Making Adjustments

The Art Of Adjusting

May 31, 2019

The Art Of Adjusting

Change is notoriously difficult, especially when it is unwelcome.  Adjusting the way we do things to compensate for vision loss requires — flexibility.  A willingness to change is the gift that keeps giving.  The more you do, the more skillful you become.  With each new learning experience the brain gets a boost, and your confidence gets a bump too.

Uncorrectable changes in eyesight can make some things seem like they are just impossible to deal with.  Actively engaging in the process of adjusting, will help you to continue doing the things you love to do, and need to do.  Some changes involve a significant learning curve, while others simply require you to show up and enjoy.

The key to successful adjusting is knowing when and how.  Here is a reference guide to changes that can improve the quality of your daily life.

 

Headphone on a side stack of books.

Headphone on a side stack of books.

Reading Books

A visual impairment does not stop a book lover from reading.  It is so important to understand that reading books is not about seeing the words, it is actually about being absorbed by the narrative.  So to continue this wonderful pursuit, the two things you should first know are NLS Talking Books and Audible, more about both on OE links below.

Get Back The Joy Of Reading With NLS

All About Audible

 

Entertainment & Art

TV programming is more accessible than ever.  We have options through cable providers and streaming services.  Audio description is available for TV, Broadway productions, movies, and museum visits. 

Better Access To Art & Entertainment

 

At Home

Small changes at home can make a big difference, keeping you safe and comfortable.

Adjusting Your Home For Vision Loss

 

View of the left side of a black care with Uber sticker.

Driving

This is a tough adjustment for many people, but a very important one.  It is best to stop driving sooner, rather than later, for the safety of yourself and all those around you. Vision loss is unlikely to kill you, unless you get behind the wheel.

The good news is, we’re living in the ride-sharing generation.  Order a car and get a driver to take you where you want to go.  It’s totally cool, driving is so yesterday.

More about this on OE…

Your Driver Has Arrived

 

At Work

Don’t give up the job because your computer is no longer easy to read.  Learn about the many ways the computer will adjust for you.

More about this on OE…

Make Your Computer At Work Easier To Use

Microsoft’s Inclusive Workplace

 

Older man happily using a tablet.

Older man happily using a tablet.

Learn Something New

Mastering a mobile device has the potential to benefit you in many multiple ways. Use accessibility options for communication, banking, news & weather, control smart technology, track fitness, and much, much more.  This is one of those learning curves that is totally worth the work.

More about this on OE…

10 Things To Know About iPhone Accessibility

Let iPhone’s VoiceOver Do The Reading

Learning At Any Age

Never Too Old to Learn

 

Restaurant Menus

Don’t give up on restaurants because the menus are no longer readable, we’ve got some good options.

Try A New Approach To Reading Restaurant Menus

 

Travel

We’ve got advice for you on business and vacation travel, airport navigation, and getting around your neighborhood on foot.

5 Keys To Comfort For Visually Impaired Travelers

Aira At The Airport

Consider the Long White Cane

 

For comments, questions or feedback, email us, or connect on Facebook or Twitter. We would love to hear from you!


About the Author: Dorrie Rush

Dorrie Rush is the Chief Content Officer and Visual Accessibility Expert at Ophthalmic Edge Patients (OE Patients), an online resource, presented by the Association for Macular Diseases, providing practical information and empowering advice for living a full and successful life with vision loss.

She is the former Director of the Grunwald Technology Center and Information Resource Service at Lighthouse International 2001 to 2016. Dorrie is known to have an eccentric view, which is particularly useful in compensating for her central vision loss from Stargardt Disease.

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