
Blindness & Visual Impairment Support Group
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or psychological factors. This is the group to discuss living with blindness, sharing experiences, and for those that may be facing the prospect of a life without sight. Find support and answers among people who know what you're going through.
Jason
I know what you mean, I have been having problems with contrast and glaire, more so then magnification and reduced vision, but none of these doctors will explain why to me.
I mean, my glasses doctor seems to think my eye pressure needs to be checked, thinking the elevated eye pressure is causing this, but the last 4 times I was in to see the eye doctor, my eye pressure was 15 in both eyes, 16 this last time, and was very satisfied with that.
so if its not the pressure, then what is it? why am I seeing double without sunglasses on? I know it has something to do with glaire and seeing better in high contrast modes, but he said something about not enough light getting into the retnea, or too much light getting into the retnea, and I don't understand what that means? so I asked him, but he wouldn't listen. its like. arrgh!!
where do you live? I mean what city and state? I can look up who to contact for you. More then likely, he or she is at your unemployment office, or somewhere around there.
what your looking for, is a place called Vocational Rehabilitation.
They are a state Government program, to help get us off Social Security and into the workforce. Even if your not on Social Security, you are eligible as long as you fall within their minimum guidelines. I was with them years before I even lost my job, and way before I applied for Social Security, because my hours were being cut at work, and I needed a different job. I ended up loosing my job along the way, but thats because my vision began to decline even more, so VR has been helping me get re-employed again.
If you really do have 20/200 in both eyes, or worse, they should be able to help you find work, and get equipment that you need to get and maintain employment, thats what they do. :)
Don't worry about paperwork, because if you goto Vocational Rehabilitation and apply for their services, they will have you tested by a low vision specialist. A low vision specialist, is different then a regular eye doctor that you are used to seeing. Vocational Rehabilitation covers the cost of the eye exam, and if they determine you are visually impaired, then you are approved for their services. They tell you who to go see. Sounds to me like you just need to see a Low vision specialist, instead of a regular eye doctor. Its really neat. There the ones paying for me to go back to college, and there helping me find employment too, after I graduate of course :)
They also have programs to get you trained in both Mobility and Independent Living Skills. Independent living skills, are skills like cooking, cleaning, the everyday things.. Mobility is like, how to use a caine and how to get around and stuff like that. You can only get those kinds of services thru Vocational Rehabilitation, so you should definitely look them up in your state.
either Social Security would know, or your unemployment office, one of those two should be able to point you in the right direction with that.