Vision Connection
March 2026 Newsletter
Newsletter
Attendees: Rod, Phil, Linda, Amy, Bernie, Sharon Salm, Nancy, Dorothea, Marion, Tom, Marilyn, Rick, Dee, Kristi, Austin, Lois, Judy, Jane, Dawn
Many thanks to Lois for her suggestion to talk about tips that others utilize in their daily lives. It generated a lot of great tips and discussion between members.
Tips/Suggestions:
· Grow your sense of touch while you still have vision, so you are used to utilizing touching as your vision gets worse.
· ASK for help. People are always willing to extend a helping hand, but they don’t know you need it unless you ask them for help.
· Utilize your children’s help – don’t be afraid to ask them.
· CCTV – use for reading and writing, if interested talk to Jean Kenevan for information regarding them.
· To identify items like the buttons on a microwave or oven, use sticky bump dots, and puffy paint if you want to make lines. On stairways and hallways, use grab bars and railings to ensure you don’t slip or fall.
· Blindness effects other people, not just you. Be gracious to your caregivers.
· Pen Friend, record on a label what an item is, place label on item and then point Pen Friend at the label. The pen will read what is on the label. Pen Friend is available at the Council for the Blind in Madison: https://store.wcblind.org/shop/search?search-term=pen%20friend
· Don’t limit yourself, you can do way more than you think you can.
· Use a door keychain flashlight it can help locate the keyhole in your door.
· If you have a question, write it down or call and ask somebody right away so you don’t forget what the question is.
· Get a disabled parking sign from the State of Wisconsin: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/dmv/vehicles/dsbld-prkg/discards.aspx
· Get savvy using technology. Use Seeing AI. Seeing AI is a free Microsoft app that uses artificial intelligence to narrate the world for people who are blind or have low vision. It operates by utilizing a phone camera to read text, scan documents, identify products, describe scenes, recognize faces, and detect currency or light. The app is available for iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play).
· Put rubber bands on all your favorite sodas in your refrigerator to make sure you get the soda that you want.
· Use theblindkitchen.com for handy products for your kitchen: https://theblindkitchen.com/
Phil described the Meta Glasses and how he uses them. The glasses will describe a room of people, snowmobile trail in northern Michigan, history of different places in the world, will tell you what the can from the cupboard is, will read even the smallest print. The glasses are available from Inside Vision in Oshkosh and Appleton. Most eye doctors have them. Best Buy sells them. Use them with Be My Eyes app on an iPhone. Base price is about $500. Phil does have a prescription in his and cost him about $900. His phone streams phone calls thru the glasses. He can send text messages and emails using them. There are various brands that make meta glasses. Meta is the app, not the glass frames. The battery life lasts all day. The charger is a glass case that you plug in. The more you ask it to do, the more that battery goes down. If you have more questions regarding the Meta glasses please reach out to either Phil at (920) 205-0268 or Austin at (920) 414-2980.
We discussed our member growth and that we are outgrowing the way we use the tables now. The decision is to use less tables and arrange the chairs in rows. If we are working on a project, we will have to figure out how to arrange the tables. No one really wants to move to another location. The Linwood Apts. has a beautiful room and it’s convenient for folks.
White cane safety day – We’re not sure what level of involvement that the group wants to commit too.
Ideas suggested:
· Educating driver education staff - Austin
· Educating students in the classroom what it’s like living with a visual impairment – Phil, Austin
· Contacting a news agency to reach a broader audience.
We will continue this discussion next month.
The Wisconsin Council of the Blind is offering a presentation discussing three apps for reading printed text aloud. The presentation is on Zoom on April 2, from 4:00 to 5:00.
To register for this class, contact Access Technology Specialist Jim Denham via email at: JDenham@WCBlind.org no later than Tuesday, March 31.
Adjusting to Vision Loss: 5 Tips for Family Members
https://viplunch.wordpress.com/adjusting-to-vision-loss-5-tips-for-family-members/
If anyone has feedback they want to share about our monthly meetings, please communicate your feedback with Rod at rmaccoux@gmail.com or 920-585-7443.
Next Meeting
At our April meeting we will discuss gardening tips that people have. Please think about what you do and come willing to share and discuss. The meeting is on Tuesday April 14th at 12.30 -2.30 p.m. in the meeting room at 425 N Linwood Ave. Appleton.
If you need transportation to any of our meetings, please contact Rod Maccoux @ 920-585-7443 or via email: rmaccoux@gmail.com.
Look us up on our Facebook page and/or our website.
Facebook page: Appleton Visually Impaired Support Group
Website: Appleton Visually Impaired Support Group
Email: appletonvisuallyimpaired@gmail.com