White Canes, Retina Research, and Building Community in Colorado

Jennifer and Michael celebrate the tenth episode of Colorado Views with a look at the people, resources, and ideas connecting Colorado’s blind and low-vision community.

They preview Aftersight’s upcoming White Cane Day celebration in Loveland, talk about the White Cane Project and the importance of making mobility tools accessible, and explore some newer technology and adaptive tools that may give people more options for navigating everyday life.

Then the conversation heads inside the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank and Eye Institute, where Jennifer and Michael recently toured research facilities and met scientists working on retinal research. They share what stood out to them, from seeing retinal tissue under a microscope to learning how years of research, specialized surgical tools, and the FDA approval process come together.

The episode closes with a look at the growing need for resources as more people experience vision loss later in life, along with some of the Colorado publications Aftersight is making accessible through audio. At the center of it all is one theme: community. No one should have to figure out vision loss alone.

Credits

Hosts: Jennifer, Volunteer and Publications Manager, and Michael, Community Outreach Manager
Producer: Jonathan Price
Organization: Aftersight

Connect with Aftersight

Website: aftersight.org
Feedback: feedback@aftersight.org

Learn more about Aftersight’s free services, audio publications, support groups, community programs, and other resources at aftersight.org.

00:00 — Welcome to Colorado Views #10
05:45 — White Cane Day Comes to Loveland
07:10 — Aftersight’s White Cane Project
10:00 — Cane Tips, Mobility Tools, and New Technology
18:10 — Touring the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank and Eye Institute
22:45 — Inside the Retina Research Lab
27:00 — From Research to FDA Approval
33:30 — Vision Loss, Aging, and Finding Resources
34:45 — Bringing Colorado Publications Into Audio
40:45 — Community Means You’re Not Alone

• (00:00) - Welcome to Colorado Views #10
• (05:45) - White Cane Day Comes to Loveland
• (07:10) - Aftersight’s White Cane Project
• (10:00) - Cane Tips, Mobility Tools, and New Technology
• (18:10) - Touring the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank and Eye Institute
• (22:45) - Inside the Retina Research Lab
• (27:00) - From Research to FDA Approval
• (33:30) - Vision Loss, Aging, and Finding Resources
• (34:45) - Bringing Colorado Publications Into Audio
• (40:45) - Community Means You’re Not Alone