Because I have low vision, I have difficulties with depth perception. For example, when I am pouring a cup of coffee, I can’t tell if I have half a cup or if it the hot liquid is up to the rim of the cup.
Walking along a city sidewalk can be unnerving because when I come to the intersection, I have difficulty telling how deep the step off the curb will be. I have found that using a walking stick helps me to judge how deep the step down will be. When I was younger, this might not have been such a problem because my body would have adjusted to the sudden jolt of a greater drop than I had expected, but because I am older, I worry a lot about falling, causing an injury that would take months to heal. I am very cautious about changes in the walking surface. Even a small bump or indentation in the sidewalk raises an alarm in my brain, and I instinctively tighten my muscles. Because I am constantly anticipating a fall, walking along the sidewalk is less relaxing than it used to be.
Winter magnifies the problem. Walking along a slippery surface is exhausting! For many years. I have noticed that when I arrive at my destination, having walked over slippery streets and sidewalks, the muscles in my upper back are very tense, and sometimes sore because of the tension created by worrying about falling.
You can understand the tension created in the body from walking on the ice and snow, but you may have difficulty understanding the exhaustion and tension I experience from walking on an uneven surface, even when there is no ice and snow. However, when I attended for the first time t a meeting of the local support group for blind and low vision people, I found others who instantly understood why I was upset that the surface of the accessibility ramp leading up to the front door at City Hall was broken and uneven. It was reaffirming to find a group of people who instantly “got it”.
The April 17 edition of the Prince Albert Daily Herald featured an interview with Patrick Fairbairn who is a member of the low-vision support group. He stated that the group is a way to trade information, but it is also a place to find those who are experiencing life in a similar manner.
The article went on to say that “improving accessibility in Prince Albert begins with something powerful, but often overlooked: helping people feel less alone and more hopeful about what is possible”.
I believe strongly in the power of a support group. The benefits of the group are greater than the sum of its parts. When we get together, we share information and empower each other to live more active and rewarding lives. I am very thankful for the local support group for people living with limited eyesight.
