Veena (name changed), a 15 years old girl from Cochin, Kerala contacted Eyeway the day before her 10th Board exams. She is suffering from Bilateral Macular Scar which is gradually deteriorating her vision. Her visual impairment is more than 40% but still, she doesn’t possess a disability certificate. She hails from a low-income family where her father works as a “help” in a shop and her mother is unemployed.
She was directed to the Eyeway Helpdesk by the Little Flower Hospital, Angamaly, Kerala. She contacted Eyeway in the apprehension of failing in her exams because of her diminishing vision. She was worried of invigilators not cooperating with her condition in the exam hall. She was specifically nervous about her computer practical exam.
She was worried since she was not used to the computer keyboard. She is currently using a magnifying glass for better vision. Being a day before the exam there wasn’t much which the counsellor could help in terms resolving her immediate fears. But counsellor instilled confidence in her and also made her parents aware of the possibilities to live a dignified life with blindness. Veena nurtures the ambition to become a doctor and the Eyeway counsellor shared with her stories of successful visually impaired people. Counselor also gave her a basic idea about assistive technologies and assured to support her in the future.