Living with One Eye - Six Years On (4K Video)
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- Опубликовано: 10 июл 2024
- On 23 May 2017 Steven Howard, Founder and Editor of TravelNewsAsia.com, had an accident in Roi-Et, Thailand that ultimately led to him losing his right eye. Six years on, Steven shares what he has learned from living with just one eye and encourages others in the same position to get in touch to share their thoughts and stories. In the video, recorded on 23 May 2023, Steven explains how his life has changed since the accident, what others should be aware of if they have lost an eye, and some of the things that he says help.
ADDENDUM 4 June 2023: I would like to clarify a few things about the comments I made in the video. Before the accident I was a normal guy, I played all the normal sports at school - football, cricket, rugby, swimming, athletics etc. - and of course had plenty of injuries and accidents. I cut my knee wide open in a ditch and have also broken my arm in England, needed stitches in Hong Kong and again after an accident in Phuket. None of those things changed my outlook on life, I did not try to be more careful, I just lived life as per normal which is what I think most people do.
However, losing an eye changes that, and you do absolutely have to change your lifestyle and understand the differences that having only one eye mean to your every day life. Think for example of what would happen if you are driving and suddenly a fly or piece of dust enters your one good eye. For most people they would cope as their good eye would mean that they could see, but if you have only one then you would suddenly be driving blind. Literally. Think about that for a moment.
Something else to consider when driving, or just when you are out and about, is that when the sun is very bright and low in the sky it can be difficult to see when you are facing the sun. That is the same for those with two eyes, but I do think that it is slightly worse after the accident than before. Of course, using memory like that is not all that reliable as the mind tends to play tricks, but I would advise you to have sunglasses or at least polaroid lens glasses available if this affects you, especially when driving although these days most windshields are tinted anyway. Remember though, if you are walking or running and wear dark glasses people have no way of knowing that you only have one eye and may not give you a little extra space out of polite consideration.
Depth of field is one of the biggest changes and in the video I talk about steps and how I now always slow down to better judge the depth of each step. It doesn't have to be many steps, just one can cause problems. But whilst I do think steps can be dangerous, if taken without due care and attention, this issue about depth of field happens all the time. Putting a plate down on the kitchen top or trying to put a key in a lock, for example. Simple things that most people would not think twice about, but I do because all too often I misjudge the depth and as I do not want to break a plate (especially the expensive ones with sentimental value) I tend to be a lot more careful, using my fingers to guide me as I outline in the video.
One of my relatives said she thought this depth of field issue is psychological, which it is not, but then that same relative - who is an adult - also thinks ducks can't fly, so... 🤔🤣
Another thing I would like to mention is about the eye patches. Yes, I would love Nike or Adidas to make some that are lightweight, breathable, strong and available in a range of colours and sizes. Why? The ones I have tried are OK, but not really sustainable. The half moon version is made of cardboard so they get crushed in bags, are hot to wear and once you get them wet they are useless. I do wear my eye patch sometimes, but people look at you differently when you wear one, at least they do me. I get the impression that many people think I am off to a fancy dress party as a pirate! It can get quite annoying, though perhaps I should solve this issue by simply going to more fancy dress parties!
Again, if you have recently lost an eye or know someone who has, please do get in touch. I am happy to answer any questions you may have, and if you would like to do a video interview about your experience then I will gladly do it. Thank you, stay safe and be strong!
www.travelnewsasia.com/news23...
2months ago,on May 1st, after making a smoothie in smoothie mixer, I wanted to take off the lid on the smoothie glass (it seems for whichever reason the pressure formed while blending) and in that very second the lid with blades popped out and the next second I felt being hit in the right eye. I didn’t have a single scratch anywhere else on my face,but my right eye is severely damaged. 3surgeries are behind me, doctors say probably one more and if it doesn’t help,the eye will have to be removed. I am still processing all of it,being blind on the right eye and probable removal. Getting around the house is ok,the depth perception is the tricky part and getting out on my own is a challenge right now as I am more scared of hurting the right eye even more. Seeing your video and reading the comments helps as I know I am not alone. There are people who went through this and still have quality lives with some adjustments being necessary.
I work in management so I do hope will be able to get back to it and being 38 doesn’t feel old anymore-as now I think,if I make it to retirement it means I have another 30years to live with one eye which is now so precious 😅😂
38 is certainly not old, nowhere near. You seem to have the right mentality and a positive outlook. Thank you for sharing your story and if you have any questions or comments feel free to share more. Take care and good luck. 🙏
Thank you for this video it was very helpful. I recently found out I had a rare form of cancer in my left eye day before yesterday I had the eye removed along with the cancer I feel better having had trouble seeing well with my left eye prior due to the tumor pushing my eye from the socket causing a miss alignment. I'm in pain my head is numb and I'm drinking lots of fluid water Gatorade. Thanks again.
Sorry to learn about your eye and I hope you start to feel better soon. If you have any questions or anything you want to share, feel free. Good luck 🙏
I have been living with one eye since bith due to me being premature so i never had to "adapt" to this way of seeing but i do remember bumping into walls and doors when i was little haha and now in my adulthood i bump into people when I'm walking but i'm like "meh, whaterver". I almost ended up being blind twice due to retinal detachment but doctors caught it on time thankfully. Thanks for the video, there's no much information about this topic sadly.
Thank you for your kind words they are appreciated. I am glad that your doctors were savvy enough to catch the problem with your eye in time. Take care. 🙏
Hello Steven. That was a really nasty accident you had and you must have been in great pain. Last December I had an eye stroke and spent five days in hospital and I am now permanently blind in my right eye. I wished I had seen a video like this at the time because I suffered the same problems you mentioned ie pouring out a drink and it goes on the table,putting sugar in my cup and that ended up on the table before I learnt to put my finger on the cup or glass ect. After bumping into a few people in shops restaurants I decided to paint the inside of my glasses black so people could then see I was blind in my right eye. It has now been eleven months since I lost my sight but I am getting used to it.All the best to you in the future, Ted.
Sorry to hear about your eye stroke, Ted, and thank you for taking the time to send a message, it really is appreciated. Good idea to paint one side of your glasses black as I have noticed that most people are a bit more careful when they realise that you only have sight in one eye. I only need glasses for reading, but that is another reason I do not wear an eye patch. Have you seen the eye patch designed to fit on one side of your glasses? There are a few available on Amazon. Worth a look. Still hoping a company like #Nike or #Adidas will one day make a lightweight, durable and breathable eye patch in a variety of colours that won't make me look like a pirate! (not sure if adding hashtags to those brand names helps in messages, but one can but hope!). Take care, Ted. 🙏
There is a certain way that people will treat you when you have an eye removed. Dating is difficult as well, a subtle perception occurs even if you have a fair prosthetic eye. Job applications, power dimensions, dealing with so many situations will give you a feeling that you may be judged unfairly. If you have a career in mind, consider how your missing eye may impact your success in that field. I can tell you that my acting career was damaged by an eye that clearly was no longer matching my real eye and the cost for a new one is very expensive.
Very well said, thank you for sharing.
Hey, found this video somehow on 4am YT rabbithole. I am a fellow Cyclops, due to a car accident back in 2003, and can relate to a lot of this (pouring drinks on tables, bumping into people and doors) I actually wear an eyepatch mostly (or shades, wraparound shades, they protect your good eye outside) and I make them myself because those you buy are not comfortable, don't look too good, or they do not fit. I tend to wear patches I stick on (no strap) and put a little cotton wool in them to take care of any dampness (really helps, especially in hot weather). I should make a video on how to custom create them at some point 🤔 It doesn't really bother me anymore, it is what it is, and I am very lucky to be alive after the car crash (someone else didn't make it). I was in hospital for 5 weeks after the event and broke my ribs, femur, collarbone as well as some internal damage. But I'm doing great now, and can still walk 15 miles :) I guess a close brush with death makes you appreciate what you've got too.
Thank you for sharing your story and for the good idea about a little cotton wool under the patch. 🙏
Great video and very helpful for those going through something similar. Thank you :)
Thank you for taking the time to share such nice feedback, it's greatly appreciated. 🙏
My dad lost his left eye last week..when a pickpocket punched him directly in his eye.he is 70 yo and is a active lawyer and grandfather to my two kids..last few days have been very depressing..and this video definitely helped me get a hang of how his life is going to be..I would also suggest you to do a little video on artificial eye(what is the process post the eye trauma) time and overall experience of it..one more thing..do you face any issue reading or working on a laptop..someplaces it says you get fatigue because the good eye does a lot of processing..
Thank you for your kind words and for sharing the sad news about your father. I will follow your suggestion and do a video about the artificial eye and the process to get to that stage, though it may well differ from country to country. As for your question about reading and working on a laptop, I have not noticed any difference. The problem is, I spend a lot of time on my laptop and of course get tired, but I could not say with any certainty that I get more tired than before. I also read enormously and use a Kindle Voyage to read books. I have also not noticed any changes in that, but again, it is really very difficult to tell as I never really took any notice of how tired I would get from reading before my accident, and of course the ageing process will have a role to play in that too. Sorry to be so vague there, but that is the truth. Some things are very easy to see the difference, depth of field, field of vision etc., but for those daily activities that we all pretty much take for granted, working on a laptop and reading being two of them, it is much harder to be absolutely certain of any changes, at least in my case. Thank you and kind regards. 🙏
Fair comment. And I wish you all the best👍
Thank you. I greatly appreciate your input, thoughts and comments and I hope others watching this video do too. 🙏
I was born with one eye
Thank you for sharing. Were you able to get a prosthetic eye?
Thank you for this video. I have ICE Syndrome, which is a rare condition causing unilateral vision loss. I'm dealing with the depth perception issues you described and also worry a lot about something happening to my good eye. You're brave and an inspiration. Thanks again!
Thank you for your kind words, though I must point out that I am no braver than you. We are both dealing with similar issues and probably bump into things much more regularly than normal people! Having said that I am just grateful to have one good eye, as so many are not as fortunate. Take care and stay positive. 🙏
Thank you for sharing your story. I lost my right eye in 2021. I now wear a prosthetic eye.
Sorry to hear about your loss, and thank you for posting. If you would like to do a video interview about your experience let me know. Stay strong. 🙏
I also have only one eye.. it's been almost 25 years ever since I'm seeing this world with only one eye and unfortunately my other eye too isn't perfect so I wear spectacles cause I've Astigmatism And Myopia.On Top of that I lost my right eye due to Retinoblastoma when I was Only 2 year old..I used to have inferiority complex because of that Bcz people used to make me down but somehow now I've accepted myself fully n I don't care about others opinion.. Thanks for sharing ur Experience,mate .
Sorry to learn about your eye. Can't have been easy as a child especially.
@@travelnewsasia yeah man it was tough especially in a messed up country like India where people are still conservative and that too in countryside
I have been blind since childhood. I suffered an injury that did not make me forget the ugliness of that day. I cannot continue my life.
Oh dear. Please speak to someone. There are many people out there who can help, give advice and support.
@@travelnewsasiano one listen to me.. sorry 😢
They will listen if you call them, but you need to knock on the door for them to know to open it. Please try. I see a lot of blind people and I am always amazed at how strong they seem to be. Some are with someone else who seems to help them, others seem to be alone. Have you tried to reach out to other blind people in your community? It is worth a try right? Please give it some thought.
I just lost the sight in my left eye yesterday after an eye stroke..just been looking online on how i proceed, thanks for the useful tips..i am hoping to be able to drive again, but right now i dont see that happening soon. thankyou for sharing your story.
Sorry to learn of your eye stroke. If you have any questions or anything, just let me know. Take care. 🙏
How are you coping at this moment in time. .?
Thank you so much for sharing. I'm writing a novel where the main character lost his right eye about a decade prior and I wanted to understand what that might be like for him. What would you want to see represented in media about this sort of vision loss? This video was really helpful for figuring out ways he might be affected in his daily life.
Thank you, I am glad you found the video useful. Each case will be a little different. Some people are very happy with their fake eye, but the muscles in my eyelid are damaged from the accident so it does not move. I make a personal choice not to wear my fake eye, nor the mask. I would like a company to make a lightweight half mast mask that is not made of cardboard and is breathable and not just in black, but I guess it is down to consumer demand.
Hii Steven, thank you for sharing your unfortune story. Yes, just like you said, losing one eye half way is really life changing. I lost mine, 26th Oct, 2023, similar situation like you, was walking, tripped, but I fell onto a glass bottle in a farm field, and sadly the bottle exploded, and there goes me right eye. As I am still new to the one eye group, so it is nice to find a place to feel belonged to. After the surgery, I am still wearing the patches when I go out, somehow the way people looking at you are becoming annoying, I know paying attention to other people’s view are meaningless, but just…annoying, especially when some not so close friend greeting things like, hope you get recover?! From what?
My injured eye was eviscerated on the day, according to doctor said in order prevent possible infection to other eye, it was shocking and difficult decision.
Many words, don’t know how to express, for the past few days, I have been searching on the internet for related possible eyes transplantation, looks like we are still decades away from it. But thank you, your sharing is emotionally supporting to all those unfortunes out there, including me, much obliged.
Please take care, Shawn.
Hi Shawn, I am sorry to learn of your loss. It is difficult at the beginning and does take getting used to but hopefully you can get a fake eye and that will help. I do not wear my fake eye as my eyelid does not work, but for most people they are very welcome and these days extremely hard to spot from the real thing. Have you spoken to any doctor or eye consultant about a fake eye? Do so as most people do wear them if they can. You are not alone and always welcome here if you need a chat or just want to get stuff off your chest. Take care, Steven 🙏
Shawn, I was thinking about you. How are you holding up? Are you ok?
Hi Asiatravletips . I'm glad to more individuals speaking about living with only one eye . I lost my left eye in 2018
Due to glaucoma that had
Battle with for over twenty
years . To this day I'm still
adjusting and learning .
Sometimes I get so tired
And I run into a door .
It doesn't happen often
But it does happen .
Because the brain still
thinks I have two eyes .
However I do ware a
Prosthetic eye .
Please forgive me
for saying this but sometimes
I want to play a joke on
People by placing my eye
In the center of a donut
And watch Watch the reaction
But I haven't done it my self
It's just a thought 😂😂😂
Thank you for sharing your story. I understand you fully. Bumping into things and being tired can get annoying, but at least we both have sight in one eye - that is a blessing. As for the prank, I am glad it is just an amusing thought in your head rather than a real joke 😃! I do not wear my prosthetic eye but always travel with it and often wonder what the reaction of the airport security would be if they ask what is in the small container I keep it in. Thankfully that has not happened either! 🙏
HI! Ifrom brazilian. QUe bom que você fez este vídeo incentivando as pessoas. very well
Obrigado por suas amáveis palavras, elas são muito apreciadas 🙏 Thank you for your kind words, they are much appreciated 🙏
As someone with glasses I fear that if this ever happens to me people would probably start calling me three eyes
I doubt people would call you names. I wear reading glasses and do not have an issue in that regard. Most people are very polite and considerate.
I've always had terrible vision due to medical negligence when I was a child in which they ignored the closure of my tear ducts until it was too late, giving me cornea ulcers. I then had a minor skin graft over my right eye soon after and as a consequence my right eye was always my worst eye, and I had intense photophobia in it and to a lesser extent in my left eye.
Last year on my 24th birthday in November, immense pain hit my right eye, and despite going to the ER a few times and seeing multiple ophthalmologists, they all misdiagnosed my condition as a non-serious eye infection and ignored my tremendous headaches, and so I suffered for three straight weeks taking eye drops that stung like hell to fight off the infection and to also heal where my cornea tore. I went to a different ER on Friday night and they took my case more seriously and I was subsequently transferred to a nearby county hospital where my eye got worse and swelled to the size of a golfball. I had inflammation so bad that I couldn't do anything besides hold my head and rock back and forth in pain. Morphine didn't touch me.
Finally, after almost 3 days in the hospital and two CAT scans and an MRI, they found the culprit; I had an orbital eye infection, panophalmitis. Sitting in an office, they told me that they may have to stick 5 consecutive needles in my eye ten seconds each to get to the infection, and my eyelid was completely swollen shut so it would be extremely painful. I sat there for a good twenty minutes taking it all in and dreading life until they came back in the room and told me that my eye was too far gone after consulting more professionals, I had to get it removed.
I then had surgery afterwards on Tuesday called Evisceration, where they took out my cornea and the innards of my right eye. For almost 7 weeks I lived with a giant hole in my eyeball until they could get an implant inside, sewing my eyeball over it. I'm in the process of seeing an ocularist for a glass lens over it since it has fully healed now.
Thankfully, my parents were there to support me and were by my side the whole time.
As for life so far, it is somewhat an improvement for me since I don't struggle as much with photophobia, and it also hasn't changed it much since I'm left handed and didn't have good vision to begin with. However, of course, there's that emptiness on my right side which is a constant reminder of that struggle I faced, though I try to not let it get to me. Life is life, I'm grateful for what little vision I have left, for however long I have it.
Thank you for sharing your incredibly moving experience with everyone. I like the positivity in your last sentence as that is also how I believe we need to think about living with one eye. Stay strong. 🙏
I never realized fly’s could laugh out loud until I tried swatting them with mono vision.
Oh yes! 🤣
Thanks for the clip. I just join the one eye community and I am still very sad about it. I got an eye stroke which is crvo during this year April. :(
Sorry to hear that, but try not to feel too sad, at least we can both see how beautiful the world can be at times and that is worth celebrating. Good luck and let me know if I can help or you need a chat.
How do you now protect the good eye? Now I am super worried that I may also one day lose the good eye. Last time when we have two eyes. We didn’t think much. Now living with a single item. It is like holding on and ensure nothing will be able to remove it from you at all cost!!!
For riding motorcycle. I was thinking to slowly get used to it and when I am riding. Likely would need to always close my visor.
For driving, I am currently trying out short distance with my wife beside me to help me to take a look out.
Thinking of wearing goggles all the time. But it really looks stupid. I am wearing glasses.
I used to cycle (road bike) but no longer do that as it is not worth the risk to me, or the potential issues I could cause others. For exercise I now walk more, a lot more, and enjoy that. I swim a lot too. It is important you decide what level of risk you want to take, but you still have to live life and enjoy it. I wear reading glasses but rarely wear sunglasses as eye protection as I do not like them and the chances of something flying into my eye that causes a serious problem must be very small. However, at certain times of day, such as when the sun is rising, the sun's rays are at a very difficult angle to see anything so be careful when you are on your motorbike. I do not worry about losing the eye I have as I do think the risk is very small, however I do try to minimise whatever risk there may be by watching the floor much more carefully when I walk, slowing right down when I reach any steps and being that little bit extra careful when crossing the road, walking around a corner etc. Just today in the supermarket I almost collided with someone who had come up on my blind side and I did not know she was there, and of course she did not know I had a massive blind spot. No big deal, and you will gradually get used to looking and being that bit more careful, but no need to wear goggles. As I mentioned already, we are lucky to have one good eye left, many people are not as fortunate.
@@travelnewsasiado you feel tired on your good eye and how do you over come it?
I was thinking of picking up cycle to bring my baby boy out… looks like I shouldn’t do that.
Sometimes I do feel tired in my eye, but not too much and I do get it tested and it is working well though I do need reading glasses due to my age. There is not a lot you can do about that really and you do get used to it.
As for the cycling, it depends on you, how busy the roads / cycle paths are, which eye and where traffic will be with regards to that eye. For me, I lost my right eye so in countries like the UK or Thailand the cars would be on my right / blind side if I am cycling by the pavement. So for me, it is not worth the risk as it would be too easy to cause an accident and cause problems for other people as well as myself.
Hi my left eye is blind
And my right is not so fine it’s -15 and it’s tuff I had this when I was born
Sorry to hear about your eyes. How do you cope? Thank you for sharing.
@@travelnewsasia idk it’s tuff when I play sports but.
Not that bad because I’ve been used to it
I lost my right eye during bike accident 3 month ago .
My life is totally change i feel depressed 😔
I am from nepal 🇳🇵
I am so sorry to learn of your loss, but please try not to feel too depressed. Life does go on and we can still enjoy life with just one eye. It has been 6 1/2 years for me now and of course there are bad days, but I am also very grateful - perhaps more so - for the beauty that I can still see around me.
Completely the same... feel depressed, find no meaning to keep my life anyway, its not complete blindness, but still stressful for the little mind Everyday!
It may be stressful, but we are lucky that we can still see. Some people do not have that ability at all. Try to look at something beautiful, a flower, a painting or anything that you enjoy such as a movie or comedy sketch, that may help you to realise that being able to see is still a gift even if we have lost one eye. If you are extremely depressed, please speak to a professional near you, there are associations all over the world who are trained to help people in such situations. Please be strong.
I lost my left eye at age 8 after getting stabbed with a fountain pen at a school.!! It took some getting used to but when I got older I realised I could make people laugh with it and have had some great laughs as you can imagine.?😂 I still to this day make fun with it.👍 Iv always said what’s the point of having a artificial eye if you can’t have a laugh with it.!!
I just lost my left eye 6 weeks ago, neighbour’s kids accidentally shot fire crackers to my left eye.
Just did vitreous surgery in order to re-attach the retina but no vision after all only can sense light
Indeed very depressed in the first few weeks
It’s quite disturbance while overlapping the 1 eye with light and the other with clear vision.
May you share some info , it usually takes how long to get used of monocular vision ? And if driving may gradually back to the sense of distance perception ?
Sorry to learn about the accident. I think you need to speak to a professional as if you can see light, hopefully there is a chance - perhaps not today or tomorrow, but at some stage in the future - you may be able to see again through that eye. I asked my doctor whether in future an eye transplant may be possible, or even an electronic eye, but as my optic nerve has been removed that will never be possible for me. For you, that may be something to ask about. In reply to your question, it takes time and am sure it is different for everyone. I still have issues with distance perception / depth of field and think I always will, so I now make sure I slow down when I reach a step or steps that I do not know. Just yesterday I tripped as for once I was thinking about something else (probably food) and was not looking down at where I was walking and tripped slightly. I lambasted myself for not being more careful. Please do not worry too much, you still have vision in your right eye and I do think you should consult a professional about what may or may not be possible in the future for your left eye. Hopefully with the technology or medical research an eye transplant or an electronic eye may be possible for you. Good luck and please let us know how everything goes. 🙏
My eye is technically there but all I see is a colored blur out of it now. Six weeks in. I think it's probably a retinal detachment but, disabled, no insurance and unemployed? Can't do anything about it. Nobody will give me a finance plan.
Oh dear. Are you able to at least see a doctor? Which country are you in?
Hello
My son lost his left eye being a mother I m so worried
Can you guide me plzzz🙏🏻
I am very happy to try. How old is he and what would you like to know?
He is 13 & I’m so concerning about his studies & further life
How tough to survive with one eye
I m waiting for your reply
Sorry for the delay, I was very busy the past few days with travel commitments. I am also sorry to learn about your son losing his left eye. I know it is hard, but life does not change too much as I mentioned in the video. He just needs to be careful in certain situations, but you do get used to it. The fact that he has one good eye is a positive that needs to be embraced. He can still study and enjoy life, so please do not worry too much. If you have any specific questions, please just let me know. Thank you.
Thanks a lot
You obviously haven’t got used to monocular vision yet.? Give it time and you will cycle again.👍
That is very kind, thank you. I doubt I will ever cycle again and certainly not road bikes like I used to. I lived for over 40 years with two eyes and getting used to having just one does take time. I now walk a lot. There is no need for me to put others in danger by me not being able to see what is on my right hand side when riding a bike - it was dangerous enough with two eyes!
Losing an eye is a shock to the system physically but more mentally I think.? The preservation of the remaining eye can become extremely stressful and overwhelming? I’m not a betting man but I do bet you will cycle again on the road with one eye.
Perhaps, but personally I do not see it as a mental issue. I do bump into people and inanimate objects on my right side much more frequently now than before and I just personally do not think it is fair of me to potentially cause an accident that could injure myself and more importantly others by being not sufficiently aware of road users on my right side when I am on a bike. As cars and motorbikes move much faster than road bikes, peripheral vision is very important. Yes, I could use mirrors, but I also know that if I pull out and cause a car to swerve and potentially cause an accident then I am at fault. I am more than happy walking and have pushed the distance on Saturdays and Sundays up to 32km in just over 4 hours so am pleased with that. This is just my personal opinion though. Will I ever get on a road bike again, perhaps, but most likely not. I like your positivity though. Thank you. 🙏
Do you constantly see your nose?
Thank you for your message. No, I do not think I constantly see my nose. Does it look that big in the video!?
@@travelnewsasia I wanted to ask because one-eyed people's vision angle coincides with their noses. Thanks for your answer
@@travelnewsasiaAlso, your nose is definitely not big.