Expereinces of living with severe sight problems/blindness?

[lovepigeon]

My DM already has bad eyes (sever myopia and gloucoma) but has just been diagnosed with macular degeneration. I am so sad for her as she is only early 50s and I am really scared for what the future holds. I can't stop thinking about it and wish there was something I could do to help. How much financial help is available if you are partially sighted? She may have to give up her job but has barely any pension.

I have a 10 month old DD and keep worrying that she won't get to 'see' her grow up. If anyone has any 'positive' experiences (if that is possible) of being partially sighted or blind then that would help remind me that she will still be able to enjoy life.

Bumping for you.

Not personal experience, but my friends dad is blind through glaucoma (he's 60 something, but has been blind for at least the last 15 years, and was forced to stop work due to his failing sight), and he lives a very full life.
I'd advise getting in touch with the RNIB, and they can tell you about the financial side of things, help out there, all the techno stuff etc. I know my friends dad is very active in his local group for the visually impaired, especially in helping people adapt as their sight declines.

Hi lovepidgeon. Definitely get in touch with rnib. I work for a disability charity and there is so much that someone can do, even with severe visual impairment. A number of my colleagues are registered blind and hold down full time office jobs.

Have a look at Access To Work, which are government funded grants to encourage employers to make 'reasonable adjustments' to the work place/environment so that people with impairments/disabilitis can stay in work. For example loads of accessibility software to help with computers such a large text or dragon speech recognition.

Obviously, developing something like this is huge and life changing, but you'd be amazed at how much life can continue as before with some carefully chosen adjustments.
Also, employers are notallowed to discriminate on presumed lack of ability to do a job (especially if reasonable adjustments are all that would be needed) so make sure she can stand up for herself. Rnib would help with this too.

Best wishes to her

*please ignore weird predictive text typos in the above

I have a blind good friend who lost his sight whilst at university, he's now in his 40's. He has a good job, fabulous family & kids, plays for a blind cricket team & has a wicked & irreverent sense of humour. He is a fab example of how life can throw you a curve ball but life does go on. I am constantly impressed by the things he can actually do rather than dismayed by what he can't.
Life is always difficult to adjust to when there is a large change but with love & support & a bit of creative there is every chance that the outlook is not as depressing as it first appears.