The voice came from the bushes. “hello,” I responded to the voice as I was taking a stroll around my neighborhood. The voice called back, “hi there. I often see you walking around the neighborhood. Let me come out and say hello properly.”

The elderly woman stood up from behind the bushes wearing gardening gloves covered in soil. She apologized, “sorry I can’t shake your hand. My hands are covered in dirt.” “No problem,” I said.

She then began to tell me how often she would see me walking along the neighborhood with my white cane. She said that she had often thought about talking to me. But, wasn’t quite sure how to introduce herself.

She was very curious if I had a job. I told her I did. My job is a work – at – home job where I support the Air Force computer systems.

I told her that and she found that very interesting. She explained that her son, 48 years old, had lost his vision a few years ago and was living at home. He wasn’t happy. And, he wasn’t willing to do anything about it. Basically, he was stuck and his mother was very worried about him.

Her son situation is not uncommon among the vision impaired. Often, those who lose their vision suddenly, have a very difficult time transitioning into utilizing new skills to do things that their eyes used to help them do. Particularly, for the elderly who lose their vision due to macular degeneration. There used to taking care of themselves. That could include driving, shopping, and even being employed. Because they lose their vision, emotionally, they feel that they can’t continue these activities. They feel that site is required to be independent.

The challenge for these people is to believe that they can do it in spite of their lack of visual acuity. Losing one’s site is traumatic. There’s no beating around the bush or denying it. It can be devastating. However, what you do about it afterwards is in your control.

Having something in your control, doesn’t mean it’s easy. Transitioning from using your eyes to using your other senses takes time. If it were easy, then it would be a simple matter just a hand a book or an audio recording to a recently blinded person. Once they read the book, Voilà, there back in the game again doing what they liked to do. But, utilizing new skills.

The process of regaining independence takes time and you don’t have to do it alone. If you’ve decided that a life of dependence just isn’t for you, the first thing you should do is seek out others who have been in your same situation and who have overcome it. Find a local blindness or low vision organization that believes that the only difference between dependence and independence is attitude.

The woman with the gardening gloves and I had a very good conversation about what is actually possible in spite of low vision. I would like to say that our conversation changed her son’s life. Unfortunately, that kind of positive change is never instantaneous. It takes time and a major attitude shift. I just let her know that if she ever has any questions in the future, she should feel free to stop me and I would love to talk with her more.