Offers a variety of tips to those affected
MANY struggle to recognise the difference between a visually impaired person and one fully blind. That is the opinion of Amie Hynes Fitzpatrick, who has decided to set up her own blog, outlining her experiences as a visually impaired person.
Amie, 22, from Kerry, is a University of Limerick Journalism Graduate, who has a rare visual impairment called Stargardt disease.
Stargardt disease is a progressive vision loss, which can often lead to blindness. The progression tends to begin early in life.
In her blog, ‘Through the eyes of a V.I.P (visually impaired person),’
Amie shares her own experiences, while offering advice for others.
She offers a variety of tips for job interviews, shopping and transportation.
Speaking to the Limerick Post, Amie said: “There are only a handful of people in Ireland who have Stargardt’s. I am centrally blind, so anything that falls in the path of my central vision is not visible to me. It is difficult growing up with this and feeling as if you have no one to talk to.
“That is what my blog aims to do. I share my own experiences with other visually impaired people. For some, it can sometimes be difficult to face the reality of your disability”.
She had three reasons for setting up her blog.
“Firstly, I want to help people understand that a disability does not define who a person is. Secondly, to try to explain to people what it is like being visually impaired but not totally blind. And thirdly, to highlight how V.I.P’s do the same things and take part in the same activities as fully sighted people, just with a twist”.
Amie has a positive attitude in that she highlights visually impaired people must accept their limitations to reach full potential.
“I see every challenge in life as an opportunity because it is all about perspective. It is important, however, to recognise your own limits. You have to accept what you cannot do and then find a way around it to show the world what you can do”.
