy dice clipped to my cane. The ones in my userpic are black and white.
Can you please suggest which occupassion should a low vision person may choose in life As i am a patient of stargardt and i studied agricultural engineering, but its hard for me to manage office work, please guide. Thanks.
Hey buddy, I have a visual impairment & extremely embarrassed of it, I like want NOONE to know as ridiculous as it sounds. I struggle at work & as my wife & kids know they help me being g time. My main issue is reading documents (& I sure ain’t using no big screens etc) what’s the best gadget I could use?
I HAVE LOW VISON. I AM USIBIBG 32 IN 720 TV FOR MY COMPUTER. I WAS WOUNDING.WITH MY EYES IS IT WORTH UP GRADING TO A 1080 COMPUTER MONITOR FOR MY DESK. I JUST DONT WANT TO BLOW MONEY IF IT DOESBT HELP.
I can’t really say because no one else knows your vision like you do, but I always recommend getting the best resolution TV possible. Higher resolution is going to give your eyes a better chance to see the image. In fact I use a 4K TV as my computer monitor.
Hi Sam, My dad has macular degeneration on one eye, his other eye is more or less dead to be honest. He's other issues as well with his eyes also. He gets a fog over his eyes and blurred vision Can any of these help him or can you suggest anything he'd like something in a glasses format
It’s possible that any of these things will help him. It depends on his level of vision and his goals. Many of these things are gold dependent. For example, something that he could use to read the newspaper and fill out a crossword puzzle might be different than what he would need to play a boardgame. I would really recommend contacting a low vision center to get an evaluation with an assistive technology specialist.
You should contact a low vision specialist in your area to get evaluations for what devices might work best. If you are in the US, you can also contact your states department of vocational rehabilitation, or office for the blind.
Thanks a bunch for all your help by sending the link for me,so I know where to go in Facebook I'm just seeing this message because I'm just waking up,but I'm going like it to add it to my page right now though.
I just liked it,so now I'm linked to your stuff 2 different ways because I subscribed to you channel on RU-vid too by the way I love wake your videos there very helpful my boyfriend the I share this page with does alot of my typing and writing etc for me even helps me with alot of other things since I can see all that well if at all at times,but now I know that with the right tools and help I can do it on my own like cooking or washing dishes I trying doing it,but sometimes I miss spots without know on the dishes and the food gets over cooked at time,but at least I'm trying it's our kids that I worry about whenever they get older how with they react to me because I'm slower then a normal person at doing alot of thing like cleaning house that type of thing what can take a sighted person 2 or 3 maybe 4 hours takes me all day if not the next day too.
I was actually just a normal white cane with black tape over it. Back when I was much younger I thought it would be cool to have a black cane. Now I know better that the cane is identifiable by its white color. Shortly after making the video I took the tape off to bring it back to white with the red.
Do you have any opinions on handheld video magnifiers? Regular magnifier do not work for me. I want something like the CCTv I can take on the go (Ruby, smartlux etc) just can not figure out with all that is out there what is best and was wondering if you might have any opinions on the matter. If you have tried any. My vision is 1foot and two feet. Thanks
+Tiff F I have tried a few over the years and like them very much. Especially having a light, they work very well in low light situations like reading menus in a restaurant. Unfortunately since everyone's vision is different, what works for me might not work for someone else. That's why I always recommend, if you can, go somewhere and try them out before you decide to buy one. Hopefully the city you live in would have a low-vision store or organization that has some that you can test. I will be doing video reviews of some soon.
You’ll need to talk with a Doctor Who can sign off on it. Here in my area there is one low vision Doctor Who is responsible for giving the OK for bioptic driving. I don’t know much about the process but I would think you should talk to the doctor in your area first.
The Blind Life Yeah, everything‘s been approved… However, I think I kind of got lost in the shuffle because OVR would not fund it. I probably need to get started on it again. Thanks!
I don't mean any offense by anything I say it is all about me, not you. You showed lots of products that look useful. I had a woman from the commission for the blind want me to get a blind stick, and it made me mad. She said I did rude things and the stick would let people know "why" I guess. I am embarrassed/ ashamed to draw attention to my disability. I don't use any visual aids not where anyone can see me. I have had people question how close I hold a book to my face while reading in a park, they told me I needed glasses. I don't like being treated like damaged goods. I have been in restaurants where the menu is on the wall, so I ask about something they gesture at the wall, I say I am legally blind, and then they treat me like I am totally blind, it really pisses me off. I have to take ASL for college, and that class is really taking an emotional toll on me, it makes me feel like a damaged piece of shit. I just want to drive and be normal.
I’m sorry you feel that way Sarah but I can completely relate. I was in my 30s before I fully except in my vision impairment and stopped caring what other people thought about me. It took me a long time to get there though! Eventually I finally realize that I was wasting too much energy pretending to be something I wasn’t, a normal sighted person. I also finally realize that being visually impaired didn’t mean I was less than anyone else it’s simply meant that my eyes didn’t work as well as other peoples, that’s it. Most people’s reaction is simply born out of ignorance. Majority of people don’t understand that vision impairment is a wide spectrum and not simply black or white. It’s not their fault so there’s no need getting upset with them. Instead I take the opportunity to educate them and explain my situation. If you are new to my channel, I would recommend spending some time and watching some of my older videos. I focus on the positive side of vision impairment but do touch on the frustrating things as well. I would also recommend checking out Derek Daniel‘s RU-vid channel. He also runs a website called life after slight loss.com. He specializes in the emotional side of vision impairment which, seems like you may benefit from exploring. Either way, I wish you luck in your journey!
Here is a link to Amazon where you can find the magnifier that I use.amzn.to/2tvIOIM and here is a video where I show how I prefer to use a magnifier! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-g4z-t4OPmnM.html
I'm not blind but I hope someone blind will answer me to this comment. Is a cane the only assisting tool for walking around? I'm asking because I believe that I could make some seriously better equipment for navigating without sight. One of those would be a belt with proximity sensors that vibrates in the direction of an object and changes the intensity in correlation to proximity. Is there anything similar on the market at a reasonable price? This could be profitable at as little as $200
Yes, there are a few products out there that do that. One is called the buzz clip. The more popular option is the sunu band. There’s also a new product that hasn’t been released yet that does something similar in a chess worn harness. You can check out my videos on the other device as mentioned. There are also smart canes that use haptic vibration to detect obstacles. The most popular one is the we walk cane.
One thing else I’ll mention is that the blind and visually impaired have been using walking sticks as mobility tools since biblical times. The first white cane for the blind was invented in the 1920s. So, there is a reason that the cane has not changed much in over 100 years, it works and doesn’t really need to be improved.
@@theblindlife Is there anything (any tool) that you feel would be useful, but you can't buy it or it's too expensive? And also, what are your biggest obstacles living as a blind person?
