Adjusting to Blindness /Low Vision

Learn about services for maintaining your independence, using your remaining senses, tips for combined hearing and vision changes, and helping others understand your vision changes.

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stacked blocks with text: Touch, Sight, Hearing, Smell, Taste

Learn to Use Your Remaining Senses

Losing Your Vision Doesn’t Have to Mean Losing Your Confidence Throughout your life, your vision has likely been your primary sense. Some researchers estimate that the sense of sight provides approximately 80% of all the information we receive about the world. You’ve probably been using your vision unconsciously, for the most part, to double-check the […]

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Tips to Help Others Understand Your Vision Problems

My family wants to help me, but they’re doing too much! When deciding what kinds of help and support you need, it’s helpful to begin by listing the day-to-day difficulties you’re having. Make a note of which problems are—and are not—related to your vision changes: Be sure to include your family members and friends and […]

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Living with Combined Hearing and Vision Loss

Provided by the Helen Keller National Center Hearing loss can increase with age, which can be especially difficult for those experiencing combined hearing and vision loss. Fortunately, you can take steps to remain fully engaged in the world around you. To Enhance Communication via Speech: Ask Others to: Dining at a Restaurant: Enjoying TV Technology […]

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Your Rights: Practicing Self-Advocacy

Some organizations advocate on behalf of people who are blind or low vision. Friends and family can offer assistance. Ultimately, however, living independently requires learning self-advocacy—the ability to speak and act on your behalf. Blindness or low vision makes you no less a person. New Skills for a New Life These skills are essential for […]

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Support Groups: Their Role in the Adjustment Process

If you are new to blindness or low vision, you may feel overwhelmed and need additional support. Participation in a support group may facilitate your adjustment to vision loss. Support groups bring people together who share a similar life challenge. Members learn to cope and feel less isolated as they connect with others who can […]

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Information for Blind or Low Vision Veterans

By Gregory L. Goodrich, Ph.D. Blindness/ low vision due to brain injury undoubtedly dates back to the earliest history of our species. One can easily picture a fight between two early homo sapiens, with one hitting the other on the head with a rock or club. If the fight didn’t kill the injured party, there […]

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