Champion blind golfer Chad NeSmith talks about how vision loss shaped his life, and how he shares his passion for golf with others with vision loss.
Hadley Presents
Golfing After Vision Loss
Presented by Ricky Enger
Ricky Enger: Welcome to Hadley Presents. I'm your host, Ricky Enger, inviting you to sit back, relax, and enjoy a conversation with the experts. In this episode, we discuss enjoying the game of golf with little or no vision. And joining us are Hadley's Director of Community Marc Arneson interviewing champion blind golfer, Chad NeSmith. Welcome to the show, both of you.
Marc Arneson: Thank you very much.
Chad NeSmith: Thanks, Ricky.
Ricky Enger: So great to have you both. Now, Marc, we'll start with you because people already know you, but for those who don't, just give a brief intro and talk about who you are and what you do at Hadley.
Marc Arneson: So, as you mentioned, my title is Director of Community, but really what I get to do is just meet amazing and fascinating people, hear their stories, hear some of their challenges kind of bring that back to Hadley and find out if there's ways that we can help. And once we figure out something that we think is helpful, part of my other job is to go tell the whole world about it.
Ricky Enger: And Chad, how about you? I'm so looking forward to hearing more about your story. And before we jump into that, how about just a brief intro? I introduced you as a blind champion golfer, which is really, really cool. So, tell us a bit about yourself.
Chad NeSmith: Well, my name again is Chad NeSmith. I'm 53 years old. I was raised in a small rural part of Alabama, Cullman, Alabama. Graduated 1986 from high school and I earned two master's and a doctorate by the time I was 26 from the University of Alabama in psychology and counselor education and worked with my wife who also has her doctorate. We've been married 27 years. And so, we ran a center for 20 years for children with special needs. After that we moved to Nashville to work with a healthcare company now, and that's what we're doing.
Ricky Enger: Fantastic. I'm looking forward to learning a bit more about golf, and I know that there are other people who are wanting to get back into the swing of things when it comes to golf. And that's the last word play I'm going to do. So, no worries that I'm going to come up with more puns and to keep that from happening, I think I'm going to just turn it over to Marc who has a really great list of questions for Chad.
Marc Arneson: Chad, I've been so excited just about this time that we get to spend together and just hearing your story. I'd love to just hear a little bit about your journey, your journey with vision loss and what that's been like for you.
Chad NeSmith: Looking back on it, I was pretty much considered to be by the time I hit 11 or 12, one of the star athletes in Alabama, major sports- football, basketball, baseball. Everything seemed to be clicking for me athletically and that's saw myself doing is playing college football was what I was hoping to do as quarterback. I wanted it to be in the NFL and play NFL football. If not, I wanted to coach college or NFL football.
That was going great until about age 12 or 13, I took a hit during a football game. That pretty much knocked me unconscious. Everybody was like, "How did you not see him? He was right in front of you. I mean, you're running right at him full speed, how did you not see him?" And of course, I thought, "Well, that's not true. I got blindsided or something." Well, back then, I don't know if some of our listeners may remember the eight millimeter that's what we had back then to review stuff. And they showed it to me, and I couldn't believe it. I mean, the guy was just sitting there squatting, waiting to make a tackle. And I mean, he made a legal hit, but he was squatted down. And what I didn't know at the time, I already lost a lot of my peripheral vision. So, when I'm looking straight ahead thinking I've got a touchdown 30 yards away, he was just under the bottom of my peripheral vision and just unloaded a great hit that I was not prepared for. And I mean, it just snapped my head back and I was out.
At that time, nobody had a clue. Just, "Okay, maybe he needs contacts, maybe he needs ..." that was just starting contacts back then. They didn't even have soft contacts. They had the hard. We didn't have any specialist where I was growing up, so I was sent to Birmingham, Alabama. They didn't know what was going on, so they sent me ... ended up going to Houston, Texas. And that's where they had at that time in the '80s a retinal specialist. And I was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, and they just flat out told me that I was going to be going blind and it was going to be a slow process. I wouldn't wake up one morning and be blind, but every year it would get worse and worse. And it would always close in. So, I'd have central vision and the outside would just keep coming in like you're looking down the tube of a cardboard paper towel holder. That tunnel would get more and more narrow and eventually it would just completely close all together.
And of course, being 13, I was like, "Well, if I don't talk about it, if I don't acknowledge it, then it doesn't exist." So, they couldn't stop me from playing football at the time because my eyesight was still good enough. But the fear internally that I didn't acknowledge it, then, like I said, I'm 13, you'll live forever. But looking back on it, I was in fear every time I was on the football field. That I was going to take another hit like that. It became obvious that it was a part of me, but I still wouldn't talk about it.
A year later, they wouldn't sign for me to play. The docs wouldn't sign for me to medically play football or baseball anymore. Looking back on it internally, again, for me, it was a relief, but I didn't act like that. I mean, I was angry. I was depressed. A lot of crying spells at night. I didn't come to church every Sunday with my family. And at this point, I just told, "God, why did you do this?" But the thing I look back on though is that I always had so many great friends that didn't party because I was a prime candidate for drugs and alcohol. If somebody would've gotten me at 14, 15 and said, "Hey, let's go to the lake start sipping the beers around the campfire." I mean, I'm telling you, I would have tried anything to feel better and just to get away from the pain. But I had friends who wanted to ... When we got together on Friday Saturday nights, it was board games. It was watching movies. It was just hanging out. And I owe them so much. And they're still great friends of mine today. Sorry about that. So, I finally lost all my sight when I was about 27, but that time from 14 to 18, it was pretty devastating.
Marc Arneson: Thank you for sharing, Chad. I appreciate just your openness and your vulnerability. I can't imagine what a difficult time that was for you. So, when did you learn, pick up golf and when did that start and how did you get involved in that?
Chad NeSmith: The biggest thing was when I was 27, I met my wife, and we were married six months after we started dating. And we've been now together almost 27 years. She played tennis and was a great tennis player. And I could still see to go hit balls with her a little bit. I could put her at the net. I could get a basket of balls and just hit some lobs for her, that stuff. But I couldn't ... if she hit it back, I couldn't keep up with it enough to hit it back to her again. So, tried that. But then it got to where time I reached 30, 32, I mean, there just really wasn't anything I could do athletically. I was lifting weights. I wasn’t going to become a competitive bodybuilder or anything. So, it was like, “This is okay.”
When I would get to be about 36, my wife came in and she said, "Look, I love you, but I got things I want to do on the weekends. And I'm tired of being your entertainment coordinator. So, you got to find something to do and get out of the house." I said, "Well, what do you want me to do?" I say, "Look, a lot of my friends go hunting, but they've already told me they're not going to let me sit in a blind with a gun and shoot at movement that I hear. So, they're not going to allow that to happen at all. So, I don't want to go fishing because I don't want a Water Moccasin to jump in a boat." So, she said, "You’re going to learn to play golf." And I said, "I'm going to learn to do what?"
My wife said, "You're going to learn to play golf." And I said, "Okay, I'll tell you what, I'll give it one hour with somebody at the public golf course there in Tuscaloosa. And if they can teach me in one hour, one of the instructors, that I got a chance to hit this ball, then I'll do it." And about 30 minutes into it, I hit a little pitching wedge with a bump and run, that's all they wanted me to do was those chip shots and stuff. And I hit it where ... I mean, I didn't even feel the ball come off the club. And I was like, "Oh, that's what it feels like." He goes, "That's what it feels like." And from then on, I was hooked. I played and hit balls. My wife was the one that would take me to the driving range and then she started playing. In about three or four years into it, we found out that you could play blind golf tournaments. So, then I said, "Okay, the next two years, I'm going to work as hard as I can now."
I mean, I was working hard to play on the weekends with friends that could see. But now, I said, "I got a way to compete, and I want to see how good I can be." That's when we started really getting after it and really getting some great instruction, getting better players to help me go practice because my wife, again, she got to a point where she goes, "Look, when they're talking about how to hit a fade and set up to hit a draw" And she said, "I don't know what all this is." So, at that time, got volunteers and people to work with me. And that became something I wanted to do. I wanted to get to where ... see how good I could be.
Marc Arneson: You’ve gotten very good. How good you can be is very good, apparently. Chad, I want to go back just a little bit. So, I think you mentioned your friends that go hunting and they've invited you along with, and some of the buddies that you're playing golf with now. Are those some of the same friends that you had in high school when you learned that you were no longer able to play football?
Chad NeSmith: Yes. Three of the four had started playing golf in their 20s had asked me, "You want to go out and you put on the greens and stuff or whatever and go out and ride with us?" And I was like, "No, I don't think so." But then when I did the chipping thing and I called and I said, "Hey, I'm starting to play golf." And they were like, "Oh man." And then when I played my first round with them six months later, where I felt like I could hit a few shots, pick up a ball after I'd hit five or six. I wouldn't hold up the whole course. And all of a sudden, it became a passion for me. I found joy in doing it and I couldn't wait to do it again. I wanted to learn about the game. I wanted to learn about club selection and why you wanted to learn about the physics of golf. But yes, three of the four people that were my best friends in high school, we still play golf today.
Marc Arneson: I've heard from people in similar situations who have said it is really kind of tough to talk to your friends, to talk to their friends about their vision loss. And even times when you felt like you weren't able to continue to do some of the things, same things that you would do with your friends, because they became more challenging. Was that ever something you experienced with those guys?
Chad NeSmith: Yeah. That's a great question. My four friends and me, so five of us and being 14, 15, 16 years old talking about feelings was really not anything you wanted to talk about. But we'd get together, and we'd play poker. We'd all put in $10 and play some kind of poker tournament. But they saw as I started getting to where I couldn't even read my cards that I had in my hand and we showed up one night to play poker, and Scott, who's still one of my best friends of all the group there. He had big print cards. Without even asking, we were playing that next night with those large print cards where I could see it better. Then as we continued to play and my wife, we were having everybody over to play cards when I was 27 or 28.
And I had braille cards, my wife had ordered them. They look like regular cards for everybody else, but the braille’s in the corners. And I was like, "Wow, okay. I can still play poker. And I don't need somebody sitting beside me to tell you what my cards are." So again, we didn't talk about it much, my friends and I, because again were teenage boys, but they knew and they still ... never said anything about coming to pick me up. They never said, "Hey, you owe us gas money." I had said, "Well, if y'all want me to go, y'all, you got to come ... " It was never had to be discussed, and that's again why I had some great friends and they were then, and they still are now.
Marc Arneson: I know that you spent some time helping people learn golf as well. And I think that you and your wife have an organization where you're helping those with the visual impairment learn golf. Is that right, Chad?
Chad NeSmith: What happened was I was very fortunate when I started, and I told you I found out about there were blind golf tournaments around the world. I qualified for the 2016 nationals. I had to shoot qualifying scores at other tournaments. In 2016, my first blind golf tournament, I won that one. And then I repeated it in 2017 and 2018 and also won the Irish Open. And I won the Guiding Eyes Classic in New York twice. The way we got into helping others is after 2016 and winning that, it was all about, "I did it, I did it, I did it. I did it. I knew I could do it with hard work. I did it. I did it. I did it." The feeling lasted a long time, lasted for months. I just felt like I was on cloud nine. Every time I went to the golf course, people say, "Way to go, doc. Way to go. You're national champ. Blah, blah." And it was just ... it was all about me.
I guess that was making up for what I thought I got cheated in my opinion from when I was a teenager not being able to reach that pinnacle in the sports I wanted to. And after winning it in 2017 though, that feeling lasted about a week. And I told my wife, I said, "I can't believe this is over. I don't feel happy anymore." And my wife's a very spiritual, always has been, and she said, "Because you didn't do it for the right reason." And I said, "What are you talking about?" Because when it comes to the two of us, I'm not the brightest one of the two. She's definitely smarter than I am. She said, "Last year you talked about winning it and every time it was I."
She said, "You had a coach that was with you all year helping you. They went to it voluntarily. You didn't say we won it, you said I won it. Without your coach setting you up behind the ball like all other blind golfers." I said, "You couldn't hit a shot. And you just kept saying I won it. I won it." And she goes, "Also, you didn't do anything with it afterwards. You didn't help anybody else. You didn't improve anybody else's life." She goes, "Now, after you won it in 2017, you don't have anything else to hang your hat on." And she said, "We need to do something to make a change." And so, she and I sat down along with my parents and my mom and stepdad, and we said, "What would that be?"
And they said, "Well, wouldn't you love to have had a golf club in your hand at age 14 when you couldn't play the other sports?" And I said, "Oh god, yes, I'd love to have had one." And they said, "Well, why don't we do that for kids now?" We sat down and set up a 501(c)(3). It's called AVID, A Vision in Darkness. Every state has a blind school state funded and I called here one ... For Tennessee is in Nashville. I called the Tennessee School for the Blind. I said, "I'd like to help your golf team." And they said, "We don't have a golf team." And I said, "You got to be kidding me." Because to me, it's like the most obvious sport for visually impaired and blind people to play because the ball doesn't move. The target doesn't move. You don't have to run or jump. I mean, it just seems so obvious that they would have had golf. I mean, this is how naive I was, even though I was blind.
We started the first golf team in the United States. No other state school has golf as a golf team and a golf practice. So, we started the first golf team, blind golf team. And we got up to 14 kids right before AVID. They were between the ages of eight and 16. These kids were hitting the ball. It's not just a clinic we would do. We got them clubs. We got golf shirts that matched. We made it a practice on Monday, Wednesday afternoons after school.
And our goal is to add one a year starting this year, as we want to add a different blind school, a golf team, and teach them how to get it started. I'd like to see in five years, I'd like to see Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, all the kids get together in a central location and play against each other in a golf tournament for the first one that's ever been done. It's now not me winning, it's about me doing well to have a platform, but it's like now, then if I don't win, it's okay because these kids don't care, but it give me a purpose of I want to keep trying to be better, but it's more like life lessons now for the kids. Golf is important, but the lessons you've learned from any sport, but especially golf. That's what we're trying to accomplish. Give confidence. You don't have to compete in tournaments. That's not what it is, but it's about patience. It's about respect and respecting the game. It's a tough sport, but we were trying to teach all the right aspects and life skills that go along with golf to the kids as well.
Marc Arneson: So, Chad, so have you spent time with ... I mean, I know that there's a lot of folks out there who are new to vision loss and maybe similar to you when you were in high school, felt like there were things that they can no longer do. They kind of had to give up some different things. And I imagine golf might be that for many people. Have you spent any time with those who later in life enjoyed golf, but now with their vision loss have had a challenge being able to do that?
Chad NeSmith: That's what we actually are changing this year. We're adding veterans and any other adults to the list who have lost their vision, are losing their vision and have not played golf. They're invited and we're going to get ... And again, when I say this, we do it at no expense to them. It's not because my wife and I are wealthy, but we've had great donations from people locally. And so, we get them the clubs, we get them everything that they need. But yes, we're also trying to reach out to the optometrist and ophthalmologist and stuff in the area. And what we want to do is get people that used to play 10 years ago but then they had something, cataract surgery that went bad and they couldn't follow their own golf ball anymore, so they quit. They can maybe still even say the ball sitting on the ground but as soon as they hit it, they can't follow it, so they just quit. And there's just no reason for that.
I mean, there are coaches out there, people that want to do this, there's even times that I've actually hired a college student who plays on the college golf team here locally and say, "Hey, I'll pay you 10 bucks an hour. I want to go out and hit balls for five hours." And they're like, "You're going to pay me to go hit ball?" So, I'll hit 10 balls, they'll hit 10. I'll hit 20, they hit 20 and they get paid 10 bucks an hour when I want to have a real heavy practice day. So, there's a way to do it depending on what you want. If you want to just get practice and hit some balls, you want to compete in tournaments. Do you just want to play on the Saturdays with your buddies? There's ways to get people to coach. And that's what we call them our coaches not caddies, because caddies on television, they just get the player the yardage and stuff like that. Keep the clubs clean, carry the bag.
Well, we call them coaches, not because they're all PGA teaching professionals, but they got to get us to the cart safely. That's number one, get us to the car, get us to the ball, get us up to the tee box, get us around water hazards and bunkers and don't let us step on rakes and sprinkler heads. The number one thing in blind golf is that if you finish the round and you've not had any blood drawn, you've had a good day. Then the score is just ... that's just a second thing what your score was, but the coaches have so much on them that they have to do and that's why we call them coaches instead of caddies. On the blind golf tournament, it's all amateur. We don't make any money for winning. It's trophies and the thrill of competition. But some, it's their wives are coaches. Some, it's their sons. Some, it's their fathers. Some have PGA teaching professionals. Coaches can be anybody. And so, anybody that wants to play this game or has played this game, there's no reason why we can't help you get to where you need to go to play the game.
Marc Arneson: So, tell me about your golf game. What's the best score that you've ever ... what's the best round you've ever shot?
Chad NeSmith: My best tournament round is 81. When I say tournament round, the thing I like to tell folks, because when they hear about blind golf, they're thinking, "Okay, y'all play it differently than the guys we watch on television." And the answer is there's only two rule differences, that were two rules that are different. Number one, we can ground the club in the bunker. So, in other words, the PGA guys, and the college players, when you get into sand trap, you can't put your club behind the ball and touch the sand. You have to hover it. Well, if we don't know where the ground is, we don't stand a chance to returning the club because that's what we learn. We learn where the ball is in relation to our feet and where the ground is. And so, we get to ground the club in the bunker, no practice swings, but we get to at least set the club down behind the ball.
And the only other rule change that's different from everybody else that plays by the rules of golf is that when our coaches line the club up and hold the club behind the ball, they take two steps back. So, they're staying in the straight line with me, the line I want to hit it on and the target we're trying to hit to. In real golf, the coach can't be in that line. They have to get out from behind you, but they have to stay behind us because as I step back a couple of steps and say, "All right, go ahead and swing and hit it." The club could have moved a little bit to the heel, club could have moved to the toe. My feet could be aimed too far to the right. And that's where the ball's going to go. So, they can see that. But if they can't stay behind us, they won't be able to see that and stop us and reset it. So other than that, we play by the exact same rules, no mulligans. We have to put everything in the hole. There's no gimmes. The pros play anywhere from 6,800 to about 7,200 yards just to give you a reference. We play about 61 to 6,200 yards.
Marc Arneson: I got to ask, have you ever hit a hole in one?
Chad NeSmith: I have been so close, but no. I've had so many chances where we thought it was going in or we get up there and it's six inches or a foot, but not yet. But I sure am hoping.
Quick funny story. Coach Moody was the women's basketball coach at the University of Alabama back when I was playing early, but I hadn't started playing tournament golf yet. I was still just trying to learn to play. And we had a scramble for charity for the University of Alabama. And I had some of the coaches out there on the tees with us just saying, "Hi, Coach Moody. Thanks for coming out." That kind of thing. I was on a par three and they said, "Okay, Doc, if you make a hole in one here on this, 155 yards, you win this truck." And they said, "That's going to be funny watching you drive this out of here." And I said, "Yeah, that'd be hilarious. Blind guy driving a big old Ford F-150."
So anyway, I hit the shot, and everybody says, "Dear Lord, that may be going in." The flag was over a ridge on a back level and so we couldn't see the bottom foot of the flag and the ball never reappeared. And they had a spotter up at the green who was off to the side, and he went and motioned finger down like it went in. So, we started jumping around on the tee box and everything. Coach Moody had forgot that I couldn't see. He came running in to give me a high five and I was giving it though tiger fist pump and caught him right under the chin and knocked him unconscious. So, I mean, I hit him perfect right on the jaw with an upper cut. So, he was knocked out and then I found out the ball wasn't in the hole, it was on the other side. So, the spotter couldn't see it. It didn't go in; it was three inches. So, I didn't win the truck. Coach Moody had to go to the ER. I was the one that knocked him unconscious. So, it was eventful.
Marc Arneson: Okay, Chad. So amazing things that you and your wife are doing in the world of golf. If somebody wanted to ... What advice would you give to somebody who again, maybe new to vision loss, is maybe thinking about the idea of getting back into this, never thought maybe it was possible. What kind of advice would you give them?
Chad NeSmith: I would tell you the first thing is that you just got to believe that you want to do it. I mean, because if you're not going to do it for the right reason, meaning that you want to have something that you can get outside, something you can do and have camaraderie with some folks, you don't even need to try. I mean, because ... and that's with anything, not just golf. But golf is the most difficult sport I've ever played. The room for error is so minute, a couple of millimeters makes a difference in a ball going straight or in the water.
And you have to have patience and you got to really have a passion and enjoy what you're doing. And so, if you're ready for that and you want to try something difficult, you understand it's going to be difficult and that's for a sighted person, it's going to be difficult. And for a blind person, it's going to be just as difficult. And there are some things that are hard because you got to have somebody with you. You can't go out and just hit a bucket of balls by yourself. But the thing I would tell people to do is check out the United States Blind Golf Association website, that's usbga.org. We have all kinds of clinics listed across the country. I'm the vice president of the USBGA. We've got all kind of stuff there on the website, clinics and videos and people you can contact in your area.
The other option is AVID. Go to avid.golf, A-V-I-D.golf. And that's the one that Pat and I, that's our website for kids. But like I said, we're expanding that now to adults. We still can get you in contact with people. We can get you golf clubs if you can't afford those. We can get you set up with a teacher who can help you as a beginner. If you were an advanced player, but you hadn't played in 10 years, then we'll get somebody to check you out, see where you're at in terms of your game and then how much instruction needed to get back to it. We'll set you up with coaches and you can interview the coaches. See if you like them. Just a lot of options we can give you. So, I would say the usbga.org is the national website. And then our website if you want to check it out is avid.golf. And either one of those websites would be a great starting point.
Ricky Enger: That's excellent. Yeah. We'll have both of those things in our show notes, for those of you who are listening and didn't manage to write it down. No worries. It's all on the website along with this episode. Any other final thoughts that you'd like to leave our listeners with before we wrap it up?
Chad NeSmith: The thing that turned my life around about golf and getting off the couch and beat the depression, because there's a lot of people that are losing their sight or have lost their sight and the number one thing, they're dealing with is depression. Because again, if you're born blind, you don't know anything else. But if you've been able to see and been able to drive and been able to snow ski and been able to go out and own your own go hunting or work your farm, and then you lose your eyesight where you can't do those things, I mean, it's devastating.
Make sure you keep searching for a way to come to peace with what's happening. It may be talking to somebody. It may be talking to your spouse. It might be talking to a parent. It may be talking to your pastor at church. It might be going to something, and somebody says something, and you hear something. So don't stay on the couch. Get out, do things, try different things. Find what gives you joy. And you can beat depression. You can beat this. So, would I take my eyesight back today? The answer's yes. I mean, everyone says, "Oh, you wouldn't take your sight back." Well, yeah, I would. It's just not going to keep me from living my life anymore as if I don't have it. So, I just thought I'd just tell everybody, encourage it, but you got to keep trying, you can't give up. Giving up is the easy thing to do.
Ricky Enger: Absolutely. I love that. Thank you so much for sharing your story and just sharing your journey with us.
Chad NeSmith: Thank you very much for having me.
Ricky Enger: Got something to say, share your thoughts about this episode of Hadley Presents or make suggestions for future episodes. We'd love to hear from you. Send us an email at [email protected] that's [email protected]. Or leave us a message at 847-784-2870. Thanks for listening.
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The National Library Service has a free talking book program for anyone in the US with vision loss. Tonia Bickford, an advisor from Michigan's talking books program, joins us to discuss how to get the most out of this free service.
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Sometimes vision loss can make us feel less secure. This week we talk about personal safety with Hadley's Chief Program Officer, Ed Haines.
For many living with vision loss, watching TV is less enjoyable as they can't see what's happening on the screen very well anymore.
Audio description fills the void by narrating key visual elements. Listen in as Ricky chats with Hadley member and avid audio description user, Judy Davis.
Listen in to our conversation with Dr. Mondal, a low vision optometrist and professor at the University of Wisconsin. We chat about what to expect from a visit to a low vision specialist and the kind of help they can offer.
Have you listened to Hadley's community-generated audio podcast yet? In this episode, Ricky and Marc Arneson, Hadley's Director of Community, share a few stories from Insights & Sound Bites and discuss how to contribute your own story. Insights & Sound Bites | Hadley
Listen in as artist Chloe Duplessis explains how a degenerative eye disease changed, and didn't change, her life and love of art. "I thought art required sight. I was wrong."
Dr. Judy Box, a Hadley member living with macular degeneration, shares her tips for managing those important conversations with your eye doctor.
In this episode, the Hadley team talks all things gifts. Giving them, getting them, what's on their wish lists, and how vision loss may, or may not, impact these activities.
Friendships often change when one has vision loss. Whether it's adaptations to the activities you enjoy together, asking for help, or turning that help down … there are conversations to be had. Let's tune in as two Hadley members, Eugenia DeReu and Tara Perry, share their experiences with what's changed for them — and what's stayed the same.
Losing some vision can make for shopping challenges. Here are a few mishaps that Hadley members have run into. Have your own to share? Email us at [email protected]
This week we chat with the chief technology officer from Envision as he shares how their free mobile app or camera-enabled glasses can help those with vision loss. It speaks aloud written information, describes surroundings and objects, and even tells you who's nearby.
Lots of questions, concerns, and stereotypes connected to use of the white cane. In this episode, we address several of them from past discussions on the topic.
Listen in as Hadley's Director of Community, Marc Arneson, chats with Hadley members Bill Massey and Gregory Peterson about their participation in Hadley's new Peer-to-Peer program.
To learn if getting a peer connection is for you, call us at 1-800-323-4238.
Listen in as we chat with Ed Haines about getting the most out of our magnifiers.
Listen in as we chat with animal lovers Debbie Worman and Sheri Robinson about the joys and challenges of caring for a pet when you have vision loss.
Listen in as Hadley member, Wendy Spencer Davis, shares why she decided to learn some braille and how it's helping her in everyday life.
Ed McDaniel, a psychologist with low vision, joins us to talk about common emotional triggers people with vision loss face and how to recognize and manage them.
Jessica Grogan from the American Diabetes Association joins us to talk about managing your blood sugar with vision loss.
Tune into our chat with Sarah Clark, a visually impaired marriage and family therapist, as she offers her unique insight into some common family dynamics that often make adjustment more challenging and how to navigate through them successfully.
Join us as we chat with Hadley member, Kris, about her experience living with vision loss in a senior community.
Listen in as Hadley staff share their real-life bloopers—times when things didn’t quite go as planned.
Join us as we take a dive into the features of the BlindShell cell phone.
Listen in as Pastor Scott Himel shares his advice for participating in religious services no matter your level of vision.
Join us to learn about how ScripTalk technology translates medication labels into speech and where you can find a participating pharmacy.
Join occupational therapist from Duke Eye Center, Fay Tripp, in a conversation about bioptic glasses—what they are and who can benefit from them.
Listen in as we chat with birding expert Freya McGregor who shares her tips on how you can enjoy this hobby, no matter your level of vision.
Listen in as Hadley's Doug Walker and Ricky Enger chat about how they use GPS in their daily lives. From walking directions to finding items or assisting a driver by navigating a trip, GPS can be a very handy tool.
Listen in as we chat with Dave Steele about his life, poetry, and vision loss.
Listen in as we discuss some common situations that can make us feel unsafe and share ideas on how to address them. We're joined today by Christy Ray and Ricky Jones of STRIVE4You.Org
Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for feelings of shame to creep in when we've lost some vision. Join social worker Jeff Flodin and psychologist Ed McDaniel, both visually impaired themselves, as they explore where these feelings come from and how they have worked through these emotions in their own lives.
Listen in as Dorrie Rush of OE Magazine shares how she resisted using a white cane for years, the stigma she feared, and the confidence and security she found once it was in her hand.
Learn how CVS pharmacy customers throughout the US can access a free service that reads aloud prescription medication information.
Join us as we chat with author Hannah Fairbairn about the tips and tricks she has learned to take some of the stress out of holiday get-togethers, no matter your vision.
We're joined by the creator of The Blind Life YouTube channel, Sam Seavey. Sam shares his personal journey with vision loss and advice he has for people who are newer to vision loss.
Whether you like to read for enjoyment or need to check your mail, reading is an essential part of your day. We're sharing tips and tricks for how to continue reading, the best low-tech and high-tech gadgets, and the benefits of learning braille.
Chief Innovation Officer Doug Walker chats with us about the launch of Hadley's newest podcast, Insights & Sound Bites. This new podcast will offer short stories shared by listeners. By tapping into the power of our community, we hope to share ideas, discoveries, and moments of inspiration along the journey through vision loss.
Jim Hoxie and Joanna Jones join us to discuss their children’s book, "Grandpa's White Cane." Jim shares how vision loss shaped his life and how he and Joanna, a retired teacher, began instructing children about the importance of white cane awareness and the do's and don'ts for helping people with visual impairment.
Blogger and social worker Jeff Flodin talks about his personal journey with vision loss and how his passion for helping people led him to blog about his experiences.
Hadley has partnered with the National Eye Institute (NEI) to offer a Spanish-language version of our popular cooking workshop series. Devina Fan, director of the National Eye Health Education Program at NEI, joins the podcast to talk more about this new initiative, NEI’s expanding Spanish content, and the importance of connecting Hispanic and Latino communities to important vision resources.
A change in your vision may make some parts of your job more challenging. But with a bit of help and some new skills, you may be able to stay in your job. Hadley Chief Program Officer Ed Haines and Learning Expert Steve Kelley join the podcast to talk about our new Working with Vision Loss workshops and to share tips for where to find support and how to ask for what you need.
Certified accessible travel advocate Melvin Reynolds joins the podcast to share tips for getting the most out of traveling, no matter your level of vision. Melvin gives advice on what to research ahead of a trip, considerations for traveling with a guide dog, and how a certified accessible travel advocate can help.
Karen and Dan Leonetti share how vision loss has changed their relationship and the advice they have for other couples.
Rabbi Lenny Sarko joins us to talk about how his vision loss journey led him to create a first-of-its-kind braille Sefer Torah that people around the country can access.
Actor and artist Bruce Horak talks about his personal journey with vision loss, how he got interested in painting, and his role in the new television series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
CEO of Eschenbach Optik of America Ken Bradley joins the podcast to discuss how Eschenbach has adapted through the pandemic to help people with visual impairment access low vision devices remotely. Through their "Telelowvision" program, you can try out magnification devices from the comfort of your home to find what works best for you before you buy.
Scottish radio broadcaster and podcaster Steven Scott loves finding and talking about tech stuff. He's especially fond of apps and gadgets that make life easier for him and others with vision loss.
NYT Columnist Frank Bruni returns to the podcast to talk about his new book. Frank describes his personal experiences with vision loss and how, with time, his perspective has grown.
IT professional and stand-up comedian Todd Blenkhorn talks about his personal journey with vision loss and how his passion for stand-up helped him find and share the humor in daily interactions.
In this episode, we're sharing highlights from previous interviews with a glaucoma specialist, retina specialist, and a low vision doctor. Listen in to learn more about common eye conditions, treatments, and what to expect at these specialist appointments.
Master Gardener Sue Brasel and Hadley's Chief Program Officer and gardener Ed Haines join us for a chat about gardening, no matter your level of vision or gardening experience. They share tips for how to get started, common challenges, and the many benefits of gardening.
We're joined by Carol Mackey, an avid discussion group participant, and co-host Debbie Worman to chat about what Hadley groups are, how to join, and what you can get out of them. With 10 groups on a variety of topics, there's something for everyone. Listen in or chime in – it’s up to you.
Bold Blind Beauty blogger Stephanae McCoy joins us for a chat on beauty, style and confidence. Stephanae talks about how vision loss shaped her life, and then shares some of her favorite fashion and beauty tips.
Hadley staff share their favorite kitchen gadgets and tips. Whether you're an experienced home chef or a total novice, you're bound to pick up a few ideas that fit your vision needs and make your time in the kitchen more productive (and fun).
We sat down with Kim Walker, co-director of research and development at Hadley, and Mark Andrews, one of the Hadley advisors who reviewed our exciting new approach for adults with vision loss to learn braille. From labeling items in your home to identifying buttons on an elevator, braille can be a wonderful tool for everyday use.
New York Times Best-Selling Author, Gretchen Rubin, chats about her research on how tapping into different senses can enrich our lives and connect us to each other in surprising ways.
Twin sisters Jenelle and Joy join the podcast to share their personal experiences with vision loss and adjusting to it emotionally. While they look identical, their perspectives and journeys differ, highlighting their mission to show that "there is no right way to go blind."
Hadley learner Sharon Noseworthy shares tips and tricks for hosting get-togethers of any type or size, no matter your vision. Sharon has always loved the role of hostess and has learned to adjust her approach now that her own vision has declined.
We're joined by Teepa Snow, occupational therapist and founder of Positive Approach to Care, to learn more about the challenges of having both vision loss and dementia. Teepa addresses common misconceptions about dementia and shares practical tips for supporting someone with both conditions.
We sat down with several Hadley staff members and asked them about their favorite tech tips, apps, and gadgets. Whether you consider yourself a tech expert or novice, the group recommends a variety of high-tech and low-tech options that fit your comfort level and interests.
Judge David Tatel has served on the second most powerful court in the country since 1994. He also happens to be blind. Judge Tatel joins us to share his story on building a law career and family while dealing with changing vision, the technology and resources he's found useful, and what made him consider getting a guide dog in recent years.
In honor of White Cane Safety Day today, we're joined by Hadley learner Larry Carlson and Orientation and Mobility Specialist Elijah Haines for a conversation about this important tool. Larry shares what made him decide to use a white cane, and Elijah shares tips for what to consider and how to adjust to using a white cane.
Supriya Raman, manager of the Disability and Multicultural branches of the TSA, shares tips on traveling among shifting COVID restrictions. Supriya covers what to expect at the airport and what resources are available for people with visual impairment.
Photographer Michael Nye chats with us about his latest art exhibit, "My Heart is Not Blind," a collection of photos and audio interviews of people with visual impairment. Through these stories, Michael provides a look into what he calls "our shared humanity and shared fragility," as well as common misunderstandings about blindness.
Doug Walker, Hadley co-director of R&D, and Ed Haines, Hadley Chief Program Officer, chat about the making of Hadley's "Adjusting to Vision Loss" workshop series. The series guides people through the emotional aspects of vision loss. Doug serves as the series' personal storyteller and narrator.
In this episode we chat with ophthalmologist Dr. Angela Elam from the University of Michigan. Dr. Elam addresses common questions and concerns, and shares her advice for returning to the eye doctor among shifting COVID restrictions.
Dorrie Rush, OE's Chief Content Officer, joins us for a chat about this wonderful online resource chock full of tips for living well with vision loss. You'll find great articles on using tech tools, tips for health and well-being, stories from others living with vision loss, a terrific podcast, and more.
Learn about a new service that’s just launched in 2020 called Accessible Pharmacy. Accessible packaging and labeling and personalized customer support all free of charge to the end consumer, and specifically designed for those with vision impairment.
Audio Describe the World! That’s the mantra of UniDescription: a free smartphone app that provides audio descriptions and navigation tips for US National Parks and other public places.
In this episode, we chat with low vision optometrist Dr. Mark Wilkinson from the University of Iowa. Dr. Wilkinson answers common questions and shares his advice for getting the most out of low vision optometry appointments.
Jan and Elgie Dow share how vision loss has changed their relationship and the advice they have for other couples.
Join Hadley advisor Eddie Becerra as he shares about losing his sight from diabetic retinopathy, and how he gained a new perspective on life.
Classically trained chef Regina Mitchell shares how vision loss shaped her life. Regina worked her way back into the kitchen and is now helping others cook with confidence, no matter their vision.
In this episode we sit down with the director of Well Connected, an organization that offers free, call-in groups for adults over 60 on a wide variety of interest areas: games, music, meditation and more.
Support groups can be a great way to connect with others who "get it." Listen in as as low vision support group leaders Lynndah Lahey and Judy Davis describe how their groups are run and what their members get out of them.
World-renowned artist John Bramblitt describes how vision loss has shaped his painting and his life.
In this episode, we chat with Dr. Tim Murray of the American Society of Retina Specialists. Dr. Murray treats eye diseases such as macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. He answers common questions and shares his insights into the future of treatments.
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Jullia Rosdahl, a glaucoma specialist from the Duke Eye Center, and ask her some of the many questions we’ve heard about glaucoma, its risk factors, and how to treat the disease.
Hadley learning expert Jessica Smith shares her experience raising a puppy that may eventually become a guide dog. She covers what she’s learned and things to consider if you’d like to volunteer to help out a guide dog school.
October 15 is White Cane Safety Day, a day to recognize this important tool that empowers people with visual impairment to travel safely and independently. It also brings attention to the general public to be mindful of visually impaired neighbors, giving them additional consideration and right-of-way when needed. We sat down with Kellee Sanchez, an orientation and mobility specialist, to talk about the history of White Cane Safety Day, and how a white cane can help those with vision loss.
Be My Eyes is a free smartphone app that connects visually impaired users with sighted volunteers for help with visual tasks. We sat down with Will Butler from Be My Eyes to hear how the app started, tips for using it, and exciting new features that provide specialized assistance, including with Hadley.
Tracy Simon from Eye2Eye peer support program shares her story of vision loss, how her program works, and the benefits of connecting with and supporting each other.
Ophthalmologist Dr. Lori Provencher chats with us about how the coronavirus pandemic has changed doctor's visits. She shares tips for staying safe, questions to ask, and what to expect before, during and after your next office visit.
Mindfulness expert Tiffany Guske returns to the podcast to share tips and insights on how to cope with life's challenges, such as vision loss or an illness, building resilience and focusing on self-compassion instead of judgment.
Author of "When You Can't Believe Your Eyes," Hannah Fairbairn, chats with us about how to communicate in everyday situations when you can't rely on visual cues. Hear Hannah's own story about losing vision, her practical tips on adjusting to vision loss, and advice she has on regaining confidence in social situations.
In this episode, we continue the conversation on living during the COVID-19 pandemic with a visual impairment. Listen in as we share some experiences, tips, and strategies for coping during these difficult times.
The COVID-19 crisis has brought a wave of change and uncertainty to our everyday lives. Listen in as we share personal experiences, resources and some helpful tips...all from a blind or low vision perspective.
Assistive technology experts Ricky Enger and Steve Kelley review BlindShell, a mobile phone built for those with visual impairment. They discuss the basic features, how it differs from a traditional smartphone, and how to decide if it's right for you.
This week we sit down with Dan Roberts, author of "The First Year-Age-Related Macular Degeneration: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed" and founder of MDSupport website and support group. Hear Dan's own story about being diagnosed with macular degeneration and what prompted him to reach out to others facing similar circumstances.
Listen in as we explore the basics of using hand tools with a visual impairment. Gil Johnson, a visually impaired home repair expert, shares tips on everything from measuring, to leveling to hammering.
Elections are right around the corner. So we gathered a panel to talk about options for voting no matter your level of vision. Listen in as we explore everything you need to know, from registering to vote to the many ways you can cast your ballot.
Ricky sits down with Android Accessibility Product Manager Brian Kemler to discuss what is available on Android phones for those with visual impairment. From adjusting font size and color, or opting to listen with TalkBack instead, the commitment to making these powerful tools more useful to a wider audience is clear.
In this episode, we chat with Gil Johnson, an experienced home repair and woodworking enthusiast about things to consider when undertaking home repair with blindness or low vision.
Hadley's Debbie Good sits down to continue a conversation with author and visually impaired world traveler Dr. Wendy David. Together they explore a wide variety of helpful hints covering train, plane, and cruise travel as well as practical information on traveling internationally and navigating hotels.
In this episode, Ricky Enger chats with Joe Strechay, associate producer on the Apple TV+ series SEE. The show takes place in a future where, after a viral apocalypse, all humans are blind. Joe takes us behind the scenes of the show and his work to help build an inclusive set for the cast and crew, including those with low to no vision. From casting to costumes, scripting to scenery, hear how Joe helped create a science fiction world that strives to be authentic to life with vision loss.
Hadley's Debbie Good sits down with travel author Dr. Wendy David in this latest episode. In part one of this two-part interview, Debbie and Wendy discuss tips for traveling with confidence as a blind or low vision person, advice on picking destinations, considerations for traveling alone and in a group, and more!
Ricky Enger is joined by Hadley's Debbie Worman and mindfulness expert Tiffany Guske in this latest episode. Debbie and Tiffany talk about what mindfulness is and the specific benefits that mindfulness can offer for those living with vision loss. Tiffany then walks listeners through a short mindfulness exercise.
In this episode, Ricky Enger speaks with New York Times columnist Frank Bruni, who shares the story of his sudden vision loss from NAION. Bruni speaks candidly on his adjustment to the change, maintaining a realistic attitude towards his vision loss, and the failure of medical professionals to provide resources after diagnosis.
Listen in as we share practical tips on how to keep your handwriting readable. This resource-packed episode includes many useful techniques and solutions to common handwriting challenges. Hadley Learning Expert Jennifer Ottowitz chats with Sue Dalton, Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist.
In this episode, Hadley's Steve Kelley speaks with Kendra Farrow, from the National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision, located at Mississippi State. The episode serves as a guide for those new to vision rehabilitation, including determining who is eligible for services, key differences between the medical and social services models, and how to locate services in each state.
In this episode, Ricky Enger chats with Microsoft's Jeremy Curry, a Senior Program Manager with the Windows Accessibility team. New vision accessibility features are now available in Windows 10 for low vision and screen reader users.
In the inaugural episode of Hadley Presents, Ricky Enger and Jonathan Mosen of Aira chat about the ways in which a visual interpreter service, such as Aira, can be used to gain valuable visual information and enhance travel and leisure activities for blind and low vision users.