Navigating Life with Vision Loss

Episode Summary

When someone experiences vision loss, the changes don't just affect the individual. They can reshape family dynamics, friendships, traditions, and even the way we offer and receive help. But how do we support someone we love without unintentionally taking away their independence?

In this episode of Navigating Life with Vision Loss, host Kim Wardlow welcomes back speaker, author, and community builder Bethany Joy Boring for an honest conversation about the messy, sometimes uncomfortable side of relationships. Drawing from her experiences with CHARGE syndrome and combined hearing and vision loss, Bethany shares how grief, fear, communication, and changing expectations can affect both individuals experiencing vision loss and the people who care about them.

Together, Kim and Bethany explore the importance of asking before helping, building trust through small conversations, respecting personal boundaries, and recognizing that independence doesn't mean doing everything alone. From navigating family traditions and holiday activities to learning how to advocate for yourself, this conversation offers practical encouragement for families, friends, and anyone learning how to support someone through vision loss.

The takeaway? Meaningful support isn't about fixing everything. Sometimes it's about listening, asking questions, allowing room for mistakes, and learning how to walk alongside someone rather than taking over.

Credits

Host: Kim Wardlow
Guest: Bethany Joy Boring
Producer: Jonathan Price
Podcast: Navigating Life with Vision Loss

Contact Information

Bethany Joy Boring

• Step Out and Thrive: https://stepoutandthrive.com
• Personal Website: https://bethanyvjoy.com

Aftersight

• Website: https://aftersight.org
• Social Media: Find Aftersight on Facebook and LinkedIn.
• Support Aftersight through Colorado Gives Day on December 8, 2026.

Episode Chapters

00:10 – Welcome and Supporting Aftersight
01:52 – Introducing Bethany Joy Boring
03:10 – How Vision Loss Changes Relationships and Family Traditions
04:47 – Understanding Grief and Having Difficult Conversations
06:04 – Who Should Start the Conversation?
09:24 – Growing Together Through Changing Expectations
10:17 – Learning to Invite Family Into the Experience
12:21 – Finding the Courage to Share Your Struggles
13:57 – Building Trust One Step at a Time
16:22 – When Helping Becomes More About Our Own Comfort
18:37 – Asking How to Help Without Overstepping
20:18 – Respecting Physical Boundaries and Personal Space
23:39 – Recognizing Mistakes and Learning to Do Better
26:23 – Redefining Independence and Asking for Help
28:09 – Understanding Different Needs and Experiences
32:35 – Navigating Combined Hearing and Vision Loss
35:05 – Finding Community, Connection, and Support
37:08 – Keeping Family Traditions Accessible
38:54 – Curiosity, Audio Description, and Shared Experiences
41:05 – The Importance of Clear Communication
42:43 – Finding Growth in the Messiness of Relationships
44:31 – Connecting with Bethany
45:23 – Closing Thoughts and Staying Connected with Aftersight

1. Episode Summary

A Cure for Blindness? What the Science Really Says

What does the future of vision research actually look like, and how much of the excitement surrounding new treatments translates into real options for people living with vision loss?

On this episode of Navigating Life with Vision Loss, host Kim Wardlow welcomes Dr. Amy Laster, Chief Scientific Officer at the Foundation Fighting Blindness, for a conversation about the progress, possibilities, and uncertainties surrounding research into inherited retinal diseases.

Dr. Laster explains why genetic testing matters for conditions such as retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardt disease, and Usher syndrome. She discusses gene therapy, cell therapy, experimental treatments, and how advances in one area of research may help scientists develop treatments for other conditions.

They also explore how clinical trials work, what patients should understand before participating, and how resources such as the My Retina Tracker Registry can help individuals stay informed about research opportunities.

But perhaps the most important takeaway is that progress doesn't always mean finding a cure. Sometimes it means slowing vision loss, preserving existing sight, or helping someone maintain their independence longer.

Whether you're newly diagnosed, have lived with vision loss for years, or support someone navigating that journey, this conversation offers practical information, valuable resources, and a realistic look at where the science stands.

2. Credits

• Show: Navigating Life with Vision Loss
• Host: Kim Wardlow
• Guest: Dr. Amy Laster, PhD
• Guest Title: Chief Scientific Officer, Foundation Fighting Blindness
• Producer: Jonathan Price
• Presented by: Aftersight

3. Contact Information & Resources

Foundation Fighting Blindness

Website: fightingblindness.org

Resources discussed include inherited retinal disease education, genetic testing, the My Retina Tracker Registry, retinal specialist directories, research opportunities, local chapters, and community support.

Clinical Trials

Website: ClinicalTrials.gov

Search for clinical trials by condition, review eligibility requirements, and find study sponsor contact information. A listed study is not automatically an endorsement of its safety or legitimacy.

Aftersight

Website: aftersight.org

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (720) 712-8856

4. Chapter Markers

00:11 – Understanding the Future of Vision Research
02:33 – Dr. Amy Laster's Journey into Neuroscience
05:50 – What to Do After a Vision Loss Diagnosis
08:41 – Why Genetic Testing Matters
10:58 – Why the Same Condition Affects People Differently
12:49 – How Researchers Prioritize Retinal Diseases
14:51 – Gene Therapy, Cell Therapy, and Emerging Treatments
18:28 – New Technologies and What Progress Really Means
20:01 – From Promising Research to Available Treatments
23:21 – Can Treatments Work for Multiple Conditions?
25:23 – Finding and Evaluating Clinical Trials
28:12 – Understanding the My Retina Tracker Registry
32:00 – Balancing Hope with the Reality of Research
35:31 – Practical Steps for Newly Diagnosed Individuals
38:27 – Resources and Support from Foundation Fighting Blindness

• (00:11) - Understanding the Future of Vision Research

What happens after someone receives a vision loss diagnosis and walks out of the doctor's office? For many, the greatest challenges are only beginning.

In this episode of Navigating Life with Vision Loss, host Kim Wardlow welcomes Johnjoe Farragher, President and CEO of Hadley, to explore the often-overlooked emotional side of vision loss. Drawing from his listening tour and conversations with healthcare professionals and community organizations, Johnjoe discusses the enormous gap between clinical care and the practical, emotional, and personal support people need afterward.

Together, they explore grief, isolation, the importance of human connection, and how technology and AI can improve access without replacing genuine relationships. They also discuss how organizations can work together to reach people before they face a crisis.

Vision loss changes more than eyesight, and finding support shouldn't be another challenge people have to face alone.

Show Credits

• Podcast: Navigating Life with Vision Loss
• Host: Kim Wardlow
• Guest: Johnjoe Farragher, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hadley
• Producer: Jonathan Price
• Production: Aftersight

Contact Information

Website: www.hadleyhelps.org

Phone: 1-800-323-4238

Email: [email protected]

Phone support: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM Central Time, according to Hadley's current homepage.

Mailing Address: 700 Elm Street, Winnetka, IL 60093.

Vision Support for Older Adults

Follow Hadley on Social Media

Facebook — HadleyHelps

Instagram — @_hadleyhelps

LinkedIn — Hadley

YouTube — Hadley

Social links were traced from Hadley's website and its associated social profile directory.

Additional Hadley Resources

Hadley provides free access to practical learning resources, emotional support, peer connections, and technology training. Its resources are available online, through the Hadley Helps mobile app, by telephone, and through accessible mailed materials.

Aftersight

Website: aftersight.org 
Listener Feedback: [email protected] 
Production Contact: [email protected]

Listen to more episodes of Navigating Life with Vision Loss and explore Aftersight's additional podcasts and accessible audio programming.

Chapter Markers

TIMESTAMP / CHAPTER Copy chapters

00:09 Welcome to Navigating Life with Vision Loss

01:55 Hadley's 106-Year Mission and Its New Leadership

03:41 From Educational Technology to Vision Loss Advocacy

07:16 The Emotional Toll of Vision Loss

10:10 Geographic Barriers and Technology Challenges

12:03 Combining Digital Accessibility with Human Support

16:00 Reaching People Before a Crisis

19:08 Creating a Standard of Care Beyond Diagnosis

22:09 Building Partnerships Across Organizations

25:43 Can Technology Replace Human Connection?

29:22 Why Authentic Voices Still Matter

32:48 The Conversations the Vision Loss Community Needs

34:21 How Everyone Can Help Close the Support Gap

36:22 Accessing Hadley's Free Resources

37:46 Aftersight Programs and Closing Announcements

Our eyes can tell us a great deal about our overall health, but would we recognize the warning signs if something started to go wrong?

On this episode of Navigating Life with Vision Loss, Kim Wardlow welcomes Dr. Emily Cole, an ophthalmologist, vitreoretinal surgeon, and assistant professor at CU Anschutz, for an informative conversation about retinal health. Together, they explore common conditions such as retinal detachments, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and inherited retinal diseases, along with the symptoms that should prompt a visit to an eye specialist.

Dr. Cole explains what patients can expect during retinal examinations, how treatments such as laser procedures, injections, and surgery work, and why communication between patients and their healthcare providers is so important. She also shares considerations for children, the role of family medical history, and how factors such as travel and altitude can influence recovery following retinal surgery.

Whether you're managing a retinal condition, supporting someone experiencing vision loss, or simply wanting to better understand your eye health, this episode offers practical information to help you recognize changes, ask better questions, and make informed decisions about your care.

Credits

Host: Kim Wardlow

Guest: Dr. Emily Cole, Ophthalmologist and Vitreoretinal Surgeon, CU Anschutz

Producer: Jonathan Price

Podcast: Navigating Life with Vision Loss

Network: Aftersight

Contact Information

Aftersight

Website: https://aftersight.org

Email: [email protected]

Dr. Emily Cole

Organization: University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Website: https://www.cuanschutz.edu

Summary

Vision loss can change more than how you see. It can affect your confidence, your routines, and your sense of who you are. Kim Wardlow welcomes Ricky Enger from Hadley for an honest conversation about grief, feeling overwhelmed, and rebuilding confidence one small step at a time. Instead of trying to learn everything at once, Ricky encourages starting with one thing that would make today a little easier.  Pasted text

They also explore Hadley’s free resources, finding connection with people who understand, and the importance of giving yourself room to adjust. For anyone feeling stuck, Ricky offers a reminder: “Today is not forever.”

Credits

Host: Kim Wardlow
Guest: Ricky Enger, Hadley
Producer: Jonathan Price
Presented by: Aftersight

Contact Information

Aftersight: aftersight.org
Questions, feedback, or guest inquiries: [email protected]
Producer: Jonathan Price — [email protected]
Connect with Aftersight: Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn

Hadley: hadleyhelps.org
Phone: 800-323-4238
App: Search for “Hadley Helps” in the App Store or Google Play. Contact Hadley to learn about its Adjusting and Coping Together series, support groups, and other resources discussed in this episode.  Pasted text

Vision loss rarely happens all at once, and figuring out what comes next can feel overwhelming. Kim talks with Cristi Stearns, Katie O’Connor, and Jim “Mac” McHolland from Hadley about free resources for people adjusting to vision loss, including emotional support, peer connections, practical workshops, technology training, Braille, and support for family and friends.

They also discuss why reaching out early matters and how Hadley can help people navigate the ongoing “in-between” as vision and circumstances continue to change.

Credits

Host: Kim Wardlow
Guests: Cristi Stearns, Katie O’Connor, and Jim “Mac” McHolland
Produced by: Aftersight

Navigating Life with Vision Loss is brought to you by Aftersight.

Resources

Learn more about Hadley and its free resources for people experiencing vision loss at HadleyHelps.org.

Healthcare providers and organizations interested in connecting with Hadley can visit HadleyHelps.org/partner.

For more information about Aftersight and our podcasts, visit Aftersight.org.

• (00:00) - Finding Support After Vision Loss

Episode Summary

Christopher “The Official Blind Steppa” Felder joins Kim Wardlow to share the story of losing his sight after being shot during a robbery in 2012, on the same day he received his EMS badge and was preparing to begin a new career. Chris describes leaving the hospital unable to see, spending years searching for a different medical answer, and resisting the reality of blindness even while learning some of the skills he would eventually need.

Nearly eight years into that journey, a simple moment with his son became a turning point. With no one available to take his son to basketball practice, Chris chose to pick up his cane, trust God, and get him there himself. That decision began a new chapter of independence, acceptance, faith, advocacy, and purpose.

Chris speaks candidly about depression, a suicide attempt, loneliness, grief, parenting, and the reality that accepting blindness does not mean the difficult days disappear. He explains how podcasting became a form of therapy and eventually a way to encourage people around the world who are navigating blindness, disability, trauma, and mental-health struggles.

The conversation also explores the importance of finding community, seeking therapy, connecting with other blind and low-vision people, and refusing to allow disability to erase identity or ambition. Today, Chris is building his work as a motivational speaker, podcaster, advocate, and entrepreneur while challenging others to keep moving forward, even when life looks nothing like the future they originally imagined.

Content Note

This episode contains candid discussion of gun violence, depression, suicidal thoughts and a suicide attempt, trauma, grief, and recovery.

Credits

Show: Navigating Life with Vision Loss
Host: Kim Wardlow
Guest: Christopher “The Official Blind Steppa” Felder
Guest Podcast: Blind But Now I See
Producer: Jonathan Price
Presented by: Aftersight

Contact Information

Christopher “The Official Blind Steppa” Felder

Website: officialblindsteppa.com
Instagram: @official_blindsteppa
Podcast: Blind But Now I See
Booking Email: [email protected]
Booking Phone: 347-653-0076

Aftersight

Website: aftersight.org
Email: [email protected]
Main Office: 303-786-7777
Listener Feedback: [email protected]
Feedback Line: 720-712-8856

Producer

Jonathan Price
Email: [email protected]
Office: 303-786-7777

Episode Summary
 

Vision loss is not simply a physical change. It can carry grief, fear, anger, depression, and the painful loss of independence. Those emotions do not follow a predictable timeline, and moving forward does not mean pretending they have disappeared. 

Host Kim Wardlow welcomes Army veteran, Paralympian, and adventurer Shawn Cheshire back to Navigating Life with Vision Loss. Shawn candidly shares how a brain injury at age 36 led to total blindness, the depression and fear that followed, and the moment she realized she needed to choose what kind of life she would build.
 

Together, Kim and Shawn explore why grief can remain present years after vision loss, how sadness and gratitude can coexist, and why courage means moving forward while fear is still present. Shawn also discusses reclaiming activities she once believed were gone forever, learning to use a white cane, asking for help, setting boundaries, and giving yourself permission to heal without someone else’s deadline. 

This conversation offers no shallow promise that everything becomes easy. Instead, it offers something more honest: you can grieve what was lost while still creating a meaningful, adventurous, and deeply fulfilling life.
 

Content note: This episode includes candid discussion of trauma, depression, and suicidal thoughts. 

Credits 

Host: Kim Wardlow
Guest: Shawn Cheshire
Producer: Jonathan Price
Organization: Aftersight
Podcast: Navigating Life with Vision Loss 

Contact Information 

Shawn Cheshire 

•  Website: ShawnCheshire.org
•  Nonprofit: Choosing to See
•  Instagram: @shawn_cheshire
•  Documentary: Blind AF

Shawn’s nonprofit, Choosing to See, provides encouragement, opportunities, and assistance to people who are blind or visually impaired. Her documentary, Blind AF, follows her 3,600-mile cross-country journey on a single, non-tandem bicycle. Official documentary synopsis
 
Aftersight
 

•  Website: Aftersight.org
•  Email: [email protected]
•  Phone: 303-786-7777 
•  Listener feedback: [email protected]
•  Programming inquiries: Jonathan Price at [email protected]

Chapters
 

Episode description 

At 27 years old, Lynn Jensen suddenly lost all her sight after an undiagnosed brain tumor led to emergency surgery. Her family was initially told she had only months to live. Lynn survived, but rebuilding her life required learning how to walk again, use a white cane, develop independent-living skills, and eventually trust the guide dog she never thought she wanted. 

Lynn joins Kim Wardlow to speak honestly about grief, rehabilitation, family support, peer connection, Braille, assistive technology, and the small accomplishments that restore confidence after vision loss. She also shares how her experience led to a 25-year career as a vision rehabilitation specialist and inspired her book, Best Kept Secrets for Travelers with Sight Loss. 

For Lynn, losing sight was devastating, but living with sight loss does not have to be. The path forward begins one step at a time. 

Learn more about Lynn and her accessible travel guide at blindtraveltips.com. 

Learn more about Aftersight’s programs, podcasts, and peer-support resources at aftersight.org.

Navigating Life with Vision Loss

Episode Title

What Do I Do Now? Finding the Next Step After Vision Loss

Show: Navigating Life with Vision Loss
Host: Kim Wardlow
Guest: Melody Bettenhausen
Producer: Jonathan Price
Presented by: Aftersight

Episode Summary

What happens when your vision is changing and your eye doctor tells you there is nothing more medically that can be done?

That sentence can sound like the end of the road. But as Kim Wardlow and Melody Bettenhausen discuss in this episode of Navigating Life with Vision Loss, it may simply mean it is time to begin asking a different question: What can I still do, and what tools can help me do it?

Melody joins Kim to explain the role of low vision rehabilitation and the work of Ensight Skills Center. They explore how low vision optometrists and occupational therapists help people identify usable vision, establish personal goals, and develop practical strategies for everyday life.

Sometimes those solutions involve technology or orientation and mobility training. Other times they are surprisingly simple: better lighting, magnification, high-contrast materials, bump dots, reorganizing a workspace, or learning a different way to accomplish a familiar task.

Kim and Melody also discuss why rehabilitation should begin before someone reaches a crisis point, the importance of letting the person experiencing vision loss determine their own goals, and how family members can help without unintentionally taking away independence.

They look at aging in place, progressive vision loss, transportation, support groups, emotional adjustment, family education, and the reality that two people with vision loss may experience the world very differently.

The central message is clear: when your vision changes, there are still options. You do not have to figure them out alone.

Contact Info

Ensight Skills Center

Headquarters:
1101 Oakridge Drive, Suite C
Fort Collins, CO 80525

Phone: (970) 407-9999
Email: [email protected]
Website: ensightskills.org

Ensight provides low vision rehabilitation and related services, with programs and outreach extending beyond its Fort Collins headquarters.

Aftersight

Phone: (303) 786-7777
Email: [email protected]
Website: aftersight.org
Address: 1805 Hwy 42, Suite 220, Louisville, CO 80027

Producer

Jonathan Price
Podcast and Program Producer, Aftersight
Email: [email protected]

Show Credits

Show: Navigating Life with Vision Loss
Host: Kim Wardlow
Guest: Melody Bettenhausen
Producer: Jonathan Price
Presented by: Aftersight

Guest organization: Ensight Skills Center