VisionSim App: see what I see: How can I run?

Visual impairment is not just total blindness. When people hear "I am blind" that assume that I see in complete darkness. The type of retina degenerative disease I have mocks me by mimicking AMD but I do have some light and color perception. The picture starting from left to eye kind of shows what I am going through. The far left is when it first started, the middle picture is progressing to more moderate vision loss and the third is what I experience today. My peripheral vision I have left is very blurry and I have weak depth perception.

But I am happy to have what I have. The most recent doctor's visit a few days ago, gave me great news. I am stable at this point. I can live with that.

So, I use many tools to help me navigate; my white cane, my guide dog and now with running simply as holding hands with a sighted guide until I can fully run with a tandem rope that has been donated to me and my sighted guide by Richard Hunter a famous blind marathon runner in his own right.

I am using that little sight to better understand my environment, especially if there is a stark contrast between colors. For example green equals grass and gray equals pavement.

It is still a work in progress but I am getting a rhythm and been running at least three times a week with one longer run on the weekend.

I am still doing walk/runs, but the running is becoming longer than the walking.

I am pretty proud of myself:)

If you are interested to "see" what eye diseases look like, check out the VisionSim app. It is dress and can give you a different perspective of others dealing with a vision impairment.

Until next tie, be active!