Category: Let's talk
does anyone here use a white cane with a visual acuity of 20/400? mom wants me to start using one but idk about it..
Well I have only light perception so of course I use one.
Lol!
My advice to you is you should use one...if you try to use the little vission you have...well...it won't be good for you.
I work for a rehab agency. Our mobility teachers encourage even people with your level of vision and even better to at least carry a cane to identify yourself as visually impaired to others. It can help avoid some awkward moments.
i agree with becky. i have many friends with your vision, and they use especially in the public, it helps a whole bunch, even if they do know where they're going.
I agree, you should definitely use a cane.
Yes, using the cane will certainly help people understand that you have a visual impairment.
yes. using a cane will help people realize that you are blind. but just using it for that purpose is pointless pretty mutch. if you're only using it for that reason, you don't need it. but you should use a cane. trying to use what little vision you may have can be a dangerous thing. You'll get hurt with it sooner or later without a cane. Also, using a cane helped me to gain confidence. I'm not sure if I'm just crazy or... but anyways... to get to the point, yes. you should use one.
If you are uncomfortable using one, try getting used to it gradually. You can buy folding canes and belt holsters for them. Keep it folded up if you are in a familiar environment and don't think you need it. When you get to a busy street intersection, take it out of the holster and unfold it and use it as you cross the street. You might also want to use it in a crowd because it will let people coming toward you know that they need to step out of your way rather than expect you to be the one to get out of their way.
thanks for the advice. I had my first training session on friday.. she is coming back out to my apartment on tuesday to show me how to cross streets safely and what not.
I feel kinda weird
I think it depends on where you live. If your in a big city then yea. Otherwize... no.
IMO, it doesn't matter where you live. If you need the cane, it's wise to use it. Silentscreams22, you'll adjust, just give it time. I heard a story about someone who refused to use a cane, and was walking around a construction site, or something like that. One of the workers yelled for him to stop because had he gone a step further, he could have fallen down over the edge of a very deep hole and gotten seriously injured, or worse, killed. Had he had a cane with him, he could have found it by himself.
Yeah, I'd use a cane, no matter where you live. I live in quite a small but incredibly busy little town in south-east England and I don't even find it very easy using a cane, even though I have no sight, what so ever, with the acception of light and dark which don't really count anyway, so I always go in to town with a member of my family IE. Mum or my Grandparents and just have to show the white cane for people to jump right, left and centre off the pavement when they see us coming. (well that's if there is a pavement. A lot of the ancient roads and dirt tracks in Farnham don't have pavements).
I hate my cane but use it. can not wait to get a dog.
canes? love . them, very dangerous without one... lol
use them, it will save you lots of embarrassment and pain, and ont feel weird, what would feel weirder: being showed how to be independant? or falling down and completely humiliating yourself? yeah, easy answer
I agree with the vast majority of the posts here. As a former mobility instructor and a long-former teen ager with a really bad attitude toward the cane, I'm glad I started using it while I had some useable vision. I don't know anything about your vision loss, but in some cases, peole have a field loss. They may see fine straight ahead, but might not be able to see straight in front of them, and still focus on what's on the ground. My answer to that is let the cane do the ground-level work. This way, one can look straight ahead, and relax a little more. You will find the cane will answer a lot of questions that sight folks may want to ask that are frankly none of their business. If you've been in a store for example and ask the price on something because you can't see it, you might ask a salesperson who has had a bad day and get responses like / "What's the matter, stupid, can't you read?" Next time, idiot, bring your glasses!" "I once heard of someone who put lime gelatin in their eyes and sent a thousand dollars to this person in Switzerland, and they got there eyesight back." I'm sure everyone here could probably tell similar tales of reactions.
Oh yeah. I found that by using the can while had vision, I could observe the way others were using it, and avoid mistakes in technique they were making.
Good luck, and hang in there. It takes time to become comfortable with the cane, but that really isn't any different than most aspects of getting used to vision loss.
Lou
thanks guys... I've taken your advice with using the cane... its not as bad as i thought it would be! I have a problem with getting the cane stuck in a crack or something and then it hits me in the side lol (ouch)
I'm not really comfy with everyone staring at me tho... anyways thanks for all your comments on this :)
Yeah, I remember the annoyance of having the cane getting stuck in cracks. They ghave different cane tips. Try getting one that rolls from side to side. That might help.
I have the marshmellow tip on it... but it still gets caught. alot of the sidre walks here in my area are broken up and all cracked which makes it hard to travel on.
also i have trouble using it in grassy areas and gravel.. anyone have any ways to make it easier?
Well, you might stop taking short cuts. (lol). Seriously though, with grass, I try to skim the top of the grass if I'm walking on it. After I've found the perimmetter of the sidewalk or driveway, I sorta learn how wide I can make my cane arc without doing serious dammage to my side stomach or worse with the other end of the cane. Another thought is if the cane handle gets caught in your side, you might not be centering your hand in front of the body as some people teach one to use the cane.
Oh, and if you're uncomfortable with people staring at you now, which is a natural reaction by the way, think how uncomfortable you'd feel if they saw you falling over curbs, down stairs, etc., not to mention the harm you could potentially do to yourself.
Keep it up, and know there are lots of us here pulling for you.
Lou
use a white cane all the time is my advice, you can get some that are light weight, others with no crook on them, my prefrence those.