For the Blind - The MOG Project

For the Blind and Visually Impaired

Many with MOG-AD, despite the efforts of their medical professionals find themselves with permanent damage to their optic nerves and therefore have low or no vision in one or more eyes. With improved testing and diagnosis, our hope is that no person loses their eyesight. Until then, we are proud to provide resources for our Blind MOG-AD patients.

For those who need help finding ways to adjust to a new way of living, our Director of Blind Advocacy, Andrea Mitchell is working to provide information and tips for helping those in need. Having her life changed by MOG-AD, she has learned many new things in order to regain her independence, and is passionate about helping others who find themselves blinded by this disease.

Blind Insight

Our own Andrea Mitchell has launched a series she calls Blind Insight, which is an educational series designed to tips and other useful information to those who are sight impaired. The Latests in the series shown below and can be found on our YouTube Channel.

The first in our series demonstrates Script Talk, which is a prescription drug reading system for the sight impaired.

In this QR Digital Access Menu demonstration, Andrea not only orders a delicious pizza but shows us how to order using her smartphone and a QR code for menus now being offered by many restaurants. For more on QR codes visit: 7 Best QR-Code Contactless Digital Menus for Restaurants

Useful links

Below is a summary of the resources used in Breaking Through the Darkness by Andrea Mitchell. Some are particular to the greater San Francisco area, but many are in the US nationwide, or are useful to anyone in general, worldwide. There are a lot of other resources out there depending on location. We are in the process of gathering and publishing resources from around the world.

List of Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies by State: https://www.askearn.org/state-vocational-rehabilitation-agencies/ https://www.dor.ca.gov/
All About Vision – Resources for the Visually Impaired: https://www.allaboutvision.com/lowvision/resources.htm
San Francisco are Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired: http://lighthouse-sf.org/
Orientation Center for the Blind:
https://www.dor.ca.gov/Content/DorIncludes/documents/OrientationCenterfortheBlind/OCB-handbook-07-18.docx
Ambutech: https://ambutech.com/
Guide Dogs For the Blind: https://www.guidedogs.com/
JAWS Screenreader Software from Freedom Scientific: https://www.freedomscientific.com/products/software/jaws/
ZoomText Magnifier/Reader Software: https://www.freedomscientific.com/products/software/zoomtext/
Talking Typing Teacher: https://www.maxiaids.com/talking-typing-teacher-standard
USPS Informed Delivery: https://informeddelivery.usps.com/box/pages/intro/start.action
KNFB Reader: https://knfbreader.com
TapTapSee: https://taptapseeapp.com
Be My Eyes: https://www.bemyeyes.com
Seeing AI: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/seeing-ai
LookTel Money Reader: http://www.looktel.com/moneyreader
LookTel Recognizer: http://www.looktel.com/recognizer
NantMobile Money Reader: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/nantmobile-money-reader/id417476558
Blind Square: https://www.blindsquare.com
Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps
List of Smartphone Apps for the Visually Impaired: https://www.visionofchildren.org/voc-blog/2018/7/13/smartphone-apps-for-the-blind-and-visually-impaired
HumanWare Victor Reader Trek: https://store.humanware.com/hus/victor-reader-trek-talking-book-player-gps.html
Colorino Color Identifier-Light Detector: https://www.maxiaids.com/colorino
List of Additional Apps: https://www.visionofchildren.org/voc-blog/2018/7/13/smartphone-apps-for-the-blind-and-visually-impaired
More Color Identifer Apps: https://techigem.com/color-identifier-apps/
Hadley Non-Profit Organization for the Visually Impaired: https://www.hadley.edu/
PenFriend: https://www.maxiaids.com/penfriend2-voice-labeling-system
ID Mate Galaxy: https://www.envisionamerica.com/products/idmate/
BARD: https://www.loc.gov/nls/enrollment-equipment/register-for-bard-get-bard-mobile/
Xfinity: https://www.xfinity.com/learn/digital-cable-tv/x1
Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/
AMC Theaters Assistive Moviegoing: https://www.amctheatres.com/assistive-moviegoing
clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Guide Dogs vs. White Canes: the Comprehensive Comparison: https://clovernook.org/2020/09/18/guide-dogs-vs-white-canes-the-comprehensive-comparison/

Great Instructional Videos from The Visually Impaired Designer

The Visually Impaired Designer YouTube Channel has a huge collection of instructional videos geared toward helping those who are blind do all kinds of things that sighted people often take for granted. Relearning how to do just about anything can be a daunting task, but Angela, the Visually Impaired Designer, provides tips and encouragement to learn.

Some of our favorite videos are linked below:

How to Use the Seeing AI App

Visually Impaired vs. Drive Through

Blind or Visually Impaired and Attending College?

This comprehensive resource on Navigating College with Visual Impairments is a great tool to help you learn to advocate, know your rights, get prepared and find the best technology to get started in college the right way.

UK Resources

This list was compiled by our UK Outreach MOG Squad member, Sarah-Huson Whyte:

Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB): https://www.rnib.org.uk/
BBC radio program called In Touch: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qxww
Here is an excellent collation of organizations for people with visual impairments:
https://www.charitychoice.co.uk/charities/visual-impairments
Guide Dogs: https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/
This is an organization that helps you find local support groups: https://visionary.org.uk/
National Health Service information: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vision-loss/
For children: https://www.rsbc.org.uk/

From our Partners

Our partner, the Siegel Rare Neuroimmune Association, held the 2020 RNDS Symposium and offered this talk on How to Manage Visual Issues.

From Community Outreach Associates

NVISION Eye Centers, is a community of eye care professionals dedicated to helping people live better by seeing better. In honor of Blindness Awareness Month, in October of 2021, they provided us with some helpful resources for the visually impaired. Please take a look:

https://www.nvisioncenters.com/education/resources-for-visually-impaired/.

From the MOG Blog

My Guiding Angel Eyes

July 28, 2020

A Story About Newcastle, His Extraordinary Abilities, And Our Partnership My name is Andrea, and I have lost most of my sight in both eyes due to a rare orphan…

Breaking Through The Darkness

August 22, 2019

My name is Andrea, and I was officially diagnosed with MOG antibody disease (MOGAD) in 2013. At that time, there was not much known about the disease. The first two…