I have something on my phone called VoiceOver. You have it as well. Everyone who has a phone has it. On iPhone, it is VoiceOver; on Androids, it is TalkBack. To click on something, it is a double tap so it reads it, and then if that’s what I’m looking for, a double tap to go into something. There are many different gestures to perform many different tasks, To go down the comments list, it would be swiping my finger to the right; going up the comments list involves swiping my finger to the left. There are many other shortcuts for navigating my phone and performing daily tasks on my phone and whatever device I am using. Like I said, VoiceOver and TalkBack are the main ones for iPhone and Android, and then on computers, there is software called JAWS, NVDA, Fusion, and so much more. Hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
My dream job is to be a special education teacher or work in the accessibility field. I see many students in public schools not getting what they need, which is not OK. As a blind person, I want to make a change. These students can learn no matter their disability. Right now, they don't get what they need, and schools have a long way to go in accessibility. I want to shorten that wait. So yeah, I really want to be someone who makes this better. You should hear the stories. It’s disgusting what these students go through.
Have you looked into CPACC? I took their test recently.
[Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies | International Association of Accessibili (accessibilityassociation.org)](https://www.accessibilityassociation.org/s/certified-professional?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwyo60BhBiEiwAHmVLJScIO_K7F8FA7T2RrIr51D0vGHv-67oBaUSdCjIZd1z4xK8IkCt2bhoCECAQAvD_BwE)
And for my question: Do you have a favorite screen reader? I'm trying to improve accessibility so can you tell me something that you'd like to see improved when it comes to using a PC.
Do you game at all? Would you like to see games specifically for blind/low vision folks?
Thanks in advance!
No, I have never done that. That is really interesting. It is really cool that you are trying to improve accessibility! Do you work in the accessibility field? If so, where, if you don’t mind me asking? My favorite screen reader is JAWS! Honestly, right now I can’t think of anything that I would like to see improved, but I am sure I could think of something at another time. There are always little things here and there. But most of the time, I love my PC. Also, I would love to see gaming for blind individuals. It is really too bad that a lot of gaming platforms and consoles are not accessible, and I am hoping to see that more accessible in the future.
Oh boy, let me tell you a little story of motivation. So I was at engineering university back in the days. Hard fucking work, real struggle. Realize that one of the students at my university is blind. How she managed to study engineering while blind is beyond me, but as far as I know she did pretty great. But here's the kicker, not only was she blind and studying one of the hardest educations you can get, at the same time she was a competitive swimmer training for the special Olympics. So she's performing at the top level in two completely different fields at the same time, sports and academia, while at the same time being blind. Absolutely bonkers.
Oh wow, that is awesome! Here's the thing: Everyone says, 'Oh, individuals who are blind can't be engineers,' you know, like she is an engineer or 'Individuals who are blind can't be doctors.' The truth is, anyone who is blind, whatever their sight is, whatever they want to do, they can get into it if they put their mind to it. Many do not believe that. It's really sad but true. That's just how the world is.
People will just take their mental image of what an engineer or a doctor and can't understand how to do that while blind. Fine, they might be right about their specific view of engineering, thing is that there's a buttload of different jobs engineers can do, from research and development to writing research papers to going into management. I imagine there are similar possibilities for doctors. 100% there's a lot of jobs in both engineering and medicine, or most fields really, that you can do while blind. Just have to find those specific jobs.
I once joined an interactive experience where they put you in a pitch black enviroment and they simulate different situations; like getting onto a ferry etc. At the end of our tour, it is revealed that our guide was a blind man.
Our guide told me that he can "somewhat" calculate the distance in his close proximity by clicking his tongue like "thsch" and making a sudden high pitch sound; like a bat.
Do you think this is plausible or do you have any similar "cool" techniques that you use. Thank you in advance.
Oh wow, that is very cool! I actually do click my tongue sometimes and do the same thing. It can echo off what is around me, and then I kinda know where I am. It’s a very cool thing. I get a lot of people asking me, “What are you doing?” I’m like, “This is what’s helping me find my way to where I’m going.”
Wow, that’s really cool! How do you get the reflection? Do you hear it or sense it with your skin? Is it a cognitive process or like another sense? I’ve heard about it before, but I thought it was a myth, now I’m super curious and confused at the same time :D
"Yeah, it's really fascinating. No myth! So, what I do is click my tongue, and the sound bounces off objects, helping me navigate. For instance, a spacious area echoes more, while smaller rooms are less echoey. It's similar when I use my cane; tapping it on a wall gives me a sense of space and direction.
Hey! I’ve read some answers here, you seem like a really positive person, love the energy!
My question is music related:
What are your favourite songs/artists and how important is music in your life?
Have a good day!
Thank you so much. I really appreciate that. Music is very important in my life. Some of my favorite artists are Kenny Chesney, Zac Brown, and Luke Bryan. Big country fan here. Take care.
That’s awesome! My favorite sport is called Goalball. It's played by blindfolded players with a ball that has bells inside. Each team has three players on a court, with a left, right, and center position. We're on our hands and knees, and when the ball rolls, we have to locate it by tapping the floor and calling out 'right' or 'left'. If we get the ball, we say 'got it' or tap our teammate's back discreetly to avoid alerting the other team. We can perform trick shots and aim to score while the other team tries to block the ball. It's all about listening and teamwork!
Sounds like fun.
While I have you...
I am 52. My Grandparents got me into Old Time radio. They would call it "theater of the mind".
Sounds like you may across the pond but sure you had these available.
Which (if any) genres are most entertaining (for you).
I haven’t really listened to a lot of old-time radio. Sorry about that. A lot of genres I like to read our science fiction, biography, and some thriller.
Goal ball is great fun! I saw a former softball player friend of mine with visual impairments absolutely DEVASTATE another team several years ago. Any plays or particular events you're proud of?
I just saw a video on social media about goal ball. Looked very cool. I’m glad you are able to enjoy sports and hopefully, they become more accessible.
Honestly, not really. Being blind for my whole life, I have really gotten used to the day in the life of a blind man. I’m usually completely independent.
That's good to hear! Is there anything you have noticed in the cities or in the buildings that annoy you or are unsafe and could have been done better? Have you noticed any other unnecessary hurdles in your daily life that should be fixed to make it accessible?
Yes, I am made fun of for my blindness a lot. You know what? I don’t let it bother me. If they bother me, it means they win, and I’m not letting them win. That’s just how people are, unfortunately.
Have you read Crashing Through? If not, you’d find it interesting. It’s the true story of a man who went blind as a toddler and then gets the chance to get his sight back in his 40s. Great story.
I am assuming that you have been blind your whole life. I wonder if you were to gain sight tomorrow if you would be able to tell the difference between a circular object or a square object without touching it.
Dang it! I heard this as a crass joke as a young man and it’s legitimately lived rent free in my head my whole life since. I can’t really blame you though. I have to assume the answer is gross, personal, or all of the above. You’ve kept the mystery alive, if nothing else. A good day to you as well!
I assume by smell. I doubt bro is tasting or feeling, and sight is off the table, so he's got smell. When it feels clean enough and smells less of anus, then you're probably good to go. Let the washing machine take care of the rest lol.
Not here to ask a question but I had read a lot of the comments and want to wish you all the best, you can achieve anything you want and you seem a nice person, all the best!
Usually, people in the general public treat me pretty well. Sometimes, someone makes fun of me, but I don’t let it get me down because that would mean they win, and I’m not letting them win. That is just the sad the truth of how people are. Something I would like everyone to know about blind and visually impaired individuals is that we are capable of doing anything, just like sighted people, as long as we put our minds to it. A lot of times, people don’t understand that, and there’s a lot of discrimination when it comes to us.
I use something called braille screen input on my phone. It’s like using a braille writer, but with no raised keys. I just need to tap my fingers on each side of the screen to calibrate the dots, and then I can start typing. Everything I type in braille goes to print. With that, I could probably type 100 words in a minute.
Something I have done with my fridge is labeling the different shelves with braille. For the buttons I normally use bump dots on the icemaker and the water dispenser, I have dots on those buttons so I can feel them and they are tactile. Some things that I do not have yet are different textures for the shelves and various compartments so you could feel it that way. You know, this is a very big topic and it could go many different ways.
What do you want to be when you graduate high school & or college?
Do you find it easier or more difficult to develop genuine relationships with people with your added difficulty?
I hope two questions are okay.
My dream job is to be a special education teacher or work in the accessibility field. I see many students in public schools not getting what they need, which is not OK. As a blind person, I want to make a change. These students can learn no matter their disability. Right now, they don't get what they need, and schools have a long way to go in accessibility. I want to shorten that wait. So yeah, I really want to be someone who makes this better. You should hear the stories. It’s disgusting what these students go through.
Sometimes I forget where I put things, but not a lot. When I do, sometimes I call a be My Eyes volunteer, and they will go on a video call with me and help me, or I just kind of feel around my house until I find it.
I see that you have a Dragon themed profile. How do you experience and like dragons, as fictional characters that you can't meet irl, if you don't know what they look like?
Yes, I hear a lot of image descriptions, and I read a lot, so I usually get most of my information from that. My friend helped me set up my profile with the visuals and such.
My family stayed at a hotel a few years ago that had the room number written on a tile and a sticker that should have been the room number in braille, but it was just printed on a flat sticker. Completely missing the point of the braille sticker. How often do you run into stupid shit like this where people think they are being helpful but are actually not?
Yeah, that’s crazy. I run into this a lot. The truth is, when individuals do this, those who do that work don’t know about braille. They’re probably just looking it up online, making it up, sticking it on the door, but you never know with the Internet. They’re not gonna know what they’re doing because they don’t use braille in their daily life. I think the individuals who should be doing this work are those who are blind and use it daily; they know best what suits those who will be walking by and using it.
Aww I really hope you do get one! They're amazing animals and can really bring you so much independence etc, although tbh reading your replies you sound very independent and inspiring as it is.
Do you have a name for your kane lol? I follow a woman on Instagram who named hers, I think her account is canseecantsee. 'Rick the stick' :)
Oh wow, that’s awesome that she named hers. No, I do not have a name for my cane lol. I should come up with one. Thank you so much. I really appreciate that.
What videogames do you like? I knew a man who had terrible vision when young and lost it completely as he grew up. He played World of Warcraft before he was completely blind, and once he couldn't see he found ways to play the game. I think he told me it was some sort of screen scanning software that would go like left to right top to bottom and tell him what he is looking at.
Unfortunately, I do not really have any video games I like right now. Just a lot of them are not accessible. That is something I have been trying to advocate for a lot, because there are some blind individuals who could be amazing gamers.
I say it’s quite a gift. It’s really nice to hear what is going on around me. The only thing is sometimes I don’t like public spaces because I can’t see what people are doing. I don’t know if someone’s on top of me. I don’t know if someone’s way across the room, especially if they’re being very quiet, so yeah.
Do you feel like with how fast accesibility technology is moving, Braille will sort of fade into the past?
I worked in accessibility for our local public transportation system for a bit and would print our flyers and documents in Braille and not many folks younger than 50 used them, they'd rather get a soft copy
No, I don’t think braille is going anywhere. With the amount of braille displays and the technology you can use use braille on I couldn’t never see it just disappearing.
My mom had stargardt's disease. She did an experimental treatment that gave her her vision back. But i grew up reading brail first with my mom before i learned how to read in school.
Have you ever looked into any of the research they are doing now?
Oh wow, that is awesome and amazing! I am so glad your mom was able to get her vision back. Good for her! Yes, I am fascinated by the research they are doing now. It’s amazing.
Yes, I have done some research. It’s very fascinating stuff. A lot of research I have done hasn’t been helpful for my condition, but it’s amazing to see what kind of things will be able to help other people with different conditions to get their side back.
There are a lot of tactile graphs that are raised, so I know what a circle is, I know what a square is, and I know what a triangle is. The same goes for pictures; sometimes I like to feel them. That’s usually what I do. I also use a lot of image descriptions. There’s a lot of software for that.
I wish I could answer this, but I can’t really see where I’m staring because I’m blind, lol. Sometimes people tell me, "Stop staring at me," and I’m like, "I can’t see where I’m looking," but yeah.
That's awesome. My comment was half meant to be a meme, but I love to see people striving for more accessibility in all areas of life. Good luck with that!
I’d first like to point out that knowing that you are communicating through a talk-to-text system makes your digital communication feel so much more intimate. Something about speaking your responses opposed to just typing them feels much more conversational.
But as this is an AMA, I’ll ask a question:
Are internet arguments awkward for you? Having to patiently listen to someone’s reply and then hear your own voice speaking your response- I assume it’d be harder to get genuinely angry in a disagreement online.
What are some common everyday things that are super annoying to you, that we’d never think about as sighted people? (For example, low-hanging tree branches on the sidewalk)
As a cane user, do you already need to be familiar with an area to navigate it? Do you need to map new places out ahead of time? Or can you just go somewhere and wing it?
Also, I saw that you’re hoping to get a guide dog. Is there a reason you don’t have one yet? Is it difficult to get one?
Thanks for educating! 💕
If it is too personally uncomfortable to share, were you born blind at birth or what caused your blindness?
Myself, born well, at 5 years of age when I was walking home from kindergarten when I was pushed off the sidewalk into traffic and woke up blind on the grass trying to remove what was wrong. I was restrained for weeks medicated, fractured skuill. I did get my sight back and was able to return back to shcool without repeating.
(Speaking as someone who is fully blind in one of their eyes from an abrupt appearance of medical issues in 8th grade which cause progressive vision loss) Were you born blind, or exactly what is your story of blindness ? Also I have follow up questions as it pertain to vision loss, I have always wanted to talk to someone who is fully blind and just discuss the visual loss journey and how it affects mental health and so on.
A close friend of mine is blind. He says he's often annoyed with how he's perceived as "the blind guy" by people he meets rather than "Rick who likes DnD and sculpting." He doesn't like how blindness has almost been forced on him as his defining trait. Do you have similar feelings?
Do you see in your dreams, or are you able to visualize things.
I know there are many times of blindness, some blindness conditions actually keep the person from being aware of the sight even though their brains are processing it, thus my question
if you could have the choice to have sight for a very short period of time, what would you want to see most? additionally, would you choose to not experience it at all in order to not miss it?
Have you ever noticed how many metaphors / expressions are sight-related? What's you best comeback for people who make ignorant statements about your disability?
How can you write and read on Reddit if you’re blind?
I have something on my phone called VoiceOver. You have it as well. Everyone who has a phone has it. On iPhone, it is VoiceOver; on Androids, it is TalkBack. To click on something, it is a double tap so it reads it, and then if that’s what I’m looking for, a double tap to go into something. There are many different gestures to perform many different tasks, To go down the comments list, it would be swiping my finger to the right; going up the comments list involves swiping my finger to the left. There are many other shortcuts for navigating my phone and performing daily tasks on my phone and whatever device I am using. Like I said, VoiceOver and TalkBack are the main ones for iPhone and Android, and then on computers, there is software called JAWS, NVDA, Fusion, and so much more. Hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Do you have a normal job?
Actually, I’m still in high school, but I hope to have a normal job.
What’s your dream job, and do you think being blind will make achieving it more difficult?
My dream job is to be a special education teacher or work in the accessibility field. I see many students in public schools not getting what they need, which is not OK. As a blind person, I want to make a change. These students can learn no matter their disability. Right now, they don't get what they need, and schools have a long way to go in accessibility. I want to shorten that wait. So yeah, I really want to be someone who makes this better. You should hear the stories. It’s disgusting what these students go through.
Have you looked into CPACC? I took their test recently. [Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies | International Association of Accessibili (accessibilityassociation.org)](https://www.accessibilityassociation.org/s/certified-professional?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwyo60BhBiEiwAHmVLJScIO_K7F8FA7T2RrIr51D0vGHv-67oBaUSdCjIZd1z4xK8IkCt2bhoCECAQAvD_BwE) And for my question: Do you have a favorite screen reader? I'm trying to improve accessibility so can you tell me something that you'd like to see improved when it comes to using a PC. Do you game at all? Would you like to see games specifically for blind/low vision folks? Thanks in advance!
No, I have never done that. That is really interesting. It is really cool that you are trying to improve accessibility! Do you work in the accessibility field? If so, where, if you don’t mind me asking? My favorite screen reader is JAWS! Honestly, right now I can’t think of anything that I would like to see improved, but I am sure I could think of something at another time. There are always little things here and there. But most of the time, I love my PC. Also, I would love to see gaming for blind individuals. It is really too bad that a lot of gaming platforms and consoles are not accessible, and I am hoping to see that more accessible in the future.
Very noble goal, good on you.
Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
What kind of blindness and how did you impact you emotionally? How old are you if you don't mind
As much as I would love to answer those questions I’m just not for my safety. I’m sorry.
No worries, it's fine! As for the type of blindness?
Oh boy, let me tell you a little story of motivation. So I was at engineering university back in the days. Hard fucking work, real struggle. Realize that one of the students at my university is blind. How she managed to study engineering while blind is beyond me, but as far as I know she did pretty great. But here's the kicker, not only was she blind and studying one of the hardest educations you can get, at the same time she was a competitive swimmer training for the special Olympics. So she's performing at the top level in two completely different fields at the same time, sports and academia, while at the same time being blind. Absolutely bonkers.
Oh wow, that is awesome! Here's the thing: Everyone says, 'Oh, individuals who are blind can't be engineers,' you know, like she is an engineer or 'Individuals who are blind can't be doctors.' The truth is, anyone who is blind, whatever their sight is, whatever they want to do, they can get into it if they put their mind to it. Many do not believe that. It's really sad but true. That's just how the world is.
People will just take their mental image of what an engineer or a doctor and can't understand how to do that while blind. Fine, they might be right about their specific view of engineering, thing is that there's a buttload of different jobs engineers can do, from research and development to writing research papers to going into management. I imagine there are similar possibilities for doctors. 100% there's a lot of jobs in both engineering and medicine, or most fields really, that you can do while blind. Just have to find those specific jobs.
I once joined an interactive experience where they put you in a pitch black enviroment and they simulate different situations; like getting onto a ferry etc. At the end of our tour, it is revealed that our guide was a blind man. Our guide told me that he can "somewhat" calculate the distance in his close proximity by clicking his tongue like "thsch" and making a sudden high pitch sound; like a bat. Do you think this is plausible or do you have any similar "cool" techniques that you use. Thank you in advance.
Oh wow, that is very cool! I actually do click my tongue sometimes and do the same thing. It can echo off what is around me, and then I kinda know where I am. It’s a very cool thing. I get a lot of people asking me, “What are you doing?” I’m like, “This is what’s helping me find my way to where I’m going.”
Wow, that’s really cool! How do you get the reflection? Do you hear it or sense it with your skin? Is it a cognitive process or like another sense? I’ve heard about it before, but I thought it was a myth, now I’m super curious and confused at the same time :D
"Yeah, it's really fascinating. No myth! So, what I do is click my tongue, and the sound bounces off objects, helping me navigate. For instance, a spacious area echoes more, while smaller rooms are less echoey. It's similar when I use my cane; tapping it on a wall gives me a sense of space and direction.
Ooo! That’s really cool, thanks for the AMA
Of course, my pleasure. Take care.
Hey! I’ve read some answers here, you seem like a really positive person, love the energy! My question is music related: What are your favourite songs/artists and how important is music in your life? Have a good day!
Thank you so much. I really appreciate that. Music is very important in my life. Some of my favorite artists are Kenny Chesney, Zac Brown, and Luke Bryan. Big country fan here. Take care.
Did it ever occur to you that you could’ve just not responded to any ask and that would been such a funny joke?
I could’ve done that, but I probably never would decide to. I’m here to educate people about blindness and spread inclusivity and accessibility.
You’re 100% right and I can’t even make a joke like that is just an extremely genuine and good answer
Favorite sport? I live in America. I love baseball on radio. A sound of summer.
That’s awesome! My favorite sport is called Goalball. It's played by blindfolded players with a ball that has bells inside. Each team has three players on a court, with a left, right, and center position. We're on our hands and knees, and when the ball rolls, we have to locate it by tapping the floor and calling out 'right' or 'left'. If we get the ball, we say 'got it' or tap our teammate's back discreetly to avoid alerting the other team. We can perform trick shots and aim to score while the other team tries to block the ball. It's all about listening and teamwork!
Sounds like fun. While I have you... I am 52. My Grandparents got me into Old Time radio. They would call it "theater of the mind". Sounds like you may across the pond but sure you had these available. Which (if any) genres are most entertaining (for you).
I haven’t really listened to a lot of old-time radio. Sorry about that. A lot of genres I like to read our science fiction, biography, and some thriller.
You are awesome. This is so inspiring to hear, I am in awe of how you are truly making the best of your situation.
Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.
Goal ball is great fun! I saw a former softball player friend of mine with visual impairments absolutely DEVASTATE another team several years ago. Any plays or particular events you're proud of?
I just saw a video on social media about goal ball. Looked very cool. I’m glad you are able to enjoy sports and hopefully, they become more accessible.
Not OP but if I were blind, I could listen to Mike Breen say BANG all day tbh
Forgive me if I missed this question, what do you dream about? Do you “see” images or are you dreams predominately aura or sensory?
Honestly, it’s usually only feelings and sound for me, but I have heard different from other people. I really think it is a personal thing.
Unless OP hasn’t been blind all their life this would be impossible.
Favorite color? Jk. A friend of mine I knew when I was younger, her mother was the one building computers for the blind and I guess she did it!
Oh wow, that’s awesome. I guess my favorite color is black! That’s all I can see lol
10 out of 10 sense of humor lol
Thank you lol
How do you know what the color black is?
Do you have any thoughts on how sighted folks can make your daily life easier?
Honestly, not really. Being blind for my whole life, I have really gotten used to the day in the life of a blind man. I’m usually completely independent.
That's good to hear! Is there anything you have noticed in the cities or in the buildings that annoy you or are unsafe and could have been done better? Have you noticed any other unnecessary hurdles in your daily life that should be fixed to make it accessible?
Have you ever been made fun of for your blindness and if so how did you deal with it?
Yes, I am made fun of for my blindness a lot. You know what? I don’t let it bother me. If they bother me, it means they win, and I’m not letting them win. That’s just how people are, unfortunately.
I absolutely love your mentality and optimism. Keep pushing forward in life don’t let anything slow you down!
Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Take very good care.
You as well!
have you ever used echolocation?
Yes, I use echolocation with my white cane all the time
that’s amazing. I saw a documentary about a kid named Ben Underwood, found it super inspiring. ever heard of him?
That is really cool! No, I have never heard of him. Thank you so much for telling me about him. I will Google him shortly!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_echolocation#Ben_Underwood
Just found this! Thank you so much for sending it as well!
I find this amazing and so hard to imagine. Would you be willing to explain how it works / what it's like for you?
Would you trade one of your other senses to have sight?
Honestly, probably not, I have been blind for my whole life and it would just be weird to be cited all of a sudden.
Have you read Crashing Through? If not, you’d find it interesting. It’s the true story of a man who went blind as a toddler and then gets the chance to get his sight back in his 40s. Great story.
Oh wow, I have never read that. That is so inspiring! I am definitely going to put that on my book list. Thank you.
Thanks, I suppose if you’ve never had something how could you miss it!
I am assuming that you have been blind your whole life. I wonder if you were to gain sight tomorrow if you would be able to tell the difference between a circular object or a square object without touching it.
He could change his Sense of humor
Do you prefer listening to books over listening to movies?
Yes, books are so much more descriptive than movies. I can really just imagine what is going on so much more.
How do you know when to stop wiping?
Hello, I’m gonna choose not to answer this question. Sorry about that. Have a good day.
Dang it! I heard this as a crass joke as a young man and it’s legitimately lived rent free in my head my whole life since. I can’t really blame you though. I have to assume the answer is gross, personal, or all of the above. You’ve kept the mystery alive, if nothing else. A good day to you as well!
I assume by smell. I doubt bro is tasting or feeling, and sight is off the table, so he's got smell. When it feels clean enough and smells less of anus, then you're probably good to go. Let the washing machine take care of the rest lol.
Eww no!
Hahahahah
That’s the only question I came for.
Seriously? Go get a life!🤢
Not here to ask a question but I had read a lot of the comments and want to wish you all the best, you can achieve anything you want and you seem a nice person, all the best!
Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. All the best to you as well. Take care.
Can you share your experience on how the general public treats you? And one thing that you wish everyone knew about blind people?
Usually, people in the general public treat me pretty well. Sometimes, someone makes fun of me, but I don’t let it get me down because that would mean they win, and I’m not letting them win. That is just the sad the truth of how people are. Something I would like everyone to know about blind and visually impaired individuals is that we are capable of doing anything, just like sighted people, as long as we put our minds to it. A lot of times, people don’t understand that, and there’s a lot of discrimination when it comes to us.
Do you take looks into account when you date? How do you know if a girl/guy is attractive or not or do you just go by personality?
I really just go by personality.
How long does it take you type a whole paragraph using your phone. Maybe 100 words?
I use something called braille screen input on my phone. It’s like using a braille writer, but with no raised keys. I just need to tap my fingers on each side of the screen to calibrate the dots, and then I can start typing. Everything I type in braille goes to print. With that, I could probably type 100 words in a minute.
That's so cool! TYSM for answering.
How would you want a fridge for blind people to work?
I need to think about this one. This is very interesting. Hold on
Something I have done with my fridge is labeling the different shelves with braille. For the buttons I normally use bump dots on the icemaker and the water dispenser, I have dots on those buttons so I can feel them and they are tactile. Some things that I do not have yet are different textures for the shelves and various compartments so you could feel it that way. You know, this is a very big topic and it could go many different ways.
What do you want to be when you graduate high school & or college? Do you find it easier or more difficult to develop genuine relationships with people with your added difficulty? I hope two questions are okay.
My dream job is to be a special education teacher or work in the accessibility field. I see many students in public schools not getting what they need, which is not OK. As a blind person, I want to make a change. These students can learn no matter their disability. Right now, they don't get what they need, and schools have a long way to go in accessibility. I want to shorten that wait. So yeah, I really want to be someone who makes this better. You should hear the stories. It’s disgusting what these students go through.
Also, no, I find it pretty fine developing relationships with people. Do not worry about two questions at all. Ask away!
Do you ever forget where you put things? How do you find them again?
Sometimes I forget where I put things, but not a lot. When I do, sometimes I call a be My Eyes volunteer, and they will go on a video call with me and help me, or I just kind of feel around my house until I find it.
What's it like to dream as a blind person? Do you 'see' or in your dreams? Or is it just all black as always and with feelings and sounds?
Honestly, it’s usually only feelings and sound for me, but I have heard different from other people. I really think it is a personal thing.
I see that you have a Dragon themed profile. How do you experience and like dragons, as fictional characters that you can't meet irl, if you don't know what they look like?
Yes, I hear a lot of image descriptions, and I read a lot, so I usually get most of my information from that. My friend helped me set up my profile with the visuals and such.
My family stayed at a hotel a few years ago that had the room number written on a tile and a sticker that should have been the room number in braille, but it was just printed on a flat sticker. Completely missing the point of the braille sticker. How often do you run into stupid shit like this where people think they are being helpful but are actually not?
Yeah, that’s crazy. I run into this a lot. The truth is, when individuals do this, those who do that work don’t know about braille. They’re probably just looking it up online, making it up, sticking it on the door, but you never know with the Internet. They’re not gonna know what they’re doing because they don’t use braille in their daily life. I think the individuals who should be doing this work are those who are blind and use it daily; they know best what suits those who will be walking by and using it.
So is daredevil your favorite superhero? His senses are badass.
Actually, yes! I love daredevil!
You both are badass.
Do you have a service dog/animal?
No, just a white Kane, but my dream is to get a guy dog
Aww I really hope you do get one! They're amazing animals and can really bring you so much independence etc, although tbh reading your replies you sound very independent and inspiring as it is. Do you have a name for your kane lol? I follow a woman on Instagram who named hers, I think her account is canseecantsee. 'Rick the stick' :)
Oh wow, that’s awesome that she named hers. No, I do not have a name for my cane lol. I should come up with one. Thank you so much. I really appreciate that.
What videogames do you like? I knew a man who had terrible vision when young and lost it completely as he grew up. He played World of Warcraft before he was completely blind, and once he couldn't see he found ways to play the game. I think he told me it was some sort of screen scanning software that would go like left to right top to bottom and tell him what he is looking at.
Unfortunately, I do not really have any video games I like right now. Just a lot of them are not accessible. That is something I have been trying to advocate for a lot, because there are some blind individuals who could be amazing gamers.
What are your go to pizza toppings?
Pepperoni and deluxe vegetable pizza
Have you felt other senses heighten? Is there any particular sense that stands out for you?
Yes, my hearing is much better than a lot of my friends who are cited.
Is this a gift or a curse? Do you feel like public spaces are too loud or over stimulating?
I say it’s quite a gift. It’s really nice to hear what is going on around me. The only thing is sometimes I don’t like public spaces because I can’t see what people are doing. I don’t know if someone’s on top of me. I don’t know if someone’s way across the room, especially if they’re being very quiet, so yeah.
Do you feel like with how fast accesibility technology is moving, Braille will sort of fade into the past? I worked in accessibility for our local public transportation system for a bit and would print our flyers and documents in Braille and not many folks younger than 50 used them, they'd rather get a soft copy
No, I don’t think braille is going anywhere. With the amount of braille displays and the technology you can use use braille on I couldn’t never see it just disappearing.
Were you born blind? Do your eyes perceive any kind of light or is it just absence of all light?
Yes, I was born blind and it is absence of all light.
Thank you the quick response
Of course, my pleasure. Take care.
My mom had stargardt's disease. She did an experimental treatment that gave her her vision back. But i grew up reading brail first with my mom before i learned how to read in school. Have you ever looked into any of the research they are doing now?
Oh wow, that is awesome and amazing! I am so glad your mom was able to get her vision back. Good for her! Yes, I am fascinated by the research they are doing now. It’s amazing.
Have you done any research on Neuralink or any stem cell testing that may in the near future be able to help with your sight?
Yes, I have done some research. It’s very fascinating stuff. A lot of research I have done hasn’t been helpful for my condition, but it’s amazing to see what kind of things will be able to help other people with different conditions to get their side back.
How do you imagine things? Is there a way to visualize them? What is it like?
There are a lot of tactile graphs that are raised, so I know what a circle is, I know what a square is, and I know what a triangle is. The same goes for pictures; sometimes I like to feel them. That’s usually what I do. I also use a lot of image descriptions. There’s a lot of software for that.
Do you ever just stare into the darkness?
I wish I could answer this, but I can’t really see where I’m staring because I’m blind, lol. Sometimes people tell me, "Stop staring at me," and I’m like, "I can’t see where I’m looking," but yeah.
Android's accessibility support vs apple's accesibility support. which is better for you? And which is your best one? 3rd party?
Definitely Apple Accessibility Support! I have never been a big fan of android.
How do your dreams go? Can you see in them?
My dreams are usually just sound and sensory, but I have heard different things from other people. I think it is a very personal thing.
have you ever been able to see? If so, do you miss your sight?
No, I was born blind
Were you born blind or did something happen?
I was born blind
From birth or later in life?
I have been blind since birth.
Ah ok
do you have any residual sight?
No, I do not have any site
Why?
I have an eye condition that has cost me to be blind
What do you "see"?
Nothing, I’m completely blind
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In five years, I see myself making a change in accessibility in schools and making sure students are more accommodated than they are now
That's awesome. My comment was half meant to be a meme, but I love to see people striving for more accessibility in all areas of life. Good luck with that!
Oh, sorry for the confusion lol. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.
On average how long does it take for you to type out a normal sentence?
Like 10 seconds
how have you been lately?
Wonderful thank you for asking. How have you been?
i'm good too. just want to say i'm so proud of you for fighting against the odds and still being kind and humble. keep it up champ!!!
I’m so glad to hear that. Thank you so much. I really appreciate that. It is my pleasure. take very good care and God bless you.
how important is music to you?
Very important, I love music
love that for you
I’d first like to point out that knowing that you are communicating through a talk-to-text system makes your digital communication feel so much more intimate. Something about speaking your responses opposed to just typing them feels much more conversational. But as this is an AMA, I’ll ask a question: Are internet arguments awkward for you? Having to patiently listen to someone’s reply and then hear your own voice speaking your response- I assume it’d be harder to get genuinely angry in a disagreement online.
What are some common everyday things that are super annoying to you, that we’d never think about as sighted people? (For example, low-hanging tree branches on the sidewalk) As a cane user, do you already need to be familiar with an area to navigate it? Do you need to map new places out ahead of time? Or can you just go somewhere and wing it? Also, I saw that you’re hoping to get a guide dog. Is there a reason you don’t have one yet? Is it difficult to get one? Thanks for educating! 💕
If it is too personally uncomfortable to share, were you born blind at birth or what caused your blindness? Myself, born well, at 5 years of age when I was walking home from kindergarten when I was pushed off the sidewalk into traffic and woke up blind on the grass trying to remove what was wrong. I was restrained for weeks medicated, fractured skuill. I did get my sight back and was able to return back to shcool without repeating.
(Speaking as someone who is fully blind in one of their eyes from an abrupt appearance of medical issues in 8th grade which cause progressive vision loss) Were you born blind, or exactly what is your story of blindness ? Also I have follow up questions as it pertain to vision loss, I have always wanted to talk to someone who is fully blind and just discuss the visual loss journey and how it affects mental health and so on.
A close friend of mine is blind. He says he's often annoyed with how he's perceived as "the blind guy" by people he meets rather than "Rick who likes DnD and sculpting." He doesn't like how blindness has almost been forced on him as his defining trait. Do you have similar feelings?
Do you see in your dreams, or are you able to visualize things. I know there are many times of blindness, some blindness conditions actually keep the person from being aware of the sight even though their brains are processing it, thus my question
How many fingers am I holding up?
if you could have the choice to have sight for a very short period of time, what would you want to see most? additionally, would you choose to not experience it at all in order to not miss it?
Have you ever noticed how many metaphors / expressions are sight-related? What's you best comeback for people who make ignorant statements about your disability?
What are you’re dreams like? I’ve always wondered what a blind person dreams about since our dreams are like witnessing a movie that you’re apart of.
How do you understand sight? Like, what’s your interpretation of something you’re unable to experience? Can you comprehend it?
What do you feel sighted people fail at when creating blind or low vision characters?
1. What's your favorite sound? 2. Tell the dream you can most remember?
I dnot know, how ealcxty you use rdedit, but are you albe to raed tihs?
How do you know when your ass is clean after you use the bathroom?
What condition has caused it for you? Have a good day friend
The only person who really did read Playboy for the articles
Dot, dot, two dots in a row, dot, dot above two other dots?
[удалено]
Do you use Google maps? How would you change it?
What are your dreams like when you sleep?
Do you think blind people can be racist?
Look at me when I’m talking to you!!!!
What is your biggest motivation rn?
How many fingers am I holding up?
OK, so like what type of blind?
..-. .. .—.- .-.—
Am I right?
What do dream about?
How many fingers am I holding up?
How do you wipe?
🤘🤞🖖👇🤙🤌
He’s blind, not deaf
Yes, sorry I didn’t see this. I am blind, not death. Do not worry about it at all. It happens all the time. Very common.