UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hi Everyone

As some of you may know from previous posts I have had KC since the age of 18 (now 46) so pretty much have forgotten what life was like prior KC.

I wear a Rose K in my right eye and get pretty good vision and a Rose K in my left (this is limited wear of about 5 hours per day and vision is not that good due to a scar smack bang in the middle of the cornea.

I work with a brill group of people at a medical centre who are all aware I have an eye prob - they are friends and not just work colleagues.

So why is it when we have training and they connect the computers to the overhead projector I feel embarrassed to say I cannot see properly. I then find it hard to follow the training as I cannot see the text on screen.

I dont understand myself why I feel like this -perhaps it makes me feel inadequate. Perhaps its KC rearing its head and reminding me its still there with its challenges. I dont know.

Sorry its just I hate these sessions with lots of people and the dreaded overhead projector.

Moan over

Regards
Libby

Of couse it does....
When i am in mine, i am the 1st person to take up the front row.... in about 200 people.
it makes me feel like i am trying to be the 'company brown nose'.

What keeps me sane in these situations is that the 'people who matter' know why i am doing this. not because i'm a suck-up, but because i need it.

Two things you can do (I have tried both).

Tell the person doing the ppt that his visual aids are lost on you, and ask for a copy of the slides on paper. (You can use a magnifying glass if you need to).

Get the low vision unit at your local hospital to give you one of those little 8x mag mini telescopes, and look through it with your better eye.

Poor vision is only a disability if we do not seek and find ways to manage out problem. You feel embarrassed because, like most British people, you don't want to make a fuss. Here is my advice to anyone who shares this tendency with you and me:

Make a fuss, and go on making a fuss until you can get along as well as people with ordinary eyes.

The other approach I have taken and is now widely used by my emploers for those with normal vision but where presentations are in a large room is to split the output from the presnters PC to large monitors further down the room. The cables required to do this are anly a couple of pounds, the others is to do a wirless link between the presenters PC and a resource PC which you can use so that you can see the screen clealry elsewhere within the room.

A lot of the training I do now, is at my own disk via the company network and I phone in to hear the speaker so I can still ask questions. This has also had the result that the company is saving on my travel expenses as a phone call is far cheaper.

I go through this all the time in University and know exactly how you feel. You would think that when u are sitting in a Low Vision lecture been given to you by a lecture who has a phd in low vision that you would not be constantly at a struggle to see the f... notes .

This woman actually uses blue chalk on a green board ARAGHHHHHHHHHHH

It does make sense to get a print out of the notes for yourself , but then u have to spend extra time reading them FML

Ouch!

Have you mentioned to your lecturer that you yourself have low vision, and that he should practice what he preaches? It would certainly be interesting for both you and the lecturer if you do - as he can demonstrate to the class more effectively, as well as helping you!