Greetings from a Legally Blind Bookworm

EternalCow · 12-15-2010, 01:56 AM

Hello all!

I've been lurking on these forums for quite some time, gleaning quite a lot of useful information actually, but thought I'd introduce myself properly.

I have a condition called Optic Nerve Hypoplasia, meaning that my optic nerves didn't completely develop. So while my eyes are pretty much fine, the signals just aren't getting to my brain. My functional vision is out of a small field in my left eye (I can sort of see light and color with my right.)

I've been an avid reader for a long time. I can read regular print by putting it right up to my eye, but of course that's not ideal. I'm very intrigued by the eBook movement, and have dabbled in converting some of my own writing to various mobile formats. I don't yet own an e-reader, but I'm hoping to snag an iPad sometime in the next few months. The ability to enlarge the text is invaluable for me. I also do a lot of audiobooks via audible.com.

Anyway, I just thought I'd drop in and say hello. Hope everyone's well this holiday season.

~Seth~

thinkpad · 12-15-2010, 02:29 AM

Hi and welcome Seth. Good to have your company.

Javed · 12-15-2010, 06:15 AM

Hello Seth and welcome to MobileRead.

neilmarr · 12-15-2010, 07:51 AM

Good to have your company, Seth. Many readers include a zooming fuction that can increase text size massively. I'd suggest you post your question in the 'Whieh One Should I Buy?' thread here at MR for more expert and specific advice. Best wishes. Neil

ImogenRose · 12-15-2010, 09:02 AM

Hello and welcome to MR!

Imogen

GeoffC · 12-15-2010, 12:20 PM

Welcome to mobileread ....

Examples of 3 of the sizes available with the Gen3 .... Others will be similar....Smallest, Mid and Largest

Freeshadow · 12-15-2010, 12:41 PM

welcome Seth,
a hint for ebooks - Baen would (doue to your disability) grant you free access to all their books: http://www.webscription.net/news.aspx?showarticle=2 Just request it: http://www.readassist.org/read/service/webscform.php

DixieGal · 12-15-2010, 01:16 PM

Hi Seth!

I am legally blind also. I have almost no vision on the right,

with mostly light and shadows. It is 20/400 on the left, so

that is not much.

You MUST get an iPad, not one of the e-ink readers like Kindle

Or Sony. E-ink does not provide enough contrast between font

And background. The iPad is full colored and backlit, so that

You can reverse text to white on black with sharp contrast.

It works well. Just last evening I read National Geographic

With the near-infinite zoom. I could read the articles AND see

The photos. In sections, because I zoom in on different parts

Of the photos.

Anyway, go to a Best Buy or Walmart, so that you can try before you buy.

desertblues · 12-15-2010, 05:20 PM

Hi, welcome to MR from the Netherlands. I believe the iPad has something called 'voice-over', which could benefit you. Perhaps you can find more info on the iPad-section of MR.

MickeyC · 12-15-2010, 08:20 PM

Hi Seth and welcome to MobileRead

CazMar · 12-15-2010, 08:54 PM

Glad you have joined us and please post any information about your experiences with e-readers. Having once taken a little blind girl round a science exhibition and having another friend who has a similar condition, I have come to realise all too well how much we ignore the needs of the blind. Do you also use the audio books over at Librivox? They are all free and can be loaded onto any MP3 player.

Sandra Edwards · 12-16-2010, 07:24 PM

Welcome to MR! Happy Holidays to you, too :-)

Sandy

12-15-2010, 01:56 AM	#1
EternalCow Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle	Greetings from a Legally Blind Bookworm Hello all! I've been lurking on these forums for quite some time, gleaning quite a lot of useful information actually, but thought I'd introduce myself properly. I have a condition called Optic Nerve Hypoplasia, meaning that my optic nerves didn't completely develop. So while my eyes are pretty much fine, the signals just aren't getting to my brain. My functional vision is out of a small field in my left eye (I can sort of see light and color with my right.) I've been an avid reader for a long time. I can read regular print by putting it right up to my eye, but of course that's not ideal. I'm very intrigued by the eBook movement, and have dabbled in converting some of my own writing to various mobile formats. I don't yet own an e-reader, but I'm hoping to snag an iPad sometime in the next few months. The ability to enlarge the text is invaluable for me. I also do a lot of audiobooks via audible.com. Anyway, I just thought I'd drop in and say hello. Hope everyone's well this holiday season. ~Seth~

12-15-2010, 12:20 PM	#6
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,600 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	Welcome to mobileread .... Examples of 3 of the sizes available with the Gen3 .... Others will be similar....Smallest, Mid and Largest Last edited by GeoffC; 12-15-2010 at 12:25 PM.

12-15-2010, 05:20 PM	#9
desertblues Home for the moment Posts: 5,127 Karma: 27718936 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: travelling Device: various	Hi, welcome to MR from the Netherlands. I believe the iPad has something called 'voice-over', which could benefit you. Perhaps you can find more info on the iPad-section of MR. Last edited by desertblues; 12-15-2010 at 05:24 PM.

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12-15-2010, 02:29 AM	#2
thinkpad David Posts: 1,808 Karma: 8916183 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Norway Device: Kindle, E.Edge (sold), Irex Iliad (retired)	Hi and welcome Seth. Good to have your company.

12-15-2010, 06:15 AM	#3
Javed Grand Sorcerer Posts: 10,270 Karma: 1126878541 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Astak Pocket PRO, iPod Touch, PRS-650	Hello Seth and welcome to MobileRead.

12-15-2010, 07:51 AM	#4
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,216 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Good to have your company, Seth. Many readers include a zooming fuction that can increase text size massively. I'd suggest you post your question in the 'Whieh One Should I Buy?' thread here at MR for more expert and specific advice. Best wishes. Neil

12-15-2010, 09:02 AM	#5
ImogenRose PORTAL Posts: 7,204 Karma: 2884640 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: Kindle 1, Kindle 3 (3G), iPhone	Hello and welcome to MR! Imogen

12-15-2010, 12:41 PM	#7
Freeshadow temp. out of service Posts: 2,790 Karma: 24285242 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Duisburg (DE) Device: PB 623	welcome Seth, a hint for ebooks - Baen would (doue to your disability) grant you free access to all their books: http://www.webscription.net/news.aspx?showarticle=2 Just request it: http://www.readassist.org/read/service/webscform.php

12-15-2010, 01:16 PM	#8
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	Hi Seth! I am legally blind also. I have almost no vision on the right, with mostly light and shadows. It is 20/400 on the left, so that is not much. You MUST get an iPad, not one of the e-ink readers like Kindle Or Sony. E-ink does not provide enough contrast between font And background. The iPad is full colored and backlit, so that You can reverse text to white on black with sharp contrast. It works well. Just last evening I read National Geographic With the near-infinite zoom. I could read the articles AND see The photos. In sections, because I zoom in on different parts Of the photos. Anyway, go to a Best Buy or Walmart, so that you can try before you buy.

12-15-2010, 08:20 PM	#10
MickeyC Grand Sorcerer Posts: 16,732 Karma: 12185114 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Florida Device: iPhone 6 plus, Sony T1, iPad 3	Hi Seth and welcome to MobileRead

12-15-2010, 08:54 PM	#11
CazMar Book Geek Posts: 596 Karma: 1499085 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Adelaide, Australia Device: Kobo Touch, Asus MemPad 7" tablet, Nexus 5, Asus 10" tablet	Glad you have joined us and please post any information about your experiences with e-readers. Having once taken a little blind girl round a science exhibition and having another friend who has a similar condition, I have come to realise all too well how much we ignore the needs of the blind. Do you also use the audio books over at Librivox? They are all free and can be loaded onto any MP3 player.

12-16-2010, 07:24 PM	#12
Sandra Edwards Queen of Procrastination Posts: 1,884 Karma: 1802 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Nevada Device: K2, K3, Fire	Welcome to MR! Happy Holidays to you, too :-) Sandy