View allAll Photos Tagged visionloss
This is a photo of my relative, Ella Schoen, age 13, taken in 1904. I had a macular hole affecting central vision in my left eye. Through photo editing software, I created an image of the visual distortions (metamorphosia) that I saw. Objects also appeared smaller than actual (micropsia). Peripheral (side) vision was unaffected. The final photo is my eyesight 9 months post-vitrectomy surgery – objects lean to the right, appear slightly thinner than actual and there is still a small round distortion/loss around the very center of my vision (I am looking directly between her eyes). My eyesight continues to improve, though I now also have a very common surgically-induced cataract.
I recently fell, resulting in a traumatic brain injury. Immediately following the fall, I noticed distorted vision in my right eye and will be undergoing vitrectomy surgery due to a macular hole for that eye as well (only 10-15 percent of patients have bilateral macular holes, having the condition in both eyes).
Sharing because I could find no good visualizations of what it is like to have a macular hole. Please feel free to use it for educational/editorial, modeling or machine learning purposes.
How to learn the basic Braille alphabet:
1) The basic Braille cell for every letter has 6 dots numbered in this sequence:
1 4
2 5
3 6
2) Line a-j is the base line. You simply have to memorize it.
3) Line k-t is the base line with the addition of dot 3.
4) Line u-z is the base line (the letters a-e only) with the addition of dots 3 and 6.
5) The only exception to this is the letter W, which is the mirror image of the letter R.
6) In addition to the original Braille alphabet there are the letters Č, Š, Ž, which are the letters found in Slovene alphabet.
7) The punctuation is the base line a-j moved down one level.
8) There are also some double letterings and symbols for words on my table.
As I have already explained on my previous photos, I now use only my sense of touch to read and write Braille. However, when I was learning it, I was still using my sight. This is the method I used. It only took me a couple of hours to memorize the entire alphabet. Try if for yourself! It's not that difficult :-)
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I had a macular hole affecting central vision in my left eye. Through photo editing software, I created an image of the visual distortions (metamorphosia) that I saw. Objects also appeared smaller than actual (micropsia). Peripheral vision was unaffected.
Sharing because I could find no good visualizations of what it is like to have a macular hole. Please feel free to use it for educational/editorial, modeling or machine learning purposes.
Build your own microscale paddle steamer, free instructions now on Rebrickable.
This 110-part model measures a dinky 4x14 studs (11 cm long) and will cost ~£7 on BrickLink.
You can even include Wilfred Walrus, or any other Minifigure, behind the captain’s wheel.
I’m so happy to say the original micro model I designed and built last December is now with my Fabufriend Robin Hull and his 100% complete Fabuland collection, it’s epic!
My 'Maid of Fabuland' ship was installed at the Lego House in September 2024. It will be on display for a whole year, do let me know if you’ve seen it!
❤️💛💙
Copyright © Stewart Lamb Cromar 2025. All rights reserved.
That's a question I've been hearing lately. Well, there are two main reasons: health and cosmetic. Those who are only visually impaired can wear dark glasses (sunglasses) to protect their remaining vision. However, that's not the case with people who are completely blind. They wear dark glasses for cosmetic reasons. Blind people's eyes can be deformed, they can look abnormal (different from healthy eyes), they may move rapidly, they may point in another direction than where, for example, the person you're talking to is. Dark glasses are therefore worn by blind people mainly to hide such a disability and make others feel more comfortable. I do wear dark glasses now: I wear them for cosmetic reasons, but only when I go out. I never wear them at home or when I'm with friends.
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Smoking can lead to loss of vision apparently. I don`t smoke myself, but know that if I did, it sure would lead to blindness, but that`s only because I would stub out the coffin nails in the eyes of a certain Northampton resident.............
Tactile paving at night.
Description of the photo:
The black and white photo shows a closeup of the tactile paving that forms an interesting pattern together with the pavestones on the sidewalk. In the background there are some people and a pair of car lights.
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How do you illustrate a Braille book? With tactile illustrations, of course!
Tactile illustrations are raised pictures that can be explored by touch. They can be general or detailed, but it always helps if there is a Braille description under the picture. This picture, for example, represents a bike. The shape of the bicycle is raised and there is the word "bike" written in Braille under the picture.
In the Holiday Season, you can buy Christmas cards with raised pictures and Braille messages, so even if you're blind you can still experience the joy of sending or receiving a Christmas card :-)
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Knitting is a fun activity. Many people learn to knit when they are still young. Although it looks like something you can only do with sight, that's not the case. Many blind people knit, too. In fact, a lot of people learn to knit only after they have lost their sight. I learnt to knit when I was 4 or 5 years old. Now, I'm re-learning it blind. It's not that difficult, but I do have to be careful so that I don't do any mistakes.
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It is foggy outside. I still take a walk and just do random shots. I am not able to judge if I get the composition since I cannot see the LCD and viewfinder clearly. But anyway I enjoy clicking the shutter.
I do not do any editing also as I am not able to judge on the adjustments on the computer screen. So basically most of my shots are SOOC.
Thanks for all your visits and comments!
Have a great day!
Fuji X-T3
Fuji XF 10-24mm
ACROS B&W film simulation
SOOC
Lego kindly invited me to build a Fabuland ship for the prestigious Lego House in Denmark.
Going blind in one eye has been the hardest year and this creative challenge absolutely helped me move forward.
Read about the ‘Maid of Fabuland’ paddle steamer and one of the happiest days ever in my blog - stubot.me/maid-of-fabuland/
There are model secrets, cute photos and heartfelt stories.
❤️💛💙
Copyright © Stewart Lamb Cromar 2024. All rights reserved.
Lego House photos by Manu Schwendener (manuschwendener.ch).
Every year, 15th October is celebrated around the world as White Cane Safety Day. The day celebrates all the achievements of blind and visually impaired people. It also raises awareness about blindness and vision loss among people.
Description of the photo:
The photo depicts a drawing of a foldable white cane with the words "White Cane Safety Day" written above the cane in Braille.
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The photo shows the Braille letters BRL - short for the word Braille.
4th January is celebrated as World Braille Day every year. The whole month of January is Braille Literacy Month.
Many people say that in the era of modern technology Braille is outdated. However, that is absolutely not true. Just like sighted people must know how to read and write, blind and visually impaired people must be able to use a system for reading and writing, too. In fact, it is even more important for blind and visually impaired people to be able to read and write. Being literate is a basic skill that everybody must master. Sure, screen readers are great and make life a lot easier if you can't use a phone or a computer screen. But still - these apps and programs are not a substitute for the basic ability of reading and writing. So, if you are visually impaired or blind, I encourage you to learn Braille! As a Braille user I can tell you from experience that it will open up a whole world of new possibilities for you just as it has for me!
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January is the official Braille Literacy Awareness Month.
I bought a new novel yesterday. It's in Grade 2 Braille. It comes in 7 volumes, each volume being about 3 cm thick (2.5 inches). These 7 volumes are equal to a regular-print paperback novel of around 500 pages. While you can put a regular-print novel in your pocket and head out into the park to read it, you need a bag to carry around the Braille book. However, the reading experience you get when reading Braille can never be compared to reading print. As Jim Fiebig once said:
"There is a wonder in reading Braille that the sighted will never know: to touch words and have them touch you back."
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Currently recuperating in bed after my fourth major eye surgery. I may have impaired vision but my beloved Fabuland is never out of reach!
Playing with LEGO helps improve both my mood and hand-eye coordination. Is there nothing this toy can’t do?
N.B. Bed frame inspired from an original design by the talented Tiago Catarino.
Copyright © Stewart Lamb Cromar 2021 CC BY-NC-SA
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
My first attempts with a black mirror. I'm quite pleased with the result, actually :-)
While I initially started out with different combinations of coloured pencils, I decided to post this photo here on my Flickr. Why? Well, I decided to use it as a way of explaining the question that I got the other day about my white cane: "Do the colours on your cane mean anything?" And the answer is yes!
While today white canes can be colourful, too (different colours of grips, tips, etc), there is a kind of an international "code" about white canes, too.
1) A white cane that is completely white indicates that the user is completely blind.
2) A white cane with a red bottom part (like the one I have) indicates that the user is visually impaired and still has some usable vision left.
3) A striped red and white cane indicates that the user is deafblind.
So, next time you see someone with a white cane, pay attention to the colours of the cane. This way, you'll know how to act around them and perhaps help them if they ask for help.
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I just got two new Braille cubes. The black one is a Braille playing cube for playing board games. It's made in such a way that the dots are actually little pegs that you can feel and this way count the dots. However, the dots are also painted in white and are therefore visible, too. When you're blind, such a little device means that you can still enjoy board games with your sighted friends.
The white cube (in reality it's actually yellow) is a Braille letter cube. The three layers can be turned and this way Braille letters and symbols are formed. It's a great little device for learning Braille. It's also a keychain, so it makes a nice little fidget toy. It's very pleasant to turn between your fingers. Sighted people often wonder what this little device is, so this little cube connects the blind and the sighted, too, since it helps in educating sighted people about Braille.
These two cubes may look like only two small toys to anyone who can see, but when you're blind they can make a world of difference. Their most important role lies in their ability to connect the blind with their sighted friends.
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Here is my latest #Fabuland model which debuted at #Bricktastic. Hope you like cheesy puns!
When we all go to bed, these little mice love nothing more than building cars out of cheese and racing them around our kitchen table.
Who will win; Emmental , Edam 🔴, Scottish Cheddar or Cheese Slices ?
Lego #Braille Bricks help identify the race leaders Stewart (LB - Little Brother) and Steven (BB - Big Brother).
Full MOC breakdown on my blog - www.stubot.me
❤️💛💙
Copyright © Stewart Lamb Cromar 2025. All rights reserved.
#SoapboxTastic #Bricktastic2025 #Lego #レゴ #ファビュランド #Afol #TartanLUG #LegoArt #RLUG #NorthernBrickworks #SwissCheese #BabyBel #LegoBrailleBricks #BrailleBricks #LegoMoc #LegoBuilds
I took me a long time and countless shots to get this photo. I think it turned out quite nicely!
Description of the photo:
The black-and-white photo shows a closeup shot of the human eye looking at the computer screen. The mirror reflection of the word "flickr" is seen in the pupil of the eye.
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4th January is World Braille Day. Braille is a system of writing that enables blind and visually impaired people to read and write. I learned Braille 10 years ago and I've been using it regularly ever since. It's a fantastic system that makes reading and writing a uniquely tactile experience that enriches your life in a way that nothing else can. Next time you hold a box of medicine with a Braille label on it in your hand or walk by a tactile sign, feel the Braille under your fingertips and you'll feel something magical! I think that sometimes, we just depend too much on our eyes and on the visual. Exploring the world through our other senses (touch and hearing) therefore offers a whole new level of experiencing the world.
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Tomorrow is 15th October, which is White Cane Safety Day. "The mission of White Cane Day is to educate the world about blindness and how the blind and visually impaired can live and work independently while giving back to their communities, to celebrate the abilities and successes achieved by blind people in a sighted world and to honor the many contributions being made by the blind and visually impaired. " (www.whitecaneday.org)
When you lose your sight, white cane becomes a big part of your life. It offers you independence and enables you to travel safely. While it looks simple, the white cane is actually quite a sophisticated tool. Firstly, it enables you to feel what's in front of you when you walk. Secondly, it alerts you to a change in the ground surface with sound (the tip of the cane makes different sounds when you drag it across different kinds of surfaces). Thirdly, it lets the people around you know that you're blind or partially sighted.
However, instead of embracing the chance of independence and safety offered by the white cane, many blind or visually impaired people feel embarrassed and refuse to use it. They prefer to rely on other people's help to get around. That is so unnecessary. White cane is a wonderful tool that gives you back some of the independence you had before losing sight.
And, finally, here's some information on my new white cane that you can see on the photo. I got it a few days ago and it's great! It's a folding cane, it folds into 4 parts (three parts are white and one is red). The handle is made of black rubber, which offers a very good and solid grip. The cane has a marshmallow tip, which spins around, offering good tactile and audio information about the ground surface. The tip is made of a sturdy material, which doesn't wear out easily, but can easily be replaced when it does. The cane itself is made of aluminum, which means that it is sturdy and light. A tough elastic connects the cane parts inside the cane. This means that I just have to grab the handle and let the rest of the cane "drop down" and the elastic makes the parts "jump" together and connect instantly so that the cane can be used immediately.
So, to sum things up:
If you suffer from sight loss or blindness, don't hesitate to talk to your doctor about the possibility of getting a white cane! You might have to go through a mobility training to learn to use the white cane correctly first, but after that you will be able to move around independently and safely. And that's the most important thing!
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Copyright © Stewart Lamb Cromar 2022 CC BY.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
One year ago today I had my fifth surgery for a recurring detached retina.
It has been a journey and it is still very challenging adapting to partial vision loss, only last week I had a wee fall and injured my left hand due to impaired depth perception.
However, I am truly grateful for the NHS professionals that helped me retain what eyesight I have today.
I strongly believe building with Lego bricks has improved both my physical and mental well-being.
It has been a fantastic 12-months Lego-wise, with my University of Edinburgh library model raising over £2K for Sight Scotland, getting a MOC displayed in the Edinburgh Lego Store and having my FAB-AT-AT go viral!
My original plan was to write a long-form blog post to positively mark the occasion. But work has been taxing and I’m limiting my screen time wherever possible, so this micro post will have to suffice for now.
Thank you to my family, friends and followers for the support this last year.
Leg godt!
Love, Stewart ❤️💛💙
#Lego #レゴ #Afol #Fabuland #ファビュランド #SightForSight #SightLoss #Diabetes #T1D #Disability #HiddenDisability #ChronicIllness #InvisibleIllness #VisionLoss #Modulex #TwosDay
When you start learning Braille, you need lots of practice. It's best to start with big Braille cells and learn to recognize letters and symbols there and then move on to smaller cells before finally learning to read Braille properly. This process is also known as acquiring pre-Braille skills.
When I first started learning Braille, I made myself a Lego Braille cube to gain some pre-Braille skills. However, there are also simpler ways to make practice-Braille cells. A few days ago I was cleaning up and I found this little Braille learning cube. I made it myself. I used a small cardboard box (dimensions: 7x5x5 cm - I got the box when I bought glucose testing strips) and 6 small bolts. I made 6 holes in one side of the box and stuck the bolts in them. The bolts can be taken out and put back in, forming Braille characters in the process. It's a great little pocket device for practicing Braille.
Today, I don't need such training devices any more, since I'm fluent in Braille. However, this little cube is still a nice little fidget toy - and you can never have too much practice :-)
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I got these books yesterday. It's a Braille collection published by DK publishing house. The books are just brilliant! They are printed in regular print and in Grade 1 Braille. However, it's not just the text that is special in these books. The illustrations are "double", as well. All the pictures are very visual and printed in bright colours. At the same time they are also tactile. Every illustration has raised edges, so that the object in the photo can be discovered by touch, as well. But that's not all. The illustrations are also textured. The book "Counting", for example, has an illustration of "nine sticky worms" in it. The worms are actually sticky to the touch! An illustration of a zebra is soft and fuzzy to represent the animal's fur, etc.
These books are absolutely fantastic! The best thing about them is that they can be shared by blind or visually impaired and sighted readers!
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Introducing… Peggy. Part of a Lego artwork series titled ‘Hello, Toilet Dolly!’.
For a chance to win her, please donate to the charity Sight Scotland via my JustGiving page - www.justgiving.com/lego-toilet-dolls
My maternal granny Peggy crocheted toilet dolls to raise funds for her local church in Arbroath. This modern tribute (using 100% Lego parts) hopes to continue the peculiar and charming family tradition.
If you can afford to donate, please note there is no minimum donation. Otherwise, I do hope my Lego toilet dolls make you smile. You can download a free wallpaper from my website or Flickr.
For more dolly photos, family history and making-of details please visit my wee blog (www.stubot.me).
Copyright © Stewart Lamb Cromar 2022. All rights reserved.
Travelling with my white cane...
Walking with a white cane is not as simple as you might think. It takes lots of practice to master it and to be able to travel independently and safely with it. First of all, you have to learn to hold the cane correctly. Then, there are different techniques that can be used to feel the way. Next is the ability to walk straight and to recognize the obstacles. When you can't see, you use your remaining senses for orientation. However, during mobility training you learn all these things, so you are able to travel around without any help.
The problem is the society. I know people often think that they are being helpful if they grab a blind person by the arm and drag them across the street, for example. But what if the blind person doesn't want to cross the street at all? The biggest problem is that such an action is a very scary experience for the blind person. Who just grabbed me? Where is this person taking me? Where am I? How do I find the right direction again? All of these things start rushing through your mind when you can't see what's going on. You lose your concentration, you become disoriented and it can be very difficult to find your bearings again. So, here' the right way to help a blind person:
If you see a person travelling with a white cane and want to help them, approach them and ASK them if they need help. If they accept, they'll let you know how you can help them. However, if they refuse, don't feel offended. Blind people are perfectly capable of travelling around independently.
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Introducing… Margaret. Part of a Lego artwork series titled ‘Hello, Toilet Dolly!’.
For a chance to win her, please donate to the charity Sight Scotland via my JustGiving page - www.justgiving.com/lego-toilet-dolls
If you can afford to donate, £2 or more will make a difference to Sight Scotland and you might win a toilet doll as a wee thank you!
This project is bit of a family tradition as both my grannies knitted toilet dolls for their churches in Arbroath and these 100% Lego creations are named in their honour. Thank you for the inspiration Peggy and Millie.
For more dolly photos, family history and making-of details please visit my blog (www.stubot.me).
Copyright © Stewart Lamb Cromar 2022. All rights reserved.
Introducing… Millie. Part of a Lego artwork series titled ‘Hello, Toilet Dolly!’.
For a chance to win her, please donate to the charity Sight Scotland via my JustGiving page - www.justgiving.com/lego-toilet-dolls
My paternal granny Millie knitted toilet dolls to raise funds for the Old and Abbey Church in Arbroath. This modern tribute (using 100% Lego parts) hopes to continue the peculiar and charming family tradition.
If you can afford to donate, please note there is no minimum donation. Otherwise, I do hope my Lego toilet dolls make you smile. You can download a free wallpaper from my website or Flickr.
For more dolly photos, family history and making-of details please visit my wee blog (www.stubot.me).
Copyright © Stewart Lamb Cromar 2022. All rights reserved.
Lego kindly invited me to build a Fabuland ship for the prestigious Lego House in Denmark.
Going blind in one eye has been the hardest year and this creative challenge absolutely helped me move forward.
Read about the ‘Maid of Fabuland’ paddle steamer and one of the happiest days ever in my blog - stubot.me/maid-of-fabuland/
There are model secrets, cute photos and heartfelt stories.
❤️💛💙
Copyright © Stewart Lamb Cromar 2024. All rights reserved.
Lego House photos by Manu Schwendener (manuschwendener.ch).
Tactile paving enables blind and visually impaired people who are white cane users to travel around independently. There are 2 main types of tactile-paving patterns. First, there are the domes (or bumps). The purpose of these is to warn and notify. Here, the domes ran along the edge of the sidewalk, warning me that the sidewalk ends here and the crossing across the road begins. Then, there are the lines. The purpose of these is to lead and show the way. By feeling the lines with my white cane I was able to safely find the spot where the bumps in the ground marked the spot with an audio-signal equipped traffic light on it and I could safely cross the road using a zebra crossing.
Description of the photo:
The black-and-white photo shows the tactile paving on the ground. The tactile paving seen on the photo has bumps and a part of it has lines. The two other patterns are the zebra crossing at the top of the photo and the paving in the lower left corner of the photo.
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Introducing… Peggy. Part of a Lego artwork series titled ‘Hello, Toilet Dolly!’.
For a chance to win her, please donate to the charity Sight Scotland via my JustGiving page - www.justgiving.com/lego-toilet-dolls
My maternal granny Peggy crocheted toilet dolls to raise funds for her local church in Arbroath. This modern tribute (using 100% Lego parts) hopes to continue the peculiar and charming family tradition.
If you can afford to donate, please note there is no minimum donation. Otherwise, I do hope my Lego toilet dolls make you smile. You can download a free wallpaper from my website or Flickr.
For more dolly photos, family history and making-of details please visit my wee blog (www.stubot.me).
Copyright © Stewart Lamb Cromar 2022. All rights reserved.
Here is my latest #Fabuland model which debuted at #Bricktastic. Hope you like cheesy puns!
When we all go to bed, these little mice love nothing more than building cars out of cheese and racing them around our kitchen table.
Who will win; Emmental , Edam 🔴, Scottish Cheddar or Cheese Slices ?
Lego #Braille Bricks help identify the race leaders Stewart (LB - Little Brother) and Steven (BB - Big Brother).
Full MOC breakdown on my blog - www.stubot.me
❤️💛💙
Copyright © Stewart Lamb Cromar 2025. All rights reserved.
#SoapboxTastic #Bricktastic2025 #Lego #レゴ #ファビュランド #Afol #TartanLUG #LegoArt #RLUG #NorthernBrickworks #SwissCheese #BabyBel #LegoBrailleBricks #BrailleBricks #LegoMoc #LegoBuilds
Introducing… Isobel. Part of a Lego artwork series titled ‘Hello, Toilet Dolly!’.
For a chance to win her, please donate to the charity Sight Scotland via my JustGiving page - www.justgiving.com/lego-toilet-dolls
If you can afford to donate, £2 or more will make a difference to Sight Scotland and you might win a toilet doll as a wee thank you!
This project is bit of a family tradition as both my grannies knitted toilet dolls for their churches in Arbroath and these 100% Lego creations are named in their honour. Thank you for the inspiration Peggy and Millie.
For more dolly photos, family history and making-of details please visit my blog (www.stubot.me).
Copyright © Stewart Lamb Cromar 2022. All rights reserved.
Introducing… Peggy. Part of a Lego artwork series titled ‘Hello, Toilet Dolly!’.
For a chance to win her, please donate to the charity Sight Scotland via my JustGiving page - www.justgiving.com/lego-toilet-dolls
My maternal granny Peggy crocheted toilet dolls to raise funds for her local church in Arbroath. This modern tribute (using 100% Lego parts) hopes to continue the peculiar and charming family tradition.
If you can afford to donate, please note there is no minimum donation. Otherwise, I do hope my Lego toilet dolls make you smile. You can download a free wallpaper from my website or Flickr.
For more dolly photos, family history and making-of details please visit my wee blog (www.stubot.me).
Copyright © Stewart Lamb Cromar 2022. All rights reserved.
I've decided to make some macrame bracelets. It was my first attempt to knot macrame blind. To my big surprise, it wasn't that difficult at all. I used a different type of knot for each bracelet. The knots themselves are easy enough to make. The challenge was to keep them in the right order so that the bracelets would look nice. So, after I made each knot, I ran my fingers along the bracelet to feel if the knots were equally tight and to check the knot-sequence. I think these two bracelets turned out quite nicely in the end.
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An NIH surgical team successfully implanted a patch of tissue made from patient cells with the goal of treating advanced “dry” age-related macular degeneration (AMD), also known as geographic atrophy. Dry AMD is a leading cause of vision loss among older Americans and currently has no treatment.
Read more: www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/first-us-patient-re...
Image: Left shows an image of the full-RPE-patch (2 x 4 mm). Each dot is an RPE cell with the borders stained green. Each patch contains approximately 75,000 RPE cells. Right image shows patch RPE cells at higher magnification.
Credit: Kapil Bharti, Ph.D., NEI, NIH
Lego kindly invited me to build a Fabuland ship for the prestigious Lego House in Denmark.
Going blind in one eye has been the hardest year and this creative challenge absolutely helped me move forward.
Read about the ‘Maid of Fabuland’ paddle steamer and one of the happiest days ever in my blog - stubot.me/maid-of-fabuland/
There are model secrets, cute photos and heartfelt stories.
❤️💛💙
Copyright © Stewart Lamb Cromar 2024. All rights reserved.
Lego House photos by Manu Schwendener (manuschwendener.ch).
Last time I posted a photo of how I use Flickr despite visual impairment. You probably thought that the 800% magnification was HUGE. Well, it might seem huge to you, but that doesn't make it any less difficult to use for me. The truth is that a computer screen can be very difficult to use when you are visually impaired. So, at the moment, I'm learning to use a program called a Screen Reader. This wonderful tool translates everything on my screen into speech, so I can navigate my computer without using my sight. I'm using the fantastic program called NVDA (which stands for Non Visual Desktop Access), which is absolutely awesome! However, in order to be able to use it as quickly and as efficiently as possible, it's good to learn some keyboard shortcuts. This photo shows just a very small part of all the shortcuts that I'm currently learning and memorizing. Once I learn them, computer use will be so much easier! And I don't need screen magnification any more, since I can listen to the commands being read out loud by the program :-)
And today I'm starting another thing. As you might imagine, photos as visual objects are pretty much inaccessible for the blind and visually impaired. However, there is a way to make them a bit more accessible: text. So, I would like to ask you all for a big favour:
Please, make your beautiful work accessible for the blind and visually impaired, too! It will only take a minute of your time to provide a short description of every photo that you post. It doesn't have to be long. Just mark it with the name "Description of photo" or "Alternative text" (or in another way that clearly indicates that the text will provide a description of the photo) and then describe briefly what the photo represents. Perhaps describe some details, colours, light or things that stand out and make the photo special. This way, people who can't see your photos can still enjoy them by using Screen Readers or Braille Displays. Thank you!
Description of the photo:
The black-and-white photo shows a computer screen with a magnified table of Screen Reader commands.
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A couple of weeks ago I ordered two new books: a novel and a children's story. You might think that ordering some new books is nothing special. Well, it is pretty special if the books are in Braille. There are several reasons for this. First of all, Braille books are hard to get. You can't buy them in every bookshop, you can only order them either directly from Braille printers' or from some special online stores. Secondly, Braille books are very expensive. It costs more to print them, so the end price is much higher than for regular books, too. Finally, Braille books are LARGE - and I mean REALLY LARGE. The novel, for example, comes in 5 volumes (= 5 books), each larger than a standard A4 format - and that's in double-side-page printing (single-page printing would take 10 volumes!!!) And, no, it's not a really long novel, but just a Braille transcript of a regular paperback novel with 384 pages. My Braille novel therefore came as a separate package in its very own box!
Well, that's my new reading material for December :-)
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Some time ago, I posted an image of my own adaptation of a Rubik's cube into a tactile cube for the blind.
Well, today I got this brand new Rubik's Cube. It's a cube that is intended for the blind and visually impaired, but can be solved by the sighted, too. It's got its usual coloured tiles with the addition of the 3D shapes on them, so it can be solved visually or just by touch. It's absolutely fantastic! And what I like most about it is that this cube can connect blind and sighted people in a fun activity!
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About two weeks ago, after seenig a TV documentary on blind people and literature, I became interested in Braille. When I studied it more closely, I came to the conclusion that it's a genius way of writing information: computers complicate with a bunch of zeroes and ones: when I wrote my name that way, I used up 2 pages. Braille, however, only takes a few dots. I therefore decided to learn Braille. I looked up a tutorial on the internet and went to work. I memorized the alphabet, the numbers and a few symbols in a couple of hours. I also practiced reading and writing by drawing the dots on paper. A couple of days ago I went to Ljubljana and bought a Braille slate (it's the silver plate on the photo), which is used to write proper Braille as little bumps on paper. Before, I learnt Braille visually by looking at the dots, but now I'm learning it properly: blind writing and reading by touch. The writing must be done in the negative: you have to write from right to left and mirror the letters, so that when you turn the page over everything is written correctly and you can read from left to right. I'm pretty good at writing already and I actually find it easier to write with my eyes closed, just feeling the cells and the dots. Reading, however, is trickier, mainly due to the fact that my feeling of touch is not particularly sharp yet, but I can recognize the letters and words by feeling the bumps already. Practice makes perfect, right? ;-)
I intend to introduce as many people as I can to Braille. This way, people will get to know each other better and start living together, not just existing side by side. The world will be a better place then, I believe... :-)
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For the past month or so I've been exploring the world of blindness. I've tried to accomplish everything from daily tasks to my hobbies using only my sense of touch. I must say that it's been a very interesting experience and one that has enriched me a lot. Before, I took a lot of things for granted, but now I've started to appreciate everything I can see. The experience has also changed my perspective on photography. I've proven to myself that photography is possible even without sight.
Anyway, my experiment has now come to an end. I'm still continuing to learn Braille, but otherwise I'm back to seeing the world with my eyes - but from a different perspective alltogether.
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Introducing… Margaret. Part of a Lego artwork series titled ‘Hello, Toilet Dolly!’.
For a chance to win her, please donate to the charity Sight Scotland via my JustGiving page - www.justgiving.com/lego-toilet-dolls
If you can afford to donate, £2 or more will make a difference to Sight Scotland and you might win a toilet doll as a wee thank you!
This project is bit of a family tradition as both my grannies knitted toilet dolls for their churches in Arbroath and these 100% Lego creations are named in their honour. Thank you for the inspiration Peggy and Millie.
For more dolly photos, family history and making-of details please visit my blog (www.stubot.me).
Copyright © Stewart Lamb Cromar 2022. All rights reserved.
Cataract, prevalence, risk factors, symptoms, prevention
Credit: National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health
Here is my latest #Fabuland model which debuted at #Bricktastic. Hope you like cheesy puns!
When we all go to bed, these little mice love nothing more than building cars out of cheese and racing them around our kitchen table.
Who will win; Emmental , Edam 🔴, Scottish Cheddar or Cheese Slices ?
Lego #Braille Bricks help identify the race leaders Stewart (LB - Little Brother) and Steven (BB - Big Brother).
Full MOC breakdown on my blog - www.stubot.me
❤️💛💙
Copyright © Stewart Lamb Cromar 2025. All rights reserved.
#SoapboxTastic #Bricktastic2025 #Lego #レゴ #ファビュランド #Afol #TartanLUG #LegoArt #RLUG #NorthernBrickworks #SwissCheese #BabyBel #LegoBrailleBricks #BrailleBricks #LegoMoc #LegoBuilds
I got an interesting question the other day: "What is it like to use Flickr and see photos with such a high degree of vision loss?" The answer to this question varies from person to person. It depends on the type of visual impairment a person has and on how your vision changes over time. At the moment I'm still using the built-in feature of my Windows: the Magnifier. I have it set on 800% magnification. As you can see, I can only see small parts of the normal screen at a time. The magnification follows my mouse cursor, so I move the mouse slowly around the screen to get the whole picture. It takes much longer to go through all the photos of my contacts and to comment and fave the photos I like. However, all the beautiful photos here and the inspiration I get from other photographers make it all worth while!
If you want to experience how somebody with vision loss uses their computer, just go to settings on your computer and turn on the magnification feature. Then, just play around with it and try to do some task with various features of your magnifier turned on or off. You'll get a pretty good experience of what it's like for a visually impaired person to work on a computer.
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When you lose your sight, a white cane becomes an essential tool in your daily life. If you're blind or visually impaired, white cane is a tool that enables you greater independence. However, if you think that it's a very simple tool, think again.
First of all, there are different types of canes: long cane, guide cane, identification cane, and support cane. They can be folding, telescopic, or rigid.
Canes can also be made of different materials: wood, aluminum, graphite, etc.
Then, there are also different types of cane tips that you can choose from: pencil tip, jumbo roller tip, rural tip, marshmallow tip, etc.
Although the cane sounds like a very easy tool to use, it's actually not. To be able to travel with a white cane safely, you need to learn a few techniques. First, you have to know how to hold the cane correctly. Then, there are the techniques of walking:
"The most commonly used techniques are:
•Diagonal technique: The cane is held in front, and slightly diagonally across the body. The tip is in contact with the ground or just above.
•Touch technique: The cane tip is arced from side to side. When the left foot steps forward the cane sweeps to the right, and when the right foot steps forward the cane sweeps to the left. This technique allows safe travel in all environments by clearing the area for each step before it's taken.
•Constant contact technique: The cane is held in front and sweeps from side to side. The tip remains in contact with the ground.
•Shoreline technique: The cane is used to follow a line such as a wall, a fence or the edge of a footpath."
( Cane Q&A / Guide Dogs NSW/ACT)
As a tribute to the White Cane Safety Day 2012, I decided to make a few of these white cane bracelets from Hama beads and give them away as gifts to my friends.
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