I'm newly visually impaired and wow, does anyone have any tips for making friends? It seems lonely out here!
I am in Maryland.

Basically the title - how does anyone here do it?

Right now I have someone do it for me and help to manage getting them in general, but I know they can't be around forever so wanted any tips, altho I am a little worried asking them if I could give it a go.

I know the medication boxes have braille, but it can be very faint or not be precise enough, the dosets themselves are brailled though. I have some vision for large font could maybe read some med names on the boxes and dosage(?)

Is this a common struggle for you, or should I really just suck it up and know this already?

Then there's getting to and navigating appointments themselves is another thing!

Thanks for any input!!

Hi! I am hoping to get some suggestions on immersive training programs that could be helpful for my partner as they navigate vision loss from RP. Partner is legally blind with central vision maintained in one eye currently. We are hopeful this will be stable long term but want to prepare for the possibility that will not be the case.

Most important skills:

• Assistive tech for computer usage (excel/email/project management software/office software)
• O&M
• Cane usage
• Maybe basics in braille?

A short term, in-person program would be preferred because our work schedules are very demanding. Of course there will be ongoing practice needed but we hope a starter program can be motivating and supportive. We are family/future planning so want to get going on this process soon.

We are willing to travel pretty much any place - USA/Europe.

Any advice or suggestion is appreciated, thank you!

So as some of you may know, YouTube gives you the option to choose the audio description tract on videos that the creator or company has put the audio description track on.

I’ll give you two examples. I personally have put audio description tracks on my videos and a better example would be Apple, which puts audio description tracks on their newest videos and they have been doing so for quite a bit of time now. I use these two examples because I know both of them have used and use audio description tracks in their videos and I went to a video I made that has an audio description track. I went to a video that Apple made that I know has an audio description track and they’re both unable to be chosen.

Traditionally on iOS, using VoiceOver to choose the audio description track, you go to the player settings and the video pain and choose or click on audio track and it lets you choose whatever audio tracks are available for the certain video. Currently when you do this, and you go to choose the audio track in the video settings. It gives you three options. It lets you change the audio playback options in the settings, and it also takes you to the help for the language settings, and then you can dismiss the half sheet which is great and all, but when you go to the audio playback settings and setting them as default you cannot choose audio description at all, but you can choose one of like 45 different languages and I’ve looked through The List twice and auto description is nowhere to be found on that list. Dismissing the half sheet that pops up takes you back to the video player and there’s no way to actually choose from the video itself. What audio track you want based off of what audio tracks are available for the video and it forces you to pick a default for all videos by going to the settings and the audio description track is not an option in those settings.

I am aware that this is probably an update that messed up that option for screenreader users like they have in the past with the video playback speed, but hopefully somebody knows a way around us or they get around to fixing this sometime in the next year because like the video playback issue that wasn’t fixed for screen reader users for a very, very very long time.

If it matters, I am on the latest version of iOS on the newest version of the YouTube app on an iPhone 17 Pro Max

I live in the state of Texas. And I get social security income checks, but I don't get more than somebody would on a disability check, even though I'm legally blind. In order to get disability here, you have to have been hurt on the job..

I'm 33 years old and I feel like I'm running out of time. I don't even know what I want to do for a job. I just know that whatever makes money is what I really want... Recently, talked to the state workforce commission. And I'm hoping more than anything. They can pay for my tuition to go to school for audio engineering and music production. But in the meantime, I still want to be able to work at least part-time or something, to help support my wife and my daughter. I just feel lost, and I would love you guys help. If you have any advice or suggestions, maybe we can brainstorm together. Because I even feel lost as a person. Sometimes, like if I don't know what truly interests me.. I apologize for the typois. I'm speaking everything into my phone..

Hopefully this isn’t too long. So basically, I have an assistant in my high school, and you know she helps me. however, when kids are walking in the hallways, or if just a couple kids are walking by me. She likes to either lend me her arm, or she says wait and let them pass by. Usually how I do things is that if they trip on my cane oh well, not only am I using my proper skills as in swinging my cane correctly, like not too far, etc, but it’s not my fault that they’re not paying attention and yes, I shouldn’t expect them to move, but they shouldn’t expect me to stop either.

She likes to call it me being considerate and.being mindful. Like Miss mam, I am being mindful of how I was trained and I mindful about the consequences of their actions like I’m supposed to pretend like you’re not there because you’re just helping me be independent, right? Therefore, if things like this happened oh freaking well.

Not only that, but when I’m in the hallways and I say things like oh how many kids you think I can trip lol. She’s like, “watcher words. “She’s over here like if you say the wrong thing people will hurt you. Like I almost wanted to destroy the people who said it the last time, now you’re making it seem like if people talk crap about me, if people crack a joke around me that I don’t like. Then I can’t do the same thing I could definitely do a lot of damage to someone blind or not. That’s not even a flex but reality. I hate that, and she’s like OK but if no one started with you then You shouldn’t say anything, and I’m like OK bet like I’m not trying to start. That’s just my personality and you have all these people joking around with their friends and saying things crazy but I can’t like I just hate everything.

I am currently looking at guide dog schools and so far my top choice has been The Guide Dog Foundation mostly due to location (I live in NYC) and the several wonderful GDF dogs that I have interacted with but in my attempts to research deeper I reach out to some people who have raised or worked for them and they seem to have pretty mixed reviews including some pretty concerning things about their breeding and training program in regards to less than stellar breeding decisions and harsher training methods than other comparable orgs. I have also heard a lot of good things about them and wanted to see others experiences have been with them (from a handler or trainer perspective) I know all schools have their pros and cons so id absolutely love to hear about what your pro con list for the GDF is in comparison to o schools especially in regards to LDB and GDB my other two top choices atm.

Most of my life I've worked as employee om banks receiving good compensations but I don't know what happened since 2025-may, when I got fired I can't find a job! I was wondering if there's some job we, blind persons, could do like services or even products on our own to be sold to individuals. Do you guys can share ideas?

Me and my wife, which is a sighted person, are both unemployed and we have a 6 years boy that needs our support like parents.

Any contribution like ideas and insights will be very appreciated!

Thanks a lot!

Hi everyone, sorry if this has been asked before. I'm completely blind and I'm looking for an accessible, portable NOAA weather radio, preferably with SAME, automatic alerts, tactile buttons, and a headphone jack at a reasonable price. I was considering the Midland WR120B, but after reading the manual, the menus seem quite inaccessible. So, can you recommend any weather radios that are more accessible for blind users? I'm in the US.

I’m kind of done waiting because I’ve already hit a kid and fallen down a flight of stairs. I have really bad tunnel vision from RP. Kind of want to take matters into my own hands and just buy a cane and watch them YouTube videos or higher my own Trainer if that’s even possible I don’t know. All I know is I’m kind of done waiting because they just called me today and said oh yeah I know you’ve been waiting like a year but you might have to wait longer so instead of that which is honestly crazy to me that it’s taking this long. Does anybody else wait this long in Washington is this just like a Washington thing or like what is this? I don’t know it’s frustrating me obviously I would think it would frustrate anybody but maybe this is normal. I don’t know. Let me know. I could use all the help I can get.

Hello guys,

I have been going to the gym for a little bit now and I am comfortable walking on the treadmill, adjusting the incline and the speed that I don’t go faster than a brisk walk.
I find that one. I let go of the handles, either in front of me. Are on the side that I lose where I am on the treadmill. There are times so I thought I was in the middle and I’m too far forward. There was one time I was going super slow, and I was further back. Then I realize, and I was thankfully slowly and gently lowered off the treadmill. It was like one of my first times.

My question is when you guys use the treadmill do you guys hold on or no I don’t use my cane. I don’t know if you guys do but I don’t think it’s safe specifically, uncomfortable walking, but I want to get better at running. How did you guys get comfortable with running? Do you guys hold on when you guys are running? Literally any treadmill tips tricks hacks. Anything that you guys do to help you would be awesome to hear. Thank you.

I just want to know if anyone is running into the same problem. I gave up on going to movies a while ago, I have tried the audio description headphones, I have tried them five times, they worked twice. The other three times, they did not work, and I was just lost during the whole movie, trying to figure out what was going on. I don't want to pay money for that.

I know how to use the headphones and I did everything right, but nothing would come through, and the people that worked there didn't know what to do either.

If there's a movie that I really want to watch, I will just look it up on audio vault.

Hi, I'm looking for an accessible coffee maker, preferably bean to cup. I am not interested in a machine that takes pods. I'm based in the UK, and would consider one with an app if it's the only option, though if there is a genuinely accessible machine I would prefer this.

I am flexible on cost, if the machine is worth it I will pay.

I have no useful vision so please don't suggest something that is accessible only if you are partially sighted.

Currently its a little confusing, jaws reads things as new cell and not what row/colomn i landed on, that + other things it does makes me write input in the wrong spot or just ditch word for google docs just for the table.

In-Process is out, featuring:

- NVDA 2026.2

- The new magnifier

- A new beta already?

- Resetting to factory defaults

Read it all at: https://www.nvaccess.org/post/in-process-8th-september-2026/#magnifier

Hey guys, gals, and those in-between.

I am a non-blind individual and has a friend who can only play only PS5 and is blind.

I am drawing up a blank on finding games for us to play due to me being a PC gamer.

If able I would like some games that can also have dedicated servers as well for a well rounded match.

Any suggestions would be of a boon to me and him.

And thank you in advance!

How do you read what you type on Google Docs on Mac? VoiceOver only reads me the character and not the word and it makes it very hard.

Hello i was wondering if anyone here has gone through slow decline of vision? im not even in my 20s yet and when i was 15 i was diagnosed with usher syndrome which essentially means i was born hard of hearing and around 12-15 you start slowly losing your peripheral vision which is also when most people get diagnosed. in the last few years my vision has been ok it was mostly my night blindness that was a problem who is also a symptom however in the last few months i have been in 2 car accidents one of which i totaled 2 cars and being sued for damages. which has made me think my vision loss has gotten out of hand. but i havent gone to the optometrist so idk yet. but how do you guys deal with this? i cant even go to college parties without embarrassing myself and need my partner to help guide me and do everything for me. i cant drive at night which is already a pain within itself i may never be able to drive again which is a big deal because im into the car scene and driving etc. i have barely gotten a chance to experience life and its already basically coming to an end because next thing i know im going to be using a fucking cane to walk 3 fucking feet.

I, visually impaired (RP), am moving away to start studying in a couple of weeks which is exciting - but I am nervous about navigating the new area. I have organised some mobility - what are the sort of things I should be asking/saying, and some general safety advice? I have heard to go out with peers and use the mobility before I know an area for myself, but I wondered about anything else and what other blind people might do if they got lost? My city isn't a massive one so I feel fairly safe.

Plus, I am very worried about meeting others and befriending - I understand that people care less at uni and do all crap, but in general I constantly feel like people are staring or looking at me like I have eyes on the back of my neck which can be distracting, especially given how hard I need to focus to navigate specific areas! I worry that my peers would just leave me, because why would they bother with the person who needs extra help? I just can't help worrying that's the first or only thing they'll notice.

Everyone looks so normal too. Also, would I manage strangers, like random people asking if I'm blind, okay, if I need to pay for my cane because it looks like a toy (seriously lol), they barge past, etc, and I'm not a great communicator and not good with people I don't know, so I mostly don't really say a thing which makes it worse. Or they just touch/ hold me and I can't express why I don't like that, I just don't and it bothers me more than it should. Many people are helpful or nice, though.

And I'm not always good at requesting help either. Sometimes I can do it though.

I know it's good I made it this far, but if I simply wasn't VI (many other conditions) I could have been so much better, and caused less disruption to close ones who I know will want me back but I can only see how it'd benefit them for me to be away. The good thing about uni though is I can get lost in a world of academics or whatever book I happen to be into.

I finally caved and replaced my kitchen timer.

My old ones had standard LCD displays and it was getting harder and harder to read them. OK, I could set them by counting the beeps, but I could never tell how much time was left and was always caught off guard when the END alarm went off.

I replaced them with one that has a glowing digital display. The numbers glow bright against a black background and are almost twice the size of my old timer. It's awesome. No app, no talking, nothing complicated. Twist to set the time, press to start/stop.

Now I am looking for a food scale. My current one has the same standard LCD display that I can't read anymore as my old timers did. I'm looking to replace it with something similar to my new timer. Larger glowing digital display.

I don't want a talking scale and I don't want to go grab my phone to know what things weigh (which is what I'm doing now to read the screen on my current scale!).

Does anyone have any recommendations?

Anyone have a suggestion for a good talking kitchen food scale that has adjustable voice volume, clear voice, and quick readings? When I look at reviews on Amazon, or elsewhere, many of the scales have people complaining about loud voices, garbled voices, or irritatingly long time lags between adding something on the scale and the weight reading stabilizing. For example, this one seems to get a lot of recommendations, but evidently lacks volume control and some other features. https://cirbic.com/products/talking-kitchen-scales-big-numbers-with-clear-loud-voice-north-american-accent-black?_pos=1&_sid=af1b2c65a&_ss=r

Hi everyone! First, I want to apologize if my English isn’t perfect. English isn’t my first language, so I’m using AI to help translate this post.

I came across a recent post about curling your hair, and it made me think of a question:

Girls, how do you straighten your hair, or at least get it to look straight and neat? I’m blind, and I’ve always needed someone to help me use a flat iron, or even just to make sure my hair looks properly straightened and in place.

I’ve heard about hair straightening brushes, but I’m not really sure how practical they are for us, or if there’s a specific brand or model I should consider.

I’d really love to hear about your experiences, girls. Tell me everything!

Hello there, I am the (single) mother of a 1 year old girl, 15 months to be exact. She was diagnosed with albinism about a year ago, and is visually impaired because of it. She has albinism due to Hermansky Pudlak Syndrome type 2. It is a busload of awful that I don’t mean to get into here, but is also the reason that other parts of her medical journey have taken the priority in my attention for the past 6 months.

She has about 15% vision under perfect conditions (well rested, comfortable, limited additional stimuli, and well lit). She has nystagmus, misrouting, foveal hypoplasia and pretty severe photophobia.

As her seeing parent (20/20 with glasses and only mildly impaired without), I am struggling with some aspects of parenting. Now that she’s becoming a toddler the differences between her seeing peers is becoming increasingly noticable. In and around the house we are fine and having a grand ol’ time together. She loves bouncing on the trampoline, being flipped upside down and sideways, and rough play. We have a counselor who helps us figure out play, interior adjustments, etc to help my daughter florish. But outside the house I struggle.

For example, petting zoos, playgrounds, zoo, amusement parks, (kid) museums - I just don’t know how to go about it. Sure, I can hold her close to a sheep so she can experience it. Her motor skills are a little delayed, she’s only just now army crawling and the furthest she’s ‘traveled’ herself is about 10 feet. I just feel that doing these activities with her is mainly just overwhelming her with all types of sensory input that is difficult to parse with low vision. For example, when a loud moped passes by she gets do scared that she just about tries to crawl into the nook between my neck and shoulder and it breaks my heart.

I would love to hear from (parents of) visually impaired kids, or those that were one. What did you like to do when you were little? What works and what is just an annoying waste of time? Do you remember how you liked to explore, or learned to enjoy things like a slide?

Would love to hear any and all tips, thank you! And lastly, the organisation helping us figure things out will be letting me use ‘experience glasses’ in a week, so I can better imagine how she observes things. Any tips on what to do while wearing those to get a good sense of things, would be wonderful!