Deafblind Awareness Week: Seeing the World Through a New Lens

This Deafblind Awareness Week feels different. For the first time in my life, I am not just supporting deafblind people — I am experiencing what it’s like to live between two rapidly fading senses. I’ve been profoundly deaf all my life, but recently, I’ve been facing a new and unexpected challenge: losing my sight.

Three weeks ago, I had surgery to remove a cataract from my right eye. The operation itself went well, and for a while, I felt hopeful. But then the irritation started, and last night, while visiting the walk-in centre for help, I somehow lost my glasses — my one lifeline to the world around me. The ones I lost only have one lens. I can't see out of my left eye due to a cataract, and now the right eye is blurry from the irritation. I’m waiting for my second cataract operation, but in the meantime, my world has shrunk dramatically.

The Frustration of Being Misunderstood

What’s been especially upsetting isn’t just the visual challenges — it’s the misunderstanding. I contacted my optician to request an emergency pair of glasses using my existing prescription. The response? “You need a new eye test.” I explained (again and again) that my eye doctor advised me to wait until both eyes are operated on before doing another test. It felt like talking in circles. Worse, they couldn’t grasp that I am not just struggling with my sight — I am also deaf.

It’s exhausting trying to explain your needs when the system isn’t built to support or understand you. In the end, I had to ask my interpreter to contact my husband at work, so he could come home early and take me to the branch himself.

When Lived Experience Becomes the Lesson

As a communicator guide working with deafblind individuals, I’ve always prided myself on advocating for access, understanding, and independence. But this recent experience has given me a deeply personal perspective on just how vulnerable it can feel to lose both your hearing and vision. I now understand, on a whole new level, the fear and frustration many of the people I support feel daily.

Simple tasks — going shopping, making a phone call, attending an appointment — have become major obstacles. I can’t drive, so I’ve been working from home for the past few weeks. My husband helps me get around, as I feel unsteady on my feet due to the combination of deafness and poor eyesight. Every step outside feels unfamiliar and uncertain.

Why Deafblind Awareness Week Matters

Deafblindness isn’t always total. It can be a combination of hearing and vision loss to varying degrees, and it affects each person differently. But the impact is universal: reduced access, increased isolation, and a system that often isn’t equipped to accommodate. This week is not just about raising awareness — it’s about listening to real experiences, learning from them, and making changes that ensure accessibility, dignity, and independence for everyone.

So, to those who don’t know what deafblindness feels like — please listen. To healthcare providers, service teams, and public services — believe us when we say what we need. And to those navigating the same path — you’re not alone. I see you. I hear you. And I stand with you — even if now, I’m doing so with just one blurry eye and no glasses.