64-year-old Bhasker gradually lost his eyesight due to Retinitis Pigmentosa. Most part of his working years, at the State Electronic Development Corporation, Bhasker had some vision, which kept him busy. But after retirement, his eye condition deteriorated, making him dependent on the family, especially his wife. He felt bored, as he couldn’t even read the newspaper, an activity he enjoyed. 

When he contacted the Eyeway Helpdesk in Bangalore, our counselor explained the use of assistive technology for visually impaired people. Eyeway guided Bhasker to use the TalkBack feature on the android mobile phone that enables all text on display to be read out.  He was also put in touch with a few WhatsApp support groups to increase his comfort and efficiency in using the assistive device. 

Just as Bhasker began to enjoy his newfound freedom in reading, he lost his wife to Covid 19. Dependent on his spouse for his mobility and several daily needs, he felt devastated with the loss. But Eyeway assured him of continued guidance until he achieved complete personal independence. He was apprised of a few assistive devices that can help him recognize things and read hard copies. This will enable him to move freely within the house and later get the confidence to step outside. 

The pandemic has left many persons with visual impairment crippled in more ways than one. Loss of a loved one is excruciating for them, because it’s harder to endure isolation without a caretaker. In the past year, Eyeway has tried to help many such blind citizens who’ve faced varied problems at the hands of this fatal virus. 

Team Eyeway