Last year I was diagnosed with a rare disorder that may result in the loss of sight in my left eye. The disorder, called Punctate Inner Choroiditis (PIC). caused my vision to be distorted—sort of like looking at oneself in a funhouse mirror—and for a while I had a blind spot which prevented me from seeing things straight on. This frightened me as I don’t ever want to lose my independence and mobility. However, since there is currently no cure for PIC, I decided to investigate ways to be self sufficient in the unfortunate event I go blind.

In my search I found that there are a number of visually impaired people that use an echolocation technique that enables them to “see” their surroundings. By clicking their tongues the blind are able to emulate the technique used by bats, dolphins, and whales and can differentiate between people, trees, building, and parked cars by the pitch of the echo they produce. This technique even makes it possible for a visually impaired person to maneuver a bike safely. Pretty amazing!

Some other innovations to aid the blind are: The UltraCane, which uses sonar, and , which aid those suffering with the also incurable macular degeneration (similar to PIC).

Fortunately for me, my doctor’s diagnosis was made early enough to enable treatment with a new medication that has helped stem the tide of PIC in my eye for now. (The only down side is the injection in my eye once a month, and the cost, as insurance does not cover it at the moment). But, if I do find myself in a position where my sight is diminished or gone, it’s comforting to know there are researchers out there working on ways for the seeing impaired to keep their independence.

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