As a travel journalist for more than 25 years, I began to notice a few years ago that due to a degenerative eye condition, it wasn't as easy to breeze through an airport or read a train time table as it used to be. I couldn't just glance down at my boarding pass and see my gate number, and it was getting difficult to find my flight departure line on the video screen. Has this happened to you? I think there are a lot of us out there with this same problem. I also think it worries some people enough so that they think they have to slow down or even give up on their dreams of traveling. But it's no true!
Over the last few years I have developed some tips, tricks and strategies to help me keep traveling, and I'd like to share them with you on this blog. I now use a collection of magnifiers and other tools as well as some new behaviors I can recommend that have made my travel so much easier.
The first step in your travel journey is to find a Low Vision Center near you. Search on the web for the closest center. In some places it will a stand-alone facility run as a non-profit, in others it may be located in a hospital, university or clinic. These centers offer professionals who can evaluate your condition and suggest practical low vision aids such as magnifiers or special glasses, and even offer lessons on how to use a smart phone for those with low vision. The Vista Center, in my hometown of Santa Cruz, California, sent someone to my home to help me learn how to use the dictation and text -enlarging functions on my new iPhone. just in time for an upcoming trip to Southeast Asia.
But until you find a helpful Low Vision Center, here are a few simple strategies--some I've learned the hard way-- that have helped me.
1. Always carry a simple magnifier.
I wear a 3x magnifier on a cord around my neck, which can be ordered in various styles from many health- related catalogs or from MaxiAids.com on the web. You can also carry a larger, hand-held one in your pocket or purse but it takes a little longer to get to it. When you're trying to make your flight, it's more convenient to reach for the one you're wearing.
2. Slow down.
Don't assume you can see the details of a label, price tag or ticket because you're in a rush. Don't guess. Take a moment to get out your glasses or magnifier and make sure you're right. I have bought the wrong spice, the wrong size of shirt and a potted plant that was $10 more than I thought it was because I was in a hurry and I assumed my vision was good enough to interpret the small print. It wasn't. My mistake!
3. Ask for help.
This takes both courage and practice. If you are traveling alone, you'll find that nearly every stranger will be glad to help if you ask. Maybe you can't quite read an overhead menu in a fast food place, or can't see the gate signs in the terminal at a distance at an airport. Just explain that you have low vision and ask someone to read it for you. I've met some lovely people this way, and most have been gracious and glad to help, sometimes even walking me over to where I was headed.
4. Think about the terrain
Consider what the ground or streets will be like before you set out. If you will be on rough ground, cobblestones, at ancient ruins, on dirt paths or whatever, you'll want to carry a cane or walking stick for safety and security and to test the ground as you walk. . I carry a hiking stick, both because it looks more hip and because it can be shortened and easily stored in my carry-on or placed in the overhead bin during a flight.
In future posts I'll talk more about how to travel with or without a tour group, how to travel alone or with a friend or family member, and how to choose aids and low vision tools such as special glasses, lighted magnifiers, and other strategies that help on the road. Until then: Keep Traveling!
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