Hello! Welcome to Life in the Blurry lane, the place to find a whole rake of information about #vanlife with a visual impairment. I’m Aoife, from Ireland and along with The Driver (AKA The Boyfriend of 5 years) I am heading off to travel Europe with Vanessa (The Van) for the next 10months.
I was born with Type 1 Oculocutaneous Albinism which means I have ludicrously blonde hair, dreadful eyesight and very pale skin and eyes. Albinism affects those who have it differently, depending on the type and severity. For me, it affects my detail and distance vision meaning I need a Driver and I wear glasses which help somewhat. It also means SPF 50 is my best friend as is a good hat and sunglasses. In addition, I have a nystagmus or twitchy eyes, (meaning I always lose a staring competition) and light sensitivity meaning the brighter or darker it gets, the blinder I get. In practical terms my condition means I will never drive a car, reading signs and bus numbers is a daily struggle as is recognising faces from far away
I use a few different aids in every day life. The text on my phone and tablet is GIGANTIC, I use all the magnification settings on the devices so in essence, everything on my phone or tablet is huge. I use handheld magnifiers, a little telescope, a symbol cane and I often use The Driver as my eyes
On the other hand, living with a visual impairment has taught me more than it has taken away. I am resilient, as for some things, I have to work harder than a fully sighted person or I have to find an innovative work around (Hello sense of touch!). I am forced to think differently about every day tasks, I am determined to do anything I want to despite my eyes and I am organised
So come along with us as we travel Europe in our Camper. I’ll be reviewing campsites and their accessibility, sharing some #vanlife with a visual impairment hacks and basically inviting you into my Life in the Blurry Lane.
Follow our journey here or on Instagram @lifeintheblurrylane