As I approached the end of May 2025, I found myself confronting the reality of living with two conditions as a deaf person with disabilities. The journey from September 2024 has been a rollercoaster, filled with challenges, uncertainties, and fears. Yet, I made a courageous choice to undergo surgery, believing it to be the most promising path. Now, I stand on the brink of relieving the eye pressure in my right eye through laser treatment on the 23rd of May 2025.
I hold in high regard all individuals with low vision and seniors who grapple with sight impairments and the onset of cataracts or glaucoma in their later years. I share my story as a deaf person with a disability, now in my 60s. The strides in health technology, particularly those without additional disabilities like deafness, neurological issues, or physical mobility challenges, have been a game-changer for seniors with eye conditions, showcasing the potential for further advancements in this field.
The ability to struggle through everyday life is the ability to lip-read someone in the same room, watch television with captioning, use signers and interpreters, look at road signs when travelling on the roads, make PowerPoint presentations, read materials/resources, work on a computer device, and use the display, including the font size and background screen—white to black as dark mode. Around home, gardening isn’t easy due to the appearance of plants and leaves, highlighting the daily challenges faced by those with vision impairments.
My circle is not immune to the challenges of vision impairments. I have a cousin who is partially blind, a great-grandmother who developed a hearing loss, then lost her eyesight, became blind over 80 years old, and a grandaunt who developed hearing loss after her cataract surgery many years ago. One of the Deaf seniors I assisted in the past had a cataract, and it was difficult for him to tell me if he could see better because he lost his glasses several times. These shared experiences have fostered my deep sense of connection and empathy.
The two implant lenses in my eyes have been a game-changer. They have significantly improved my vision, allowing me to navigate my surroundings better, lip-read more effectively, and even notice areas around many rooms that need more cleaning jobs and the ability to watch staff/directors/board team and the interpreters during Zoom meetings. I continue to work under the Social Services and one of the Disability Organisations until I decide to retire, when I feel ready to step down and let another person take over. I continue to advocate for people with disabilities, D/deaf with disabilities, D/deaf people and seniors in the community anywhere. My writing days are not over.
Life in Eureka 
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