Vision and How Much It Can Mean to Your Independence

I will be the first to admit that vision means a lot to me. It means being able to drive and do what I want when I want. Now that my vision is dimming due to cataracts I find that vision means a lot to me. I have noticed that my driving is not what it should be. I can see it with my sunglasses but it is still foggy. My job depends on how long I keep my vision. I am ready to hand off the driving to my husband. I can no longer read books because the lines all run together. I try with a magnifier glass but still not readable

I feel that as an author my career is ending . I will need a machine or mike that will type my ideas for me. I have no insurance as many young people don't I wish I did Will have to wait for until I turn 65 and get medicare I have noticed as my vison leaves my other senses to become more acute. I can smell so much better. The one thing that I have noticed that when so many years ago it was in the news. The news reported that quieter cars would be hard for blind people to hear. I can now realize that is true. You can hear the loud semi-trucks and some small delivery trucks but the cars are the worst. It must be the electric cars because I have almost been hit by two. My feet which I walk a lot on also have become more sensitive. They can tell if there is a rock that you would have normally stepped around you now might walk on.

I realize know that our vision makes us independent in so many ways. I live in a small town thank heaven but how do I get to my doctor who is out of town? How do I get to my big department stores? I can't get to see my friends. I feel like I cant take care of myself anymore. I have always been independent and now I have to depend on someone for everything.

I have found out there is an organization that will help people like me with no insurance and the right income. The link is www.aoa.org/VisionOne. I am going to fill out the application and then have a referral agency refer me to a doctor who will do an eye test and then decide. Well, this program proved to not be available in the state I live in. Now I have called the Lions Foundation and no response yet. Luckily my doctor has a partner that will remove my cataracts in January.

My life has changed also with the fact that I cant walk outside without someone being with me. I have walked out in front of a car that luckily didn't hit me. I fell down a flight of cement steps because once I was outside I couldn't see them at all. Thank heaven I didn't break anything but sure hurt the knees and my pride.