Loss and Grief
We all experience loss and grief in our lives. We may go for a long time between losses and then suddenly experience several at once. Having good strategies for working through feelings of loss and grieving is important.
Although grief is usually associated with the death of a loved one, it also occurs with vision loss. It's important to understand that the feelings you experience with blindness or vision impairment are natural and varied, and involve a process of adjustment. While the process may be similar to what others experience, it is unique to you. Adjusting to vision loss takes time to work through, as well as the support of loved ones and rehabilitation professionals.
Hearing from your doctor that you are “legally blind” can be a very frightening experience. Discovering that your diagnosis may lead to a progressive loss of vision or total blindness brings up a flood of feelings not unlike those associated with a death. To assist you and your loved ones in understanding these feelings and to offer strategies for working through the adjustment process, we recommend the following resources. We also suggest visiting our page on Managing Stress and our resources for Mental Health and Well-Being.
Visionaware
Visionaware is a “self-help for vision loss” website. It offers practical information for those experiencing vision loss, for their families, and for vision care professionals.
Of special interest are the personal stories of people who have gone through vision loss themselves.
See for example:
- Jeremiah Taylor's experience of his total and sudden loss of vision after unrelated back surgery at age 52
- Vivian's story after her diagnosis of Diabetic Retinopathy
- Tom's experiences of living with Glaucoma
Coping with Death, Grief and Loss
uiowa.edu
You may recognize your own experiences or those of a loved one among the common reactions to loss discussed in this article. You will also find references for further reading.
Helpful Insights and Tips for Coping with Vision Loss
elisabethkublerross.com
This article discusses some of the common elements of grieving associated with vision loss, as well as suggestions for working through the grieving process.
Psycho-Social Impact of Vision Loss
amdalliance.org
See this article for a list of common reactions to vision loss. Also included is the transcript of a talk given by Fran Cutler who has Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Her talk “Thriving in a Sighted World” was given in Toronto in 2005.