Coping With A Legally Blind Diagnosis

Losing your vision is one of the most traumatic things that can happen to you, especially if you were used to having an active and independent lifestyle before. Being declared legally blind can prevent you from doing your job. It can also prevent you from going about your normal daily routine. However, there are ways to cope.

When are you considered legally blind?

You are considered legally blind if your vision cannot be corrected by glasses or contact lenses to more than 20/200. Perfect vision is considered 20/20 vision. Even if when you take off your glasses you cannot see more than a few feet in front of you, that still will not classify you as being legally blind, if when you put your glasses back on you have 20/20 vision. You can visit a place like Modern Eyez for a test to determine where your vision is at.

How can being legally blind affect my life?

Being classified as legally blind can restrict your lifestyle in several ways. In the beginning, it can cause a lot of frustration, but that usually changes with time as you learn to adjust and cope with your situation. Here are some common activities that may become restrictive once you are considered legally blind.

1. Driving—Once you have been diagnosed as legally blind, most states will prevent you from driving. This means you will have to rely on public transportation or someone dependable to drive you from place to place.
2. Employment—The type of work you can do or will be qualified to do may be limited by your legally blind diagnosis. Limited vision may cause you to lose your job, if you can no longer function due to your vision.
3. Cooking—This might be an issue for you depending on how much of your vision you have lost. Finding your way around a kitchen and preventing accidents may become a challenge.

What can you do to improve the quality of your life?

If you are diagnosed as legally blind, you will need to make lifestyle changes in order to maintain a normal and active life. Here a few ways you can make your life easier.

Get organized

Put everything of importance in special places in your house. Organize your kitchen and your fridge, as this will make preparing meals easier.

Ask for help

Don't become a recluse. If you need to be driven somewhere, ask a friend or a relative. If you need help organizing your home, ask for it. Don't shut out family and friends. Let them assist you.

Explore new employment opportunities

The internet has opened up a wide range of employment opportunities for legally blind people. Try freelance writing. You can always adjust the computer screen so that words appear bigger. There is also voice command software that will type for you. Explore jobs where you only have to speak over the phone. These are just a few ideas that will assist you in your quest for new employment, if it becomes necessary.

Finding new and creative ways to cope with being legally blind can be a challenge, but the adjustment can be made with a positive attitude and proactive action.