There are some fun things about vision loss or impairment that you should know about.

Here are ten fun things by Dick Barbuto

1. Everyone looks great. Women are beautiful and men are handsome. Wailing children are not great unless you are also deaf.
2. You can barge into a room and become the immediate topic of conversation.
3. If people do not move when you barge into the room you can hit them with your long white cane with virtual immunity.
4. When you go to the airport make sure you have your white cane and look confused. In extreme cases bump into things. This will often result in a representative of the airline taking you to the front of the line. This will also get you on the plane first thereby insuring a spot for your luggage.
5. Make the political correctness people crazy. When I lived in NY I would often go to a popular deli for coffee. The owners would simply say “next” to wait on the next person in line. I never knew if I was next or not so I told the counter people to just refer to me as “blind guy” as in “blind guy you’re next.” This would often make some sensitive type go nuts yelling things such as ”how can you say that” and the like. It was fairly entertaining I sometimes got free coffee out of the deal.
6. Make fun of organizations that that have really stupid slogans. One organization I know of has something like if properly trained low vision can be nothing more than a nuisance. This was clearly written by a sighted person. These organizations should be made fun of at every opportunity.
7. Sometimes when people talk to me they will speak up in a loud voice. I tell them I am blind, not deaf. This should be done in a nice way so as not to embarrass anyone. Odds are you will both be laughing about it in a minute or two. Laughing is always fun.
8. Entitle a blog 10 fun things and then only write nine. People will say “well he’s blind you know” as if that had anything to do with it.
9. See The Scent of a Woman. Al Pacino is great in the final scenes. Actually, he was great throughout the movie. I think he got the academy award for best actor.

OK, OK. This is meant to be lighthearted. But the point is not to wallow in the valley of gloom and doom. Laugh at yourself and laugh with others. Above all let’s all remember rule 6 and we can all have a laugh. Nuisance indeed!