A Myopic View Myopia or nearsightedness is a condition I’ve lived with all of my life. Being able to see things at an extremely close distance, but not see things far away, was normal for me and I successfully managed living with myopia most of my life through the benefit of corrective lenses. The first time I heard I had high … Continued
Editor’s Note: The week of March 11 is World Glaucoma Week. Peer advisor Steph McCoy, Founder and CEO of Bold Blind Beauty, has written eloquently about her journey with this eye condition. As a real fashionista, in this post, she shares her thoughts on fashion trends, an important topic as Spring approaches. Fashion Trends Surge … Continued
Editor’s note: November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. Stephanie McCoy, VisionAware Peer Advisor, relates her family’s battle with the disease and her journey in becoming a caregiver as a person who is visually impaired. The Long Road to Diagnosis Twenty years ago Alzheimer’s took my grandmother. And now my mother has been diagnosed with … Continued
Getting the Jump on the Morning Routine You’re probably aware of the saying: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” I can think of many areas in life where this saying could be applicable, but none more than the daily morning routine. You know the one where you’ve just overslept and you … Continued
The Magic of Eye Makeup Oh, the wonders of makeup. It’s one of those things that from the time we are young girls we cannot wait to get glammed up with cosmetics. The use of lipstick, blush, mascara, and eye shadow is not only transformative; it’s almost magical. But did you know there are dangers … Continued
Editor’s note: In honor of World Glaucoma Week, Steph McCoy has written this post about her experience with glaucoma. By Steph McCoy, VisionAware Peer Advisor My first exposure to glaucoma, a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve and can result in vision loss and blindness, was becoming aware of my grandmother using … Continued
Fashion versus Style? To answer this question we need to understand fashion. Fashion unlike style is ever-changing and dependent on current trends. A trend that looks nice on one person may not necessarily agree with someone else. Style on the other hand, like art, is a form of self-expression and communication which encompasses the whole … Continued
Steph McCoy’s Introduction: “You don’t look blind…” is a comment many of us who have the hidden disability of low vision hear. The physical aspect of no longer being able to see is only one of many issues to deal with. A decline of self-confidence, navigating the stages of grief along with learning to adapt … Continued
I’m not talking about diastolic or systolic pressure, as in hypertension or high blood pressure; instead, I’m talking about eye pressure, as in glaucoma – a silent, sight-robbing thief. I shouldn’t have been surprised when my retina specialist finally diagnosed me with primary open-angle glaucoma. After all, my maternal grandmother had the same condition and … Continued
There’s Nothing More That Can Be Done The news was devastating. “Ms. McCoy,” the doctor said, “I’m so sorry to tell you there is nothing more we can do for you.” Those simple words confirmed my worst fears. I am now legally blind. I was numb and my heart was beating so violently I had … Continued