Author: One Vision

An honest, warts & all sightloss blog about living with a rare genetic eye condition, Macular Dystrophy, Stargardt's Disease. To track how this progresses in myself. Hopefully help others & bring awareness. Let's see what happens next...
Posted in Useful Information

Blind Barbie doll is here

Posted on by One Vision
Long Brown haired doll wearing pink top and lilac rara skirt. Has a long white cane and sunglasses placed on her head
PICTURE DESCRIPTION Long Brown haired doll wearing pink top and lilac rara. With long white cane and sunglasses placed on her head

MATTEL have made the first ever visually impaired doll or as the newspapers are putting it, ‘Blind Barbie’ doll.

This doll is the newest member of the Barbie family and will help  girls and boys with sightloss feel included and seen with a doll that now represents their world.

It also brings with it a whole sense of spreading awareness about blindness that we, as bloggers & vloggers, try to get across with our posts. That blind people, as a community, are striving for inclusivity within a sighted world. For people to learn about us so we aren’t this mystery or people to be pitied. We’re just like everyone else.

The doll is available to buy now.

It’s the latest of their line which includes the first Barbie with Down’s syndrome and aims to increase representation across its range of toys.

Mattel partnered with the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) in the US, and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) in the UK to design the new doll.

Barbie’s design contains lots of features that will not only make her more accurately reflect a blind person, but also will be interesting for children who are blind or who have low vision to play with someone who is just like them.

For a child that’s just been diagnosed with sightloss, I think this doll would give the perfect opportunity to open up the conversation about what is happening to them by their parents or caregiver to help children understand and hopefully feel positively and not so fearful about sightloss.

This Barbie doll comes come with a long cane and dark glasses, and features textured clothing so children who are blind, or have low vision, can feel the outfits she’s wearing.

On the box she comes in, Barbie is spelled in Braille, which is language made of raised dots that blind people can feel to read things.

I think this is what should have been made years ago. It’s not before time.

Well done Mattel for bringing much needed inclusivity in their Barbie’s ranges. Hopefully to continue.

#Mattel
#MattelBarbie
#BlindBarbie
#Inclusivity
#Barbie
#SightlossToys

Posted in Useful Information

200 plus posts and counting!

Posted on by One Vision

There’s a search facility on my website for anything that you would like details on if I’ve blogged about it. There’s  200 plus posts. Also different pages to read and counting! Since August 2019, as well as here and on Instagram.

If there’s anything you’d like me to find out about and think I haven’t covered please let me know as I’m always open to ideas and comments.

Now please take a look at the daft video I’ve made. Seems easier to do than  writing these days somehow.

 

VIDEO DESCRIPTION Cartoon hand with blue nail varnish scrolls on a mobile phone with the contents of my website rolling by. This ends with my logo eye on the end screen with http://www.onevisionblog.com written on the bottom.
Posted in How I'm Adapting, Progression updates, Useful Information

Visually impaired and gigs

Posted on by One Vision

One thing that I never thought about until I went to a gig since my eyesight started  really progressing a few years ago, was any problems whilst I was there.

I went to see Duran Duran (Standard. My faves since 1982) with my two friends so I thought I’d be fine.

One thing that I always like to do is go to the merch stand and get myself a tour t-shirt. I’ve seen them alot and have quite a collection.

I was stood there at somepoint when it was still light and realised that I couldn’t come and go when I pleased anymore anywhere around the hall when I wanted to. I knew I couldn’t just stroll away later and leisurely spend time looking around by myself when darkness fell.

I suppose what I’m saying is, if you are planning going to see any bands, be aware, especially if this is all relatively new and you’re experiencing a period of further sightloss and therefore adjustment. Being aware of certain things before you go, will make your enjoyment as good as before.

I was surprised really as I hadn’t given anything any thought.

When it’s light before the gig has started (This was an open air event) go for your merch. It’s easier to get back to where you are (and your friends also if you prefer taking someone) and also it isn’t as frightening watching the floor, the people and less stressful all round. Because I liked to do things by myself this is what I decided to do. I didn’t want to put my friends out even though they wouldn’t have minded.

Same goes with the drinks. Whilst you’re passing get a drink or drinks if going in rounds first. By extra  for later if you wish. Then when it’s dark or the lights are off you don’t have to move.

One thing I’ve stopped doing is drinking enough that I always need to find the toilets.  It’s better to stop at somepoint than struggle finding them and your way through people and whatever you cannot see on the floor or ending up in the wrong place .

I don’t want to be dragging friends out of a gig to the loo to help me at the moment. That will change though as I’ll need help later on.

Once I’d fathomed this out in my head, I really enjoyed myself. I grabbed on to my friends leaving after it had finished and everything was all good.

Obviously depending on what level sightloss you have depends on what plan you have. With a little forethought we can still enjoy things we used to do.

I’m still very lucky at the moment. Although the days of me wandering off now on my own in situations like that have gone.

Simon Le Bon stands on stage and 3 cartoon women, One with Black hair, One with brown hair and one with silver hair, stand with there backs towards the image with arms up.
PICTURE DESCRIPTION Simon Le Bon stands on stage and 3 cartoon women, One with Black hair, One with brown hair and one with silver hair, stand with there backs towards the image with arms up.