Hiya guys, my name is Hannah and I am 22 and am registered Blind and a guide dog owner. I have a multitude of conditions that affect my vision but the two that i mpact me most are Albinism and Nystagmus. To look at me, you wouldn't know I was albino. I am fair haired and pale skinned but it’s always been tough for people to understand I suffer from the condition as I don’t fit the stereotype. Nystagmus is very obvious (if you have good vision haha) to notice. The condition causes involuntary eye movement and this means that I struggle with depth perception, balance and coordination. For me personally it also affects my close vision in some ways too. For example when I’m viewing a piece of text and the words and letters appear to be moving. I have been a guide dog owner since the age of 13 and my current dog is called Hetty. I will be mentioning her a lot in this blog haha.
During the times of the current pandemic it has been highlighted just how uneducated people are around visual impairment, mobility aids and how it is possible to support blind and VI people when they are out in public. It is not something I would expect people to know but I personally think that it is important to make sure the information is out there for people. To make things like this common knowledge will be such a benefit to an entire community. I will do my best to outline some of the simple things to look out for a how to approach different situations. I would also love to share my outlook on things and how my vision impacts my day to day life.
Mobility aids are used by most blind and VI people, especially if they are out on their own. Many people will have a carer with them for support and use a mobility aid. Both a white cane and a guide dog are very easy for a sighted person to spot and the first thing to signal that someone may need a little extra support. They immediately make that person stand out in a crowd and it gives sighted people the opportunity to take a little more control of the situation but definitely in a positive way. This brings me into how a sighted person would be able to help someone through social distancing. It isn't a surprise that most people who have some kind of visual impairment, will not be able to follow social distancing at all times, simply for the fact, we can't see where you are well enough to be confident we are distant from you. One of the conditions I have is Nystagmus (involuntary eye movement) and it really affects my depth perception and is a hood example of why someone could find it hard.. If a person is getting too close to you and it makes you uncomfortable or you feel unsafe there are a few things you can do. The first is move. Maybe that sounds a little harsh but if you are able to moved yourself in that situation and you can do it safely, please do it. It would be so helpful to that person who doest even realise they are coming too close to you. It is a super quick and easy fix. You might need to come back to the milk isle in the supermarket but you should feel really pleased that you were able to keep both yourself, and the other person as safe as you could. The other thing you can do if you feel like someone may need help is to speak to them. Social distancing in a queue for example can be quite challenging for us because all the sign posts are on the floor. It is also tough to judge because everyone has a different level of vision depending on their impairment. Long story short, we won't all see the markers on the floor and if we do see them, the placement might seem different. When a VI person isn't stood on their marker and they may be making you feel unsafe or uncomfortable you can speak to them and let them know where their marker is and even direct hem to standing in the safest spot. Don't overthink what you would like to say, sometimes its hard to feel like you can address a disabled person without them taking offence but as long as you are not rude we would rather you address the situation with us directly. If you could mention some kind of direction as to where we should be standing that is perfect 'excuse me I'm not sure if you were able to see, but the social distancing marker is a few steps behind you, to the left' they will soon let you know if they can see what you are pointing out or if they need further assistance.
The second point I made about approaching and speaking is one of the best things you can do even when the measures of the pandemic hopefully fade away. You could really help people by just speaking to them and simply asking if they need any help. The big one for me is crossing roads, I find it so comforting when a stranger sees me waiting at a curb trying to judge when to cross and reassures me that it is safe to do so. something small like that will save me standing there for a much longer period of time until I am 100% sure I can cross safely. The main advice I have is try not to be patronising when you ask. Asking us how much we can see isn't offensive, we would rather you ask than assume. Also if you don't know how to help, why not ask that too. Everyone will find different things helpful and so asking what you could do, to help them most affectively is so so appreciated.
Something I want to highlight is that I do not expect all sighted people to understand, nor do I think they are responsible for approaching every blind person they come across to see if they need help. These tips will be used in certain situations but I hope they come in handy for both sides. What is important if you are blind or VI, is that you learn when to ask for help. If you don't ask, you don't get and learning to use the network of people around you to support you and enhance your independence is the best way to slowly become more confident. My other piece of advice for you guys struggling is please, please never assume you cant do something because of your lack of vision, explore all your options and look at how you can adapt things so you can try them. In my 22 years the only thing I haven't been able to do is drive a car. I know there are so many different things to consider and I can only speak from my point of view and people wont have the sae conditions as I do. Although the outlook you have can be the same. It is hard to learn how to be confident and independent but that doesn't mean you cant be both of those things. I think it is all too easy to have things done for you and made easier for you when you are disabled and that is wonderful, and accessibility is what we need for the future but I also think i can prevent people from reaching their full potential. They will assume they need that support because it's there but try it without if it's safe to do so and who knows what you might achieve. Learn to grow and adapt your life with your eyesight. It doesn't need to define who you are and although that is a bit of a cliche, it really is true. Try to see your eyesight as something that is life changing and not life limiting.
Asking for help can be scary but it has gotten me where I am today. I have worked really hard to be where I am today, Living with my partner and with a mortgage of our own and two beautiful kids. I was working full time from the age of 17 and taking on every adventure I could. I have been to countless concerts and day trips with friends, holidays abroad with my boyfriend. I was an army cadet from age 12 and have done things like rock climb on the side of a cliff and shooting a riffle. These are some of the bigger things I never imagined I wold do on my own, and when I look at the bigger picture, I didn't. I had people by me every step of the way ready to support me if I asked them too. I am not saying you should go out and try these things tomorrow. Life is about enjoying the little things so maybe start with singing karaoke. (I would go for some Queen or classic ABBA by the way). Just take a little step back and realise how far you could go if you just held someones hand on the way there. tell your story the way you want to, not the way you think you should.
H x