Photo taken from Davao
Consider the fact that having visual impairment is quite a thing to handle, but how do things go when you have functional visual impairment? Well, the first thing is I am a visually impaired person and I have a functional vision at that. Things are a bit confusing as to where should I properly put me into. Of course I’m counted as one with such condition, also I am being counted as an abled one.
Things are already quite obvious nowadays, but let me broaden this up a bit. Having a Visual disability for me is a thing to deal with as person who has one. As always, things are not as simple as how it usually is for those with 20/20 sight. Growing up, I am one of those who had to bear with thick eye glasses, large prints, magnifiers, sit in the front of the class, and oh, eventually end up having darkened-tip nose because of the pencil and my nose tip running across the paper I write on. Huh, definite things to laugh at when you see one. I never was one of the cool guys in school, but never was the one who runs out on ideas on things to do. I got used to doing things alone, since there weren’t anyone to help me with what I tend to do. I never was a loner, at the end of the day, I always have somebody to go with me back home.
So that’s how it goes back then, simple life, no regrets, just being as ordinary school boy as I could be. My life as how thought about was no Limits, so much for thinking about it that way. I was starting to notice things are not quite as the same as how they do it compare with how I go about it. They could catch a ball every time it comes speeding right to them, well I myself catch a ball, with my face that is. Everyone could just go run around through places and not get caught into something like barb wires or doors or poles as I do. I was starting to ask question such as: Why do I have to see things when it’s already near and not when I still have time to get aware of it? I still can see, but why is my prospective different from how my friends see things? What is it with my eyes that instances are beyond my control like rapid movements? Why the other eye does see a different angle from the other one? And how come the other sees clearer than the other one?
Bearing with my condition and adjusting to every new environment I get myself into, I learned how to deal with my situation despite of having all these questions unanswered in my mind. Learning from experiences, I was able to adapt to my eyes’ condition, such that I would be able to get things done as how it was suppose to in my own little ways. Recognizing a place through color, lighting, shapes of things was one ways of remembering somewhere I’ve gone to. It’s not that I know how a place looks like as how it’s being seen, but as how I remember looking at some areas on it that reminds me that I’ve in that place. Remembering a person through height, body structure and voice was my way to know someone. It was not that I remember how they look like because I wouldn’t know how their face was like in the first place. Knowing what letter it was because I know how it looks like and not because I see it clearly. So that’s how it went for me. I was doing things quite the same as how others would usually do it not because I can see it clearly, but because I was able to get myself quite familiar in doing it.
I was getting a bit confuse as to where should I put myself into. Back then there were only programs for those who can’t see totally and it goes straight to other kinds of disabilities. I was not able to get into a certain program for those who are totally blind because I was still able to see, but I was to be considered as one visually impaired. Also I wasn’t able to go about with the activities for those with normal sight because one way or another I would just get myself confused with it, but I still could see. For years, there was not even one program that could cater to needs of people with such visual impairment as I do.
Not until one teacher went out of her way just to see what it was that I am going through with my disability. She was involved in a program specifically catering to person with total blindness. She started it out with me, got me into special activities that I never thought I could be into with proper tool. It took some time then for me and there I was. I got involved into activities knowing that I was the only low vision on it. I was taught to use my sight in a more proper way. I got involved into Drawing activities in our school and was taught how to properly angle my sight on a specific object, since both my eyes have different angles. It took me some time to learn how to properly deal with it. It was of my great gratitude to this teacher that I pursued my studies to be one teacher myself and to continue the talent she helped me developed, which is drawing.
Years gone by and things did under gone through a lot of changes. Here I am now gearing up for my new life as a low vision who’s about to become a father. I could never imagine how my life could have been without being able to adapt with my disability. I know that I was fortunate enough to have these kinds of opportunities, but then again how about those who won’t be having the same measures that I took. How about those whom are until now confused as to where should they be in our society? Should it take them also years? Then the search goes on.
There will be a lot of things to talk about and I also am going to input my own prospective as a Low Vision individual. Everyone, I am Rene Orense.
