There's really a lot of focus on finding cures, and yes while I'm glad that there's a focus on that, there should be just as big of a focus on making things accessible for those of us who've accepted their disabilities. I got reminded of my own journey when you said you originally wanted to just make films but found the disability community later on. I'm glad to have found that same community as well because I wouldn't have been able to meet you and many of the other blind/VI/disabled creators, bloggers, etc who I've gotten to know over these few years.
I’ve become legally blind in this last year.. I’m learning to come to terms with it but I really feel like I need to find a community so I can learn new ways to navigate this new way of life.. thank you for sharing
Hi James, thank you for sharing your story. I have a similar attitude to you - I know some of my eye conditions will never be 'cured', so I have to make the best of the situation I have. It has been a long journey of acceptance and having a positive attitude to being visually impaired, but I do agree that the TH-cam blind and visually impaired community are amazing! Take care, Sophie
i have been vi all my life and what you said was spot on and i used to hide my vision loss for 40 years and then started volenteering for and charity to support people with sight loss and it was some where that i felt normal and fitted in what ever normal is. i tell alot more pepple about my sight loss and feel a weight as been lifted in my life .goals build a killer sound system and listen to great music and help people along the way. keep up the great work gareth uk
@@jamesrath I've lived the tale...... You're doing an incredible job the world needs more awareness to different 'forms of life' from vitiligo to albinism to autism, msl etc. Cheers!!
Hi James! I recently found your channel after going down a rabbit hole to better understand blindness. I did 3.5 of 4 years towards a degree in special education, but we never got much instruction on how to teach students who are blind or visually impaired. I think that’s something that absolutely needs to be taught at a higher degree to future special ed teachers. I read the book, No Pity, when I was 17, and it totally changed my worldview. I believe the hardest struggle for someone with a disability is the society around them that isn’t accessible or understanding. Also as someone with severe depression, thanks for sharing your life and struggles.
Wow your amazing.my baby girl was born blind she has onh( optic nerve hypoplasia) with brain abnormalities.My world flipped upside down i couldnt except that fact that innocent daughter 4 month old will NEVER have eye sight.i couldnt function i couldnt get off the couch i had a mental breakdown even tried to end my life n woke up 16 hrs later i eventually animated myself to the hospital n got diagnosed with depression anxiety PTSD and postpartum depression.watching your videos gives me hope for daughter whos now almost 4 to have a good life.you are an angel thank you so much.your also extremely handsome.
I am new to all of this, just being diagnosed with stargardts. People like you are just incredibly strong and amazing for me. You and all other blind / disabled / whatever difference TH-camrs and content creators out there, are just saving my life right now. Thank you for being there. Thank you for being so strong.
Thank you for this video, James. You are part of my community and mental health support system even if you don’t know it. I’ve been VI for nearly 3 years and am now mostly becoming comfortable and proud of that designation. Thanks for all you do for the community.
You said this so well! I felt your struggles and your triumphs through your words. As a writer, it’s the way that I express the challenges and struggles I face and also my triumphs with blindness over the course of the last 40 years. I applaud you for what you’re doing here and encourage you to keep doing what you’re doing. I’m going to share this video in the hopes that people who know me, will be able to get my reality through your words. Thank you so much!
Hi, James. I'm new to your channel and just wanted to thank you for sharing your story. As a 28-year-old, Graphic Designer with Cone Rod Dystrophy and Nystagamous, I found so many similarities with the experiences you've faced. Like you, I share a determination to own my blindness openly and let the world know that we deserve a seat at the table. I finished this video feeling encouraged and inspired by you and really admire what you do. I look forward to diving into some of your other videos and hope that you're staying healthy and safe during the holidays! -Chad
Thank you for sharing your story(or a part of it) I am so glad you are here to open up and help others! My husband is legally blind and went through struggles as a teen after he was diagnosed with RP. (also- My son died by suicide at age 14 in 2014 with no known mental health issues present. I now facilitate a youth group for kids affected by suicide in my area.) Accessibility is HUGE I wish others knew the struggles of people with disabilities. Extreme Thank You for being a voice! For not only blindness, but other abilities as well.
I am also okay with being disabled and partially sighted.I am from and i love you you have provided me a new prececption to my lif Thank you namaskar🙏❤️
Appreciate this video James. Been following your channel for awhile now. I have a pretty different experience with my blindness. I have pretty bad glaucoma but i still have some vision. So im kinda in this weird space between seeing and blindness. Im looking kinda for a support group ans community, so if you know of any i can look into, id really appreciate it. Keep doing yout thang homie! Your definitely one of the people i look to for inspiration l. One love.
I joined Facebook groups that were niche to my Ocular conditions sometime back. I found that very helpful of a support system! Look for forums, hashtags, and social network groups!
Hi James thank you for sharing this. I agree with you 100%, we all go through a process where we accept our disabilities. We all have our own unique stories and experiences.
Hey James, awesome video! I have written apathy of prematurity. I’m definitely OK with my blindness, and I wouldn’t really want vision at all. Well… I’m sure there’s sometimes when I wish I could see, to complete a certain task. But anyhow, when I tell people that I’m OK with my blindness, they’re actually really shocked. However, for the most part, I’m OK with my epilepsy, as well. With that one, I’m still trying to come to terms with it. I’m trying to get to the point, where I can actually work… Actually get a job. If that could happen, that would be nice. Like I said before, awesome video.
Hi - I have Stargardts disease. It’s a gene mutation that I was born with that is incurable. It did not begin to present itself until I was 14 and I wasn’t diagnosed until the age of 18. It has been something that has been very challenging for me to accept even though I have been living with this diagnosis for over a decade. I’m learning to try to love myself fully but I find that I don’t share this key part of my identity with very many people because I can still pass as a sighted person to most even though I am legally blind. Any tips on how to open up about this to people? I think I’ve ultimately made it harder on myself because now I feel like they may be confused as to why I didn’t say anything sooner. Again, it’s something I working on to find acceptance and self-love. Thanks for all of your videos. They are so inspiring to me!!
I hope you get more subs. I'm not blind or anything, I don't even know how I got here - but this was really interesting to hear and it's clear that your videos are helping a lot of people. Super informative. Thank you.
Oh, James, such a moving video. I do hope that those kids that used to bully you can see you now and the amazing guy you have turned out to be! That has been some journey for you, and you have managed to come out on top, with hope and optimism in your heart, rather than bitterness and resentment. And long may you continue to educate the rest of the world about conditions such as yours, and to help make the world more accessible to everyone! I'm sure that you are an inspiration to many, especially young people that might be going through what you experienced in the past.
Wow. The depths of your analysis about disability completely transformed my perception of disability. Let's all help the biggest minority group gain more accessibility!!!! Everyone is equally different
Your trauma was experience as a child through bullying and that’s hard for a child to go through and then on top of that to be blind or considered visually impaired and not be understood by their peers I can understand how hard that must have been. I did not lose my lose my vision until I was 50 years of age and my trauma came from the sudden loss of vision and now having to learn a new way to navigate through life as a blind person. It’s been five years now for me and I still struggle.
Thank you so much for sharing about attempting suicide at such a young age! So many people deny that a child can feel that strongly, but I was suicidal too at a young age ❤️
I carry a gene which very likely could render me blind. Thank you for sharing your experience and good perspective. It’s a bit relieving and good to refocus the issue as a different route in life which should be maximized. There are many ways to do good and we don’t always get to choose the options we have. Thanks again
Thanks for posting. Finally had time to watch with avid attention and now I plan on doing sort of a response video. I have an idea for a projects and would like for your participation if you have the time. Since I work at a middle school I'm thinking of approaching by boss and seeing if she would be fine with me making a video project about peer bullying and harassment. Would you be willing to share your story in a version suitable for middle schoolers?
Thanks for sharing your story. I've been wondering lately how many disabled folks are going to sit out this election because of the possibility of not being able to vote by mail. I feel like the pandemic, coupled with accessibility unknowns at local precincts may lead to voter apathy in the disabled community. I don't know if word of mouth could help, but it certainly seems like awareness on this topic has been drowned out by social media echo chambers who only feign Inclusivity.
Hey. I had that same surgery and I think my vision is getting worse. I’m 25. Had it at 10. The same doctor probably did it. Was it in Charleston SC by chance?
I’m legally blind but just on the edge of that line so with glasses it is good enough to drive. I can’t even behind to think that being almost completely blind is like. Those summer camps made me so mad at my parents as a kid. Just wanted to do things with my friends like normal people. Don’t even get me started on the 70 year old lady helping me in my 10th grade class. As a kid. Others did point out differences no matter what because my hair is white as hell.
I am partially sighted guy from Nepal and i am confused whether to buy macbook air or windows.Which one is better from the accessiblity point of view??
Hi James. My name is Robin. And I have a light perception. I was born blind and I was born premature. I really don’t want my eyesight back. It’s just a gift that I can keep. And not that I can give away. I love the contact that you create from a blind person‘s perspective. And I don’t want to cure for my eyesight. Because that’s the only girlfriend I have. A lot of people say. Hey. Can I help you get your eyesight back. I would say. No thanks. I’m good. And then the other people might say. Oh. I feel bad for you. Is there anything I can do?. No. There’s nothing you can do. Because I don’t want my eyesight back. I want to say just the way I amI’m using stupid dictation because I’m too lazy to type and fix the mistakes I’m also being random but who cares
I'm glad you put out such inspirational content for us who may be visually impaired and down on ourselves. I was born with a condition called hydrocephalus which means the spinal fluid gets trapped in the head and causes pressure. I had to have a device called a shunt put in my body that drains the fluid. This pressure lead to extensive optic nerve damage leaving me with about 20/100 vision and nystagmus as well. My disability goes beyond vision too. I have poor short term memory so non only can I not see but I could never remember important things especially in school. Anything test I had to study for I basically failed. I get what you describe with reading with nystagmus causing headaches from the focus it requires. I get this on top of pressure headaches from fluid building up in my head and this causes a double decker migraine. Fun fact I don't think I have read an entire book all the way through even for school. I gained quite an interest in cars as a kid. My dad used to do drag racing in his younger years and raised me the same. I literally saved all my money I earned from age 12-16 and had about 3 grand to buy a car and get driver training but found out I would never be able to drive and there was no cure. This lead me to blow all the money computer parts, games and weed. I almost killed myself at the end of that summer. I was going to jump off an observation tower but my best friend talked me down. That's the short version of my story. I'm 30 now and am still depressed and uncertain about life but I am living day by day
There's really a lot of focus on finding cures, and yes while I'm glad that there's a focus on that, there should be just as big of a focus on making things accessible for those of us who've accepted their disabilities. I got reminded of my own journey when you said you originally wanted to just make films but found the disability community later on. I'm glad to have found that same community as well because I wouldn't have been able to meet you and many of the other blind/VI/disabled creators, bloggers, etc who I've gotten to know over these few years.
Appreciate you! 🙏🏻
I’ve become legally blind in this last year.. I’m learning to come to terms with it but I really feel like I need to find a community so I can learn new ways to navigate this new way of life.. thank you for sharing
I just became half blind due to an accident. You’re attitude is amazing towards all you’re facing.
Hi James, thank you for sharing your story. I have a similar attitude to you - I know some of my eye conditions will never be 'cured', so I have to make the best of the situation I have. It has been a long journey of acceptance and having a positive attitude to being visually impaired, but I do agree that the TH-cam blind and visually impaired community are amazing! Take care, Sophie
Well said! Thanks for sharing!
i have been vi all my life and what you said was spot on and i used to hide my vision loss for 40 years and then started volenteering for and charity to support people with sight loss and it was some where that i felt normal and fitted in what ever normal is. i tell alot more pepple about my sight loss and feel a weight as been lifted in my life .goals build a killer sound system and listen to great music and help people along the way. keep up the great work gareth uk
Everyone goes through this ‘self acceptance’ journey.
Growing up in Africa with Albinism is just brutal.
Self acceptance is Key!!
Great stuff mahn!!
I've seen reports and documentaries. I'm constantly thinking about fellow people with albinism growing in different parts of the world!
@@jamesrath I've lived the tale......
You're doing an incredible job the world needs more awareness to different 'forms of life' from vitiligo to albinism to autism, msl etc.
Cheers!!
Hey I have ocular albinism and nystagmus too! It's cool that I finally have someone to relate to.
I'm glad to hear!! Growing up on TH-cam, I never found anyone else talking about it so I'm happy you can find others, you've got a whole community!
Hi James! I recently found your channel after going down a rabbit hole to better understand blindness. I did 3.5 of 4 years towards a degree in special education, but we never got much instruction on how to teach students who are blind or visually impaired. I think that’s something that absolutely needs to be taught at a higher degree to future special ed teachers. I read the book, No Pity, when I was 17, and it totally changed my worldview. I believe the hardest struggle for someone with a disability is the society around them that isn’t accessible or understanding. Also as someone with severe depression, thanks for sharing your life and struggles.
Thanks for watching!!
Wow your amazing.my baby girl was born blind she has onh( optic nerve hypoplasia) with brain abnormalities.My world flipped upside down i couldnt except that fact that innocent daughter 4 month old will NEVER have eye sight.i couldnt function i couldnt get off the couch i had a mental breakdown even tried to end my life n woke up 16 hrs later i eventually animated myself to the hospital n got diagnosed with depression anxiety PTSD and postpartum depression.watching your videos gives me hope for daughter whos now almost 4 to have a good life.you are an angel thank you so much.your also extremely handsome.
I am new to all of this, just being diagnosed with stargardts. People like you are just incredibly strong and amazing for me. You and all other blind / disabled / whatever difference TH-camrs and content creators out there, are just saving my life right now. Thank you for being there. Thank you for being so strong.
Thank you for this video, James. You are part of my community and mental health support system even if you don’t know it. I’ve been VI for nearly 3 years and am now mostly becoming comfortable and proud of that designation. Thanks for all you do for the community.
You said this so well! I felt your struggles and your triumphs through your words. As a writer, it’s the way that I express the challenges and struggles I face and also my triumphs with blindness over the course of the last 40 years. I applaud you for what you’re doing here and encourage you to keep doing what you’re doing. I’m going to share this video in the hopes that people who know me, will be able to get my reality through your words. Thank you so much!
I appreciate this!!!
Your videos help me so much I suffer with depression and to know im not alone is amazibg
Hi, James. I'm new to your channel and just wanted to thank you for sharing your story. As a 28-year-old, Graphic Designer with Cone Rod Dystrophy and Nystagamous, I found so many similarities with the experiences you've faced. Like you, I share a determination to own my blindness openly and let the world know that we deserve a seat at the table. I finished this video feeling encouraged and inspired by you and really admire what you do. I look forward to diving into some of your other videos and hope that you're staying healthy and safe during the holidays! -Chad
Yep, I’m 100% with you! This is exactly how I feel
Thanks for watching, Casey!
Thank you for sharing your story(or a part of it) I am so glad you are here to open up and help others! My husband is legally blind and went through struggles as a teen after he was diagnosed with RP. (also- My son died by suicide at age 14 in 2014 with no known mental health issues present. I now facilitate a youth group for kids affected by suicide in my area.) Accessibility is HUGE I wish others knew the struggles of people with disabilities. Extreme Thank You for being a voice! For not only blindness, but other abilities as well.
I am also okay with being disabled and partially sighted.I am from and i love you you have provided me a new prececption to my lif Thank you namaskar🙏❤️
I was also bullied before. Appreciate your message
Appreciate this video James. Been following your channel for awhile now. I have a pretty different experience with my blindness. I have pretty bad glaucoma but i still have some vision. So im kinda in this weird space between seeing and blindness. Im looking kinda for a support group ans community, so if you know of any i can look into, id really appreciate it. Keep doing yout thang homie! Your definitely one of the people i look to for inspiration l. One love.
I joined Facebook groups that were niche to my Ocular conditions sometime back. I found that very helpful of a support system! Look for forums, hashtags, and social network groups!
I enjoyed your presence on the Jubilee video. I think you have a very calming and confident personality.
Oh thank you!
Hi James thank you for sharing this. I agree with you 100%, we all go through a process where we accept our disabilities. We all have our own unique stories and experiences.
Absolutely!
Hey James, awesome video! I have written apathy of prematurity. I’m definitely OK with my blindness, and I wouldn’t really want vision at all. Well… I’m sure there’s sometimes when I wish I could see, to complete a certain task. But anyhow, when I tell people that I’m OK with my blindness, they’re actually really shocked. However, for the most part, I’m OK with my epilepsy, as well. With that one, I’m still trying to come to terms with it. I’m trying to get to the point, where I can actually work… Actually get a job. If that could happen, that would be nice. Like I said before, awesome video.
Thank you for the good spark James
Hi - I have Stargardts disease. It’s a gene mutation that I was born with that is incurable. It did not begin to present itself until I was 14 and I wasn’t diagnosed until the age of 18. It has been something that has been very challenging for me to accept even though I have been living with this diagnosis for over a decade. I’m learning to try to love myself fully but I find that I don’t share this key part of my identity with very many people because I can still pass as a sighted person to most even though I am legally blind. Any tips on how to open up about this to people? I think I’ve ultimately made it harder on myself because now I feel like they may be confused as to why I didn’t say anything sooner. Again, it’s something I working on to find acceptance and self-love. Thanks for all of your videos. They are so inspiring to me!!
I hope you get more subs. I'm not blind or anything, I don't even know how I got here - but this was really interesting to hear and it's clear that your videos are helping a lot of people. Super informative. Thank you.
I appreciate that!
Oh, James, such a moving video. I do hope that those kids that used to bully you can see you now and the amazing guy you have turned out to be! That has been some journey for you, and you have managed to come out on top, with hope and optimism in your heart, rather than bitterness and resentment. And long may you continue to educate the rest of the world about conditions such as yours, and to help make the world more accessible to everyone! I'm sure that you are an inspiration to many, especially young people that might be going through what you experienced in the past.
Thanks for watching and the kind words!!!
Wow. The depths of your analysis about disability completely transformed my perception of disability. Let's all help the biggest minority group gain more accessibility!!!! Everyone is equally different
Your trauma was experience as a child through bullying and that’s hard for a child to go through and then on top of that to be blind or considered visually impaired and not be understood by their peers I can understand how hard that must have been. I did not lose my lose my vision until I was 50 years of age and my trauma came from the sudden loss of vision and now having to learn a new way to navigate through life as a blind person. It’s been five years now for me and I still struggle.
Thanks for being open to sharing this! You're awesome!
Thank you so much for sharing about attempting suicide at such a young age! So many people deny that a child can feel that strongly, but I was suicidal too at a young age ❤️
I carry a gene which very likely could render me blind. Thank you for sharing your experience and good perspective. It’s a bit relieving and good to refocus the issue as a different route in life which should be maximized. There are many ways to do good and we don’t always get to choose the options we have. Thanks again
Thanks for posting. Finally had time to watch with avid attention and now I plan on doing sort of a response video. I have an idea for a projects and would like for your participation if you have the time. Since I work at a middle school I'm thinking of approaching by boss and seeing if she would be fine with me making a video project about peer bullying and harassment. Would you be willing to share your story in a version suitable for middle schoolers?
This is how exactly i felt and gone through. .......liked
🌻 Thank you for sharing .
Excellent video, as always.
Glad you enjoyed it
Thanks for sharing your story. I've been wondering lately how many disabled folks are going to sit out this election because of the possibility of not being able to vote by mail. I feel like the pandemic, coupled with accessibility unknowns at local precincts may lead to voter apathy in the disabled community. I don't know if word of mouth could help, but it certainly seems like awareness on this topic has been drowned out by social media echo chambers who only feign Inclusivity.
Hey. I had that same surgery and I think my vision is getting worse. I’m 25. Had it at 10. The same doctor probably did it. Was it in Charleston SC by chance?
I’m legally blind but just on the edge of that line so with glasses it is good enough to drive. I can’t even behind to think that being almost completely blind is like. Those summer camps made me so mad at my parents as a kid. Just wanted to do things with my friends like normal people. Don’t even get me started on the 70 year old lady helping me in my 10th grade class. As a kid. Others did point out differences no matter what because my hair is white as hell.
you are strong bro :heart
i have nystagmus, but it doesn't make my whole vision shake except every blue moon, like being tired. :) I have onh/ septo optic dysplasia. :)
Could you do a video on geting a custom cane that would be a great video. Love this one to
Great suggestion!
I am partially sighted guy from Nepal and i am confused whether to buy macbook air or windows.Which one is better from the accessiblity point of view??
Depends on your needs. I do video editing and I find Apple's accessibility most intuitive for legal blindness with iMovie and Final Cut Pro.
Hey came here after seeing your 2year old interview from Colin and Samir
Welcome! Those guys are awesome!
Hi James. My name is Robin. And I have a light perception. I was born blind and I was born premature. I really don’t want my eyesight back. It’s just a gift that I can keep. And not that I can give away. I love the contact that you create from a blind person‘s perspective. And I don’t want to cure for my eyesight. Because that’s the only girlfriend I have. A lot of people say. Hey. Can I help you get your eyesight back. I would say. No thanks. I’m good. And then the other people might say. Oh. I feel bad for you. Is there anything I can do?. No. There’s nothing you can do. Because I don’t want my eyesight back. I want to say just the way I amI’m using stupid dictation because I’m too lazy to type and fix the mistakes I’m also being random but who cares
Hello，Bro！I am a Chinese wheelchair boy，Your video is so great、I also a student 、Sorry my English is poor，
谢谢🙏Thanks
Thank you for watching!!
You are amazing @JamesRath. New subscriber here =)
Welcome!
I'm glad you put out such inspirational content for us who may be visually impaired and down on ourselves. I was born with a condition called hydrocephalus which means the spinal fluid gets trapped in the head and causes pressure. I had to have a device called a shunt put in my body that drains the fluid. This pressure lead to extensive optic nerve damage leaving me with about 20/100 vision and nystagmus as well. My disability goes beyond vision too. I have poor short term memory so non only can I not see but I could never remember important things especially in school. Anything test I had to study for I basically failed. I get what you describe with reading with nystagmus causing headaches from the focus it requires. I get this on top of pressure headaches from fluid building up in my head and this causes a double decker migraine. Fun fact I don't think I have read an entire book all the way through even for school. I gained quite an interest in cars as a kid. My dad used to do drag racing in his younger years and raised me the same. I literally saved all my money I earned from age 12-16 and had about 3 grand to buy a car and get driver training but found out I would never be able to drive and there was no cure. This lead me to blow all the money computer parts, games and weed. I almost killed myself at the end of that summer. I was going to jump off an observation tower but my best friend talked me down. That's the short version of my story. I'm 30 now and am still depressed and uncertain about life but I am living day by day
❤️❤️❤️🥰🥰🥰
You are very cute James!