To question my husband being blind?

[Spencer0220]

Posting here for traffic. I don't actually know where to start with this.

When I met my husband 5 years ago, he had various medical problems.

Since a baby, he had hydrocephalus. One side effect of the surgery he had was a presumed blindness in his right eye. He couldn't see anything at all out of it, even light.

Over the years, he started commenting that he could see light. (We have a very bright bedroom.) About 2 years ago, he started to see shadows and could judge where the wall was on that side. His walking massively improved.

Today, he covered his left eye, and told me the could see the colour of the mattress and blinds.

Where do we go from here? He'd like to get to the bottom of what's going on and get the best vision he can.

But he doesn't want to waste anyone's time when he's not sure what he can see in that eye.

Equally, he uses a symbol cane to get around and he's terrified of being seen as a fraudster.

I just want to help him get the best from life.

Wow how exciting! Fuck anyone who even dares suggest he is a fraudster, seriously. None of their business whatsoever. People in this country have wrongly been taught to hate and query disabled people. He is entitled to use a cane and make the most of his life and sight. He doesn't have to justify it explain it to anyone except a doctor and I know you'll agree!

How exciting for him!! I am registered blind, and any improvements are literal dream and fantasy to me haha, here's hoping he keeps improving 🤞🏻

Also, has he considered trying a mobility cane (also known as a long cane)? You can buy them from the RNIB website. They offer so much more feedback about the environment. They do come with the drawback that 99% of people assume you are fully blind though.. which can be awkward when looking at a phone or pointing something out, but it shouldn't carry the stigma!

@Voowoo, we haven't tried one, no. We were told that you'd have to be measured for one of those.

Right now the symbol cane seems to give him everything he needs.

We get the odd person thinking he's fully blind, but we just laugh it off after.

People are so much kinder to him. It's sad that they can't be kind in the first place.

He benefits from having a cane, he's not a fraud to use one. He's still blind in that eye (you can be registered blind with perception of light and dark or even severe tunnel vision if both eyes are affected).

The ophthalmologist could have referred to the local hospital ophthalmology department if they had any concerns.

Let's hope things continue to improve. With a lazy eye he's never going to get much vision back but even a little will help him move around more safely.

@anyolddinosaur I agree. He's far more confident now. He doesn't walk into walls nearly as much.

The first time he used the cane he came home crying because it was the first time he'd walked through a shopping centre without walking into someone in a crowd.

@ColleenDonaghy He DRIVES??? You mean there are people on the road with only ONE eye working? I'm sorry but that's not legal

@NoOrdinaryMorning it absolutely is legal.

As long as the vision is unimpaired, driving in the uk is legal.

Are you in the USA?

Lol it definitely is legal. He's been driving well over a decade with zero incidents. He's never had sight in that eye so it was the same all through driving lessons and the test.

No you can't be registered blind or VI with sight in one eye.

Lots of people have a bad eye. It's called amblyopia

@anyolddinosaur He's having you on. I'm an optometrist.

(Or you're having us on...in which f off)

Yes it’s perfectly legal. I have had a lazy eye since birth. I have little useful vision in my left eye. I can see shape and colour and even recognise people but cannot focus. I have good vision in the other eye and just today had an eye test during which the ophthalmologist said I was perfectly ok to drive. (I’ve been driving for 50 years). I’m not sure what condition the OPs husband has but I am certainly not blind, nor do I need vision aids other than glasses due to normal ageing. I have lead a normal working life and never been handicapped in any way because of my eye problem.

Yes this is exactly what DH has. His brain effectively ignores one eye and just uses the other.

@SometimesIchangemyname so glad this wasn't just me

Anyolddinosaur literally said in the bit you quoted "if both eyes are affected"!

@Zonder - thank you. Maybe the person claiming to be an optometrist needs to test their own eyesight.

What is confusing everyone is why he struggles so much when he has perfectly normal vision in one eye. Normal vision in one eye means you have normal vision with both eyes open. As pp have stated, having one eye doesn't really affect you at all and you are allowed to drive. No-one I have ever met with one eye has ever needed a cane.

He either has an undiagnosed visual field defect, a brain injury affecting his visual perception (eg after a stroke), functional vision loss or he is exaggerating so people do things for him. OP, do you have a feeling about why he struggles despite having normal vision?

OP has said he has a significant brain injury @SavetheNHS , the sight in the bad eye is just one part of it.

So glad to read your post OP, was actually expecting something else from your title! I hope your DH’s vision continues to improve!

OP, is the hydrocephalus the brain injury you mentioned? Has he ever actually been assessed for cerebral visual impairment? It is associated with brain injuries from birth and although someone with CVI can have normal vision, they can struggle to process what they see which can cause some of the symptoms you describe. There is no cure but there are websites with lots of hints and tips to help live life as easily as possible. It might be worth looking into.