I'm really hoping I can get some different perspectives on this. I'm an adult, who reads braille fluently. I didn't learn as a child, although I did learn quite a bit in high school. this is just me saying I'm not a "native" braille reader if you will.

My typing and reading are fine. but I'm an author and editor professionally. I've been barely squeaking by for a long time by making font larger and larger when I need to edit. But I have to just accept that isn'j working any more. But I'm very frustrated with transitioning myself to working in an all braille environment.

The biggest challenges I'm noticing are I don't seem to have a rhthm between writing and reading the display. When I could see the screen, even if I couldn't see each letter, I could get an idea of how long a paragraph is (which tells me if it needs to be broken up to sit better when it goes to print). You can also easily see sen^ence length variations. When you write or edit, sentences should be varied to avoid sounding monotonous.

Then of course there's the need to seemlessly switch between adding comments into a document and reading.

It all just feels very clunky. And I know it will get better with practice, but I would really just love to talk to others who use braille to edit.

Note: I'm not interested in using a voice screen reader for editing. I'm DeafBlind and the screen reader chattering at me is just verbal noise. It makes the editing experience significantly worse.

I'm looking for apps on iPhone or android that will read a PDF in a pleasant voice while the phone is just in my pocket. Like as though I just had a recording of somebody reading the PDF. I do not want to use AI. I figure maybe something like this exists even if it's made for people who drive cars? OK I hope this was clear but let me know any questions thanks!

Anyone know of a good replacement for Blind Compass? Seems they don’t carry it in the App Store anymore and I found it useful to have a compass you can lock a heading on and then have it count how many feet you’ve gone in that direction. Super useful for crossing open spaces! TIA!

I'm a man, and I'm completely blind. For a whole host of reasons, I don't want to have children.

I've given this a lot of thought, and I've decided to get a vasectomy because I'm sexually active and have multiple sexual partners, and an unplanned pregnancy would put me in a pretty difficult situation.

Here in Brazil, both private health insurance companies and the country's universal public healthcare system are required to provide vasectomies to men aged 21 and older. The public system is funded and run by the government, is available to everyone, and provides care free of charge at the point of use.

But I'm scared. Tomorrow, I have an appointment with a doctor who works in the government-run healthcare system to start the process of getting a vasectomy. On Friday, I have another appointment, this time with a doctor through my private health insurance, to get the same process started.

One thing about Brazil is that our free, universal public healthcare system is actually very good, while private health insurance plans are pretty terrible. So when we need medical care, it's common to start the process through both the public system and private insurance at the same time, then go with whichever one can get us treated sooner. Usually, the public system wins.

The thing is, I'm really afraid of experiencing ableism. I'm worried that doctors might refuse to perform the procedure, even though Brazil's Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities Act explicitly guarantees people with disabilities the right to family planning.

I'm worried that doctors who are misinformed, ableist, and full of themselves might make things unnecessarily difficult, leaving me with no choice but to file formal complaints, hire lawyers, take the matter to court, and get dragged into a legal battle just to secure a basic right.

Honestly, this fear is always with me. Whenever I need to do something important, I'm afraid something will go wrong. Maybe it's anxiety. But it's the kind of thing that people without disabilities probably never even have to think about.

Anyway, I just wanted to get this off my chest and hear what you all think.

I woke up this morning to find that my phone had automatically updated to the latest version of iOS. I don’t know why it did it because I thought I had turned off automatic updates, but I guess what’s done is done. I had been trying to stop it from updating because I had heard that one of the most recent updates didn’t work very well with voiceover, but now I guess I have it.

I’ve been OK mostly, except for dealing with Safari. I prefer to use Safari for the Internet and voiceover keeps glitching out whenever I open a new page. It won’t read anything on the screen except for the address bar and allow me access to the vertical scroll bar and the forward and back buttons. I’ve tried refreshing and that doesn’t work. Some pages will be recognized and some won’t and it doesn’t seem to depend on the website that I’m on because there’s very little difference between a page that it won’t recognize and a page that it will at times.

Does anyone know if there’s anything in settings that I can adjust to fix this? Voiceover has never done anything like this before so I don’t really know where to begin.

Hello, I’m 27 and I live in the USA, specifically Texas. I have a question regarding life as I am visually impaired, but I always finding super hard to enjoy life both financially and emotionally what I mean by this is that I feel like I’m just surviving to live and all the finances I have were used for appointments or medication’s and insurance nothing to enjoy on spending and if I try to enjoy on spending, I feel like I’m gonna be wasting money in a way as for the emotional aspect I feel like I have less wants needs goals in life because at the end of the day, I feel like I’m just gonna be blind so what’s the point anyways so I don’t even bother trying

Sorry for any typo as it’s voice to text,.

My dad has fairly advanced macular degeneration- he lives by himself and is very independent but struggles with losing his sight.

His birthday is coming up, besides time helping him with certain things, I’m wondering if there are any items that are not computer/technology related that might help him out.

He does not use a computer or a smart phone and he does not plan to. He does have a very large tv that he can still navigate and he uses a large magnifying glass with built in light to read if necessary. He also purchased a clock that has audio functions so he can check the time.

Thank you for any ideas.

hi, so I have recently connected my braille display to my iphone for the first time, and I'm wondering if you guys who use a braille display with their phones just navigate with the default settings, or do you change them? And if you do change them, what key combinations do you recommend I use? Do you know of any that are convenient and easy to memorize?

Hi everyone.

I've been toying with the idea of creating some screen reader courses. I could just make them YouTube videos, but I thought it'd be nice to throw in a mix of videos, guides, quizzes etc. Like online lessons.

Have you had positive experiences with any online course platforms out there? I remember edX was a bit of a chore to use with a screen reader last time I used it, though it might be partially down to the course author.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

Has anyone found success with operating a professional karaoke set up completely non-visually? I am exploring KARAFUN, and I’m running into an issue getting lyrics to display on an external screen without losing access to voiceover. I can connect my iPhone to a television via screen mirror, but when I select full screen, I lose voiceover completely until I exit the app and reopen it. Also, the audio from the KARAFUN app can go to my Bluetooth karaoke machine via AirPlay, audio, on iOS, but it appears that I lose my screen mirror to the television at that point. If anyone has had success hosting a professional karaoke set up as a totally blind person, I am interested in hearing your experience And whatever information you can share. Thank you.

I am strongly considering purchasing Meta Glasses and I have some (stupid, no doubt) questions. I did search and read some past threads onn the subject, and did some general internet searching, but a few questions remain. For context, I have no usable vision, and am hoping to use glasses to help me navigate in public, read signs, menus, packaging and find mysteriously lost items in my home. I am an amputee and use a walker. When I go out with family/friends, they have the unlucky task of guiding me, and it can be exhausting for them and for me. While I realize that I will probably still need some guidance, I am hoping the glasses will return some blessed independence to me.

I appreciate your help with the following questions:

Do they function like bone conducting headphones? *I could not find info on how, exactly, one hears directions and assume that only the wearer can hear them.

I was at an NFB meeting recently, and there was talk about people being harassed for wearing them in public and that some places actually ban them. Has anyone had experience with this? Also, is it obvious to the sighted public that someone is wearing them?

What is the number one benefit that you have experienced wearing them?

Please feel free to add any additional information from your personal experience.

i’ve been sighted my whole life and 2 years ago I lost all of my vision very abruptly and I still haven’t accepted it, this isn’t opposed to talk about that but to talk about now
I met a guy about a week ago and he asked me on a date to the state fair next Sunday but he doesn’t know about my disability and I feel so embarrassed to tell him because I don’t want him to think of me differently, I want him to look at me the same way he does now and it’s very scary for me
I haven’t had any mobility training so when I go places I’m guided around and of course that’s something he needs to know before I go out with him but I’m just so scared
my sister says I shouldn’t go with him at all because he doesn’t have experience with guiding me around and it would be too much in a crowded place like the fair which bums me out I just wanna live normal
I don’t know if I wanted advice or this is just me ranting but I’m just sad I guess

I had previously been using voice dream for bookshare books but bookshare sent me an email promoting their new more natural voices so I tried it out found a voice I like, but I am having some difficulties with the bookshare reader and I’m looking for feedback. There are buttons controls on the bottom of the page. I’m using an Apple 17 standard phone that do not seem to work or do what they are able to do such as skipping from section to section. I have also had instances where all of a sudden the book will change from its reading format into a fast forward mode for no reason, and I have to use a single finger swipe to stop the fast forward and get the book back into normal reading mode other buttons that say they will tell you where your reading position is do not seem to work as well, and I don’t understand why the book is described in sections rather than chapters and that it does not read the chapter headings

Does anybody know if you can switch out your headphones on the audio description boxes at the AMC theater? Wanted to see a movie and was wondering if I could switch the earbuds and then top off with my other headset which is a noise canceling one since the Dolby theater is usually too loud for me.

My parents have been abusive my whole life and my mom is all I have left in my family. I’m really worried that I will never make enough money to be able to cut her off, or make enough money to be comfortable. I still live with them. I have been hospitalized due to my depression and previous attempts. I work a minimum wage job but I don’t think thats enough to move in California. I’m pretty worried that my vision will take my life. I want to give myself the chance to move and finally live my own life, not just survive. I’m very exhausted.

I know I deserve more than to feel this way, but I haven’t experienced any different. I need to get away from her, but then what happens when I move out with a roommate. How will I get money for ubers to work? I already am not able to save much. I’m on disability but its only $550/mo. I have exhausted my resources with Dep of Rehab, and all DV housing are completely full right now, or do not accept children of abuse, only mothers.

Any tips or advice?

So last week I met up with a very sweet guide dog handler and she offered for me to take a few meters with her guide dog at first she held the leash and I only held the handle. Her guide dog is a poodle. The handle was a bit short. I was scared at first but it really went away real quickly. And then she asked wehether I wanted to walk on my own, She would be right behind us. It was honestly amazing. Her dog has a real fast walking pace but she did adjust a bit to me and of course the handle was too short but still it was so different from walking with a cane. I’m normally due to a traumatic event from my childhood really panicky for loud noises but I did not notice any of that. I felt like her dog shielded me from that. The fear I had before like would I be able to rely onna dog even for a few meters? Would I be able to shut of my brain and not think of any rough surfaces? All that went away as soon as I walked with her. I’ve been thinking about getätigt a guide dog for some time and now that I was able to try that my decision has been made. It wasn’t even a correct trial walk since the handle was too short and all but still. It wasn’t even a very happy experience!

How was your first guide dog walk? Also was very funny when I was back to walking with my cane and she with her dog. They were way faster and I was always struggling to keep up. Now I understand what she meant that it’s like floating! You still have to think but it’s so different from walking with a cane!

I’ve always had eye problems starting with ROP, congenital nystagmus, diagnosed with gluacoma around late teens and I’m very myopic along with cataracts now so that’s lovely.

I developed cataracts in both eyes earlier this year but have only had surgery on one eye so far. Given the complications I’ve experienced, I regret having the surgery every day. Now my vision is worsening in my other eye and I’m terrified to do anything to it because it’s my only functioning eye.
I had to quit my job in July because I can’t safely drive anymore and haven’t been able to work since. Which meant I’ve gone into debt and moved back in with my parents, which has been miserable. I hate where they live, and it’s even more isolated than where I lived before.

I’m 28, and I can’t just decide to go for a drive, grab a drink at a bar, or go to a concert or even something as simple as going grocery shopping or leaving the house whenever I want. There’s nothing nearby besides Walmart and fast food, and walking isn’t an option. Without being able to drive, I can’t work, and there are no Ubers available in the area, so I’m stuck at home most of the time.
What makes it especially difficult is knowing what I’ve lost. Before all this, I enjoyed going to meetups and board game nights at a local bar. Now I can’t do those things, and dating feels almost impossible when I can’t reliably get myself anywhere.

I’m about to close on a house with multiple natural gas lines, water lines, etc in the basement. And I’m curious, how do others handle labeling the valves for maintenance?

I am trying to find a hobby for my uncle. He has pretty severe macular degeneration. He also has end-stage COPD. Anything that involves walking, bending, or carrying heavy items is no good. He can walk probably 50 feet before he is winded so something stationary or close to it is best.

He's an old school guy, been a trucker most of his life. I know he isn't interested in working with small tiny parts assembling stuff like miniature models or anything like that.

It's hard to say what his interests are as he was the type of guy to just work, work, work all the time so he hasn't had much free time to explore that side of himself. Currently, he spends most of his day watching TV because he can't do much else. To my knowledge, he only really has peripheral vision and even that is pretty bad because he has a lazy eye on the left and his macular degeneration is worse on the right... he can see well enough to read texts. It seems close up is better. As far as I know, he can't make out a face at 5-10 feet.

Please let me know what kind of information I can provide if it will be helpful. Thank you to anyone that can help.

I don't know all the terms so I apologize in advance. I have a friend we play board games with who can read only slowly with the help of high magnifier devices. I'd like to find some sort of table top magnifier maybe an LED lamp or something to help him enjoy board games like he used to.

Any suggestions?

I don't know the medical issue with his eyes or how specifically bad they are, just that he has super limited vision. Can read a little bit slowly at 3 or 5x magnification, but only has ones he can hold in his hand.

Hello everyone,

I am reaching out to this community because I am feeling quite desperate and hoping to connect with anyone who has a similar experience.

I have been struggling with a severe corneal condition for over 20 years. During this time, I have undergone multiple eye surgeries, including previous corneal transplants. Unfortunately, I have now completely lost all vision in one eye, and my other eye has less than 0.25% vision left. I am currently facing the reality of needing yet another corneal transplant.

Has anyone here gone through a second (or multiple) corneal transplant on the same eye? How was the recovery process, and what were the outcomes for your vision?

Any shared experiences, advice, or words of encouragement would mean the world to me right now. Thank you so much.

Hello everybody. I am 16 almost 17, and I grew up as if I was sighted, meaning that, well, I wasn't really shown how to be blind if you know what I'm trying to say there. So I'm having to catch up to every one else who's done been shown. And I feel like every one is annoied with me because they don't know this stuff about me and I don't expect them to, but that's why it's so embarrassing for me. I want to think about 17 year old and beyond stuff, but instead I'm having to learn every basic thing I should have learned years ago. I feel pathetic and like an embarrassment to society because sometimes I think, "I can't do this or that because I'm blind." Then I get instantly proven wrong by whatever youtube video I look up about it, then I'm like, well, crap, that was an ignorant assumption, so I guess it's just me who can't do it. It's embarrassing because while every other blind teen is just kickin' it, living it up, I'm over here trying to catch up before anybody ever notices I wasn't capable of doing what every one else can do. It has also messed up my mental health. I look like some angry ignorant child but I'm anything but that. I'm actually very mature but I think I've gone and made myself look like an idiot. And I feel like an alien. Anyway, please don't attack me, I'm just trying to survive here. Has any one else here felt like this?

Hello, my father recently went blind due to cataracts/glaucoma. With this being so new we been struggling with ways to keep him entertained until recently he started listening to YouTube stories. However the issue is when he’s in his room alone sometimes the ads will pop up relentlessly and having the trouble of finding the skip button has been rough. I wanted to ask if anyone knows an alternative way to skip the ads easier or maybe a better option than YouTube stories that is not expensive or costs money.

Does anyone here know how to read braille or even have a certification, I feel like no one uses brialle anymore.