by Rosemary Fortney
Born an Artist Drawing and being an artist was always in my genetic makeup. It has developed through years of art exploration and fine arts studies at Mt. Mary University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Cardinal Stritch College in Fox Point. Art to me is the warmest, most fulfilling experience of my life. Sharing something […] Read More »
Tags: Art, coping with vision loss, Vision loss
by Andrea O'Donnell
Meeting My Girl I will never forget the day I met my first guide dog, a beautiful black Labrador retriever named Fiona. It was around 1:00 in the afternoon, and I was patiently waiting in my room at Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) in San Raphael, California. I could hear the sounds of […] Read More »
Tags: Guide dog, Vision loss, working with a guide dog
by Rachael Eschbach, COMS
Mobility in Every Season Chicago! It’s so wonderful to have all four seasons. Of course, every season presents its own set of challenges when traveling with vision loss. Here are some of the mobility problems that crop up season-to-season. And some tips for overcoming them. Winter Ice Ice is something that worries everyone, vision […] Read More »
Tags: mobility training, O&M
by Kathy Austin, CVA
Have you heard about these new devices that “help the blind see?” Almost daily, I receive articles that make these devices sound like you could get your vision back. Frankly, I was a bit confused and very skeptical as each device sounded similar – glasses, cameras, speakers, etc. In an effort to sort out what […] Read More »
Tags: Aira, Argus II, ESight, IrisVision, OrCam
by Polly Abbott, CVRT
Have You Ever Considered a Self-Defense Class? Many challenges come with vision loss. You may have a fear of not being fully aware of the environment. When you lack the details typically gained through visual information, you may feel a loss of control when making choices that may affect your personal safety. You miss […] Read More »
Tags: 1Touch, self-defense class
by Rachael Eschbach, COMS
“You know what’s weird, I feel like I did better walking to your office blindfolded using the cane, than I did walking to your office using my vision…” ~Nicole Many people who have some useable vision may have trouble learning to use a white cane. They are still trying to rely only on […] Read More »
Tags: blindfold training, mobility training, O&M
by David Flament
It is that time of year again. Time to file your taxes. You may be saying I am on disability and do not need to file my taxes. Not so fast. You’ll want to read on for resources that can answer your questions about filing your taxes as a person with vision loss. Things You […] Read More »
Tags: accessible tax software, IRS, Tax forms
by Polly Abbott, CVRT
On January 4, 2019, the United Nations observed the first official World Braille Day to raise awareness of braille. January 4 marks the birthday of Louis Braille, the creator of the code that brings access to the written word for people with vision loss. This code provides access to information, is a method of […] Read More »
Tags: Braille, braille games, learning braille
by Kathy Austin, CVA
We’ve all been told how important exercise is for our health, again and again. But when we lose vision, movement starts to become more difficult. Perhaps it is our own fear of hurting ourselves. Maybe it is the people around us who fear for our safety and startle us with “watch outs” or “be carefuls.” […] Read More »
by Polly Abbott, CVRT
When walking through a crowded room with your cane in one hand and a plate of holiday goodies in the other, use this technique to avoid accidents. Be sure to hold the plate with your arm curved around the edge and your hand grasping it on the part furthest from your body. The back of […] Read More »
Tags: holiday hosting, party planning with vision loss