DaleshasLife

Well, I do have some vision. Because of this, I do see in my dreams. But, I will say that my friends who are totally blind, only hear in their dreams. Those with no vision at all have no visual information for their subconscious to use when creating dreams.

The biggest misconception is that all blind or partially blind people "need" assistance. The assumption that he or she can't do anything for himself has to be at the top of the list. In addition to this, many people also believe that we can't speak for ourselves or can not hear well. For example, when Manny and I are at a fast food restaurant, because he wears glasses the employee taking our order will ask him what I want--instead of asking me. Even though we both see about the same, Manny uses glasses and I use a white cane when we go out in public. When people see my cane, they assume I can't see--but when people see Manny's glasses, they assume they fix whatever visual problems he may have.

Well, I'd say that assuming a person who clearly has a disability may need assistance isn't a bad thing. But, there are two key points to emphasize there: 1) The person "may" need help. 2) The person may not want help. Those being noted, and recognizing that each person and each situation is different, asking is always best because it implies that the person asking isn't certain and allows the legally blind person to say no thank you. The worst experiences I've had are when I ask for assistance at a store and the employee grabs my arm and pulls me--as opposed to asking how he/she could best assist me.

The most important thing I want people to understand is that having partial vision, or none at all, does not mean that that person "can't" do something--it just means that he or she needs to find an alternative method to reach that goal. Yes, a legally blind person may need help, but let him or her ask for it--don't assume he or she needs it.

I was born with the vision I have today. If I have lost anything since birth, it hasn't been noticeable or documented by any optometrist. With respect to your vision loss, my only advice is that you take it one day at a time. You don't know what will happen tomorrow so don't worry about something that hasn't, and may not, happen tomorrow. How you decide to approach life is crucial. Although it may seem to be easier said than done, accept that you will most likely need extra time to figure out how to do something that you didn't need before, but that this by no stretch means that you will not be able to do that something. I've met so many blind people who have convinced themselves that they "can't". Those with that life perspective are the ones who inevitably fail in life. If your vision does continue to decrease, feel free to ask me more questions. Talking about things with those who can relate is more helpful than most people realize.