Big thank you to Olivia for sharing her story with us!

I got glasses at 19, after needing them since age 12, and I waked out if the optometrist, and walked straight back in. I told the woman, "I think you've made them too strong, I can read all the signs across the car park." It was very overwhelming for quite a while!

This video made me cry because her story sounds so so similar to mine. My eye doctors as a child did “not believe young people had vision that bad” and told my parents I was lying. So not only was legally blind but I was also grossly under corrected for my progressively worsening severe myopia until I was 16. It was really really hard and I was so fearful it was all in my head. Eventually my parents took me to a low vision specialist my junior year in high school, who made it very clear it was in fact not in my head. Consequently I didn’t have accommodations until my senior year of high school and even then I was not given the resources I needed. I also wore my contacts an excessive amount of time because wearing glasses was like putting binoculars on, I couldn’t see anything in my peripheral and almost got hit by cars a number of times. I put them in and took them out at my bedside. So my eyes constantly hurt from infections and abrasions. I also hid it from others, especially adults, because of that history of not being believed and teachers saying I was making “excuses”. Growing up I was told there was no surgical solution and it would just get worse over time. However, when I was 19 my low vision specialist told me about a newer surgery- lens implants. So identical to this lady but leaving the natural lens intact. I got the implants in May and June 2013 and it changed my life. I still have some vision problems, but I went from not recognizing family to having 20-20 vision most of the time. I have minor cataracts and will have to treat that in the future, but I’m so incredibly happy with my life the last 9 years. If it were not for this surgery I never would have finished college or been a teacher abroad. It was $9k out of pocket and still isn’t covered by most insurance today, which makes me so sad for those who don’t have family with money like I did. My fun experience after surgery was being shocked to see the underside of mushrooms are ribbed. I HAD NO IDEA?!? It took me a while to adjust to everything I could see. It is still sometimes overwhelming almost 10 years on. I still cook mostly based on the sound of the food. I have a hard time telling if something is done visually. Lol. Anyway, thank you for this video. I’ve never felt like I really “belonged” in the seeing or blind communities. So this video was extremely cathartic because I have never once heard the story of someone similar to me.

It's so strange to me that someone would retreat from the relationship when they find out that Olivia used to be blind, but at the same time I've had the same experience of people withdrawing from my life when they find out that I was abused as a child. I don't understand. It's not like we're walking around with a deadly, contagious disease (and lord knows the general population has proven that's not something that scares a lot of them anyway...) We're just us, just the people they've met, and we happen to have had a very different experience earlier in life.

As a person who's always had sight, Eye contact still freaks me the f*@# out and I always question if I'm doing it wrong

I love that you support everyone's choice in how they move forward with the amazing breakthroughs science can bring. Forgetting that there can be a lot of pain involved taking part in science.

The conversation about a “cure” really resonated with me. I was born with severe learning disabilities but into a very affluent family. They figured out something was wrong at five and I was diagnosed at 6, started treatment at 7. I didn’t think of it as “curing” myself until I was much older. Doing treatment was just felt like part of the disability. When Molly said her family went blind with her I understood. A whole support system of doctors, teachers and family experienced my disability with me. Doctors suggesting the best types of homework questions for me, teacher taking time to find those specific questions in the textbook everyday and personalize my homework, my parents sitting at the dining room table with me for hours walking me through each question and why the answer was what it was. All the treatment and effort paid off, you wouldn’t know talking to me that I was disabled, and there are moments I forget too. I still have it, but it’s like I can feel the moments my disability holds me back and I’m so used to being capable I just go “that’s not me it’s the disability” My story is the grey area between disability and cure. It was found so young and treated so effectively I don’t have a real sense that the disability is part of me. But looking back I often wonder who I would be if it was part of me and if she would do all the treatment I did. I recently was asked “what have you given up to be who you are now?” And the answer to that scares me because I don’t know, and I didn’t choose to, but I also love who I am and where I am. Thank you for putting this conversation into public view

also, i just wanna let you know that the noises your dog makes with his mouth could be an early sign of throat issues. both my labs developed it in their later years and one of them had to be put down because of it. i just want to let you know because if your dog ever develops worse issues with it i hope you will be able to help him. my dog eventually got respiratory issues and couldnt swallow anymore from it and it was sad.

I may have commented here before. Please forgive me if I'm repeating myself. I worked with people with VI for over 40 years. Your two perspectives are beyond important. Molly, yours as someone who lost her sight over time, and Olivia, yours who gained some sight after so many years of being visually impaired. I think this video is a Master Class for all teachers in the area of vision education. If one has never experienced being born with a visual impairment or has never lost vision, we cannot understand the HUGE implications of Olivia's experience. Thank you so, so much. I wish I could articulate the impact of your words.

As a fellow blind person this video hit me hard as someone who didn't have the support system I needed growing up and in school. I wouldn't choose to be given my sight back. I'm so thankful for this video as it reminds me of how I'm not alone and reminds me to stick to my mission of helping others feel less alone in their own blindness journey.

this was so fascinating and also simultaneously heartbreaking to watch. it’s amazing how science has changed the way people are able to function and accommodations that are accessible and available

I became visually impaired in 2015 from a rare neurological disorder that I didn't know I had until I was diagnosed. Being visually impaired has been difficult because I can't do normal activities like I used to. My boyfriend is totally blind since he was 7 years old. He, in fact, is the reason why I found my love for bowling again, and not let my blindness hold me back. Because of him, and for your channel, I can still go and enjoy my life again. I wouldn't want to go back to being fully sighted again. :)

I love how you talk about accessibility coz from my own experience if my mum hadn’t learnt braille when I was 4 I don’t think I’d ever have graduated high school as I didn’t get much support as I was the first blind student at that school

My mom had the same surgery a couple of years ago. She didn't realise how bad her eyesight had really gotten until she pulled the bandages off afterward. She's been sighted her whole life, but her eyes were getting worse and worse as she got older, to the point it got dangerous for her to drive, and she didn't even REALISE it. She can't believe now, after the surgery, that she was even able to function as well as she had, let alone keep driving the car!

Molly I saw a segment on American television on Good Morning America about the fashion show you walked in for disabled clothing brands.Just thought that I would mention it incase you wanted to check out the interview. It was on the ABC network. During this week.

Oh my gosh, I got freaked out just listening to Olivia relating her story of learning to experience a whole new sense. It does sound incredibly overwhelming! And the eye contact thing! I used to work in a school age childcare and part of our training covered how to engage with kids on the spectrum, and how they can be listening and paying attention to us even without eye contact. So wild to think that because able-bodied people use eye contact as a metric, it is established as the norm. Thank you for this interview ladies!

Wow, Olivia’s story reminds me so much of my own. I was born with OCA and it came with severe myopia. I also got used to memorizing blurry colors in people to identify them. People in my life will also doubt me when I say things such as “I can’t see that far” and having to put my face extremely close to whatever it is I’m looking at. This story made me cry.

How was this video over 30 minutes long? I was riveted - it felt like just a few minutes and all of a sudden there was the "stay tuned for part two...." You guys, this was such a comfortable and real conversation - I felt like I was right there with you - the time just flew by. Thank you!!

I never thought about how we sighted people have an emotional connection with you that you are not having with us. I always learn so much from you. Olivia’s story is very educational as well.

it actually made me cry when olivia talked about the accommodations that she never got to have, and knowing how intelligent she is she still couldnt succeed at everythiing in school. i relate to this quite a bit bc of my learning disabilities and my teachers didn't understand it. even when i was diagnosed.

Can’t wait for part two!

So excited for part 2!

Thank you so much for saying that accommodations are not a privilege but a right. I have learning disabilities and physical disabilities and have had accommodations denied by teachers because they didn't think it was fair, and it was so frustrating for me. I struggled in school even with the accommodations I had.

This is so incredibly interesting. Thanks for sharing.

I love how you talk about accessibility and accommodation and how we deserve it ! When I was younger I felt bad that I needed accommodations and now I realise i do deserve it and need to be an advocate for myself! 😊 Also I loved this video ! 😊

Excellent information! Great awareness. I wish there were more platforms to educate & build awareness.

This was so interesting! Thank you for sharing this with us! Just amazing!!! Love you tons Molly! I hope I catch a live stream soon❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Molly I love your content!!! Thanks for bringing her story

Oh wow, what an amazing video…thank you!!

This was an awesome collab, I can't wait for part 2! I didn't know her story so thanks for sharing it with us! I'm going to find her story on GMA now to see the squeamish part that you mentioned you didn't want to see 😆

This was so fascinating - thank you so much to both of you for this. Molly, you are a great interviewer, and Olivia, you seem like such a kind and calming soul. So pleased that the two of you have connected.

LOVE the hair and brows girl! I've always loved your ever changing hair styles but I literally don't think there has ever been a style MADE for you like that. I've been thinking ever since you got it. I hope you keep this one for a while Love you!❤️

molly looks great with bangs. It made you look gorgeous ✨ soo pretty 💕

Greetings from Venezuela molly, love your videos so much

Absolutely Love this conversation it totally is at the root of the blind experience! 🥰❤️

I love how you described your experience on eye contact. I have never thought about that perspective before, thank you! And amazing story Olivia!

Omg yay!! I also discovered Olivia on Tiktok and she's so cool! 😍 it's always fun when people you admire are fans of one another 😉

This was such an incredible interview. Thank you for sharing this video with all of us. I learned a lot from this video. I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend. 💞

This is beautiful!

Thank you Olivia to share your story and the journey you went on to get your sight and this is a inspirational story. It’s great to hear these successful stories and enjoyed how honest and open Olivia was. Thank you again

Wow so cool to hear that you’re from Pittsburgh - I live here now and went to Pitt so I lived like two blocks from the school for the blind - but so aggravating to hear that you didn’t get to go there

Olivia, I heard you share your story somewhere here on KZfaq and it was as fascinating as this interview. I can not imagine living in Los Angeles with your personality. I am a lot like you - the soul and energy is what attracts me to anyone. I don't care if you're high fashion or frumpy and look fashionably clueless. Just subscribed to your channel and am so excited you've got one! Molly, you are such a great translator in terms of lives of blind and sighted experiences.

Wow, it’s interesting to hear a different story and point of view. As a sighted person, I realize I take advantage of so much, but hearing things in this interview makes me sad at how much I take for granted. I have my own disabilities, but as far as the blind community goes, I look towards Molly to help give me more empathy..it’s awesome to hear another take. Everyone has their own story to tell and it’s so inspiring to me to listen..I’m so glad I picked this video tonight. I’m in tears, but I’m humbled and grateful. I can’t wait for part two!! ♥️

Interesting interview. I already look out for part 2. And to see how it is for someone who was blind and now can see. You know, I always wondered how it would be for me to be without my Asperger and ADHD, but I think I don't want to be "normal", because than I wouldn't be me. I have tons of sensory overload, but I wouldn't want to trade it in the world....maybe a little less. The panickattacks, yeah I would want to get rid of them.

Such an amazing conversation. Issues I never even considered and could never even imagine. Thank you for sharing this perspective. As an introvert, my overwhelme is people and activity. As the world speeds up, I wonder if we get more impatient for anything that slows us down. Lots to consider.

This is the first video of your channel I watched. While I was watching your video, I was thinking that you are soo pretty! I love your haircut, just everything. I know it is off topic, but I still wanted to share my positive thoughts instead of keeping it to myself❤️ Both of you are very inspiring! Thanks for doing this!

Been anticipating this video since you announced it on Patreon. So excited to hear her story!!!

I hope they talk more on what her vision was like and compare it to what it’s like now! Thanks for sharing this is very interesting and inspiring!!

honestly when you guys were talking about the education system and accommodations it really hit me. while I'm not blind I do struggle with OCD and other neurodivergencies that also made school very difficult for me. it wasn't until senior year of highschool that I was able to get diagnosed and therefore apply for aid and it really did make the world of difference. Things like extra time are one of those accommodations that people of often see as something that would give you a leg up, but it's something that when I lived without, school brought such overwhelming anxiety and struggle. people really don't understand that when you have any kind of disability, it takes twice the work to get half as far. thank you for talking about this and thanks to Olivia for sharing with us here on Molly's channel ❤

Fantastic video !

I really enjoyed watching and felt that I could relate a little bit as I had reconstructive ankle surgery in order to not be physically disabled and in pain after high school. Before I found out that I needed surgery I faced a lot of judgement from everyone who thought that I was just being lazy.

Your bangs are so cute, I absolutely love them!! 🔥🔥😍

I recently just became a surgery scheduler for cataract surgery and I got to witness it being preformed as a part of my training and its truly wild ! At the practice I work at they use Soundwaves to break up the cataract before they suck it out and it makes this funky sound like house music. It's really neat. Also, just hearing this perspective because I have these post surgical conversations several times a day with patients.

I watch Video 1 and Video 2 with you talk with Olivia. I enjoyed hearing what becoming sighted meant to her. I agree we don't have to fix people. I can see, I can hear, but I have anxiety and sensory processing disorder. I don't think anyone needs to be fixed. I grew up with a deaf cousin and she didn't need to be fixed. She grew up got a job and worked until her death. She was wonderful. I felt sad as children none of us were talk sign language, but I learned it as an adult. I was grateful that the next time I went back to my home state, I could talk to her in her language. People are wonderful weather they are blind, deaf or have another kind of disability. I listen to your Video's because you are smart, have insight, you share when times are difficult and when times are good. That is real life and I thank you for your videos.

Oh my gosh! Thank you so so much for this video!!!! I'm 22 and have really really bad vision because of issues when I was born. I struggle so much with having to wear glasses and contact lenses and it is so so expensive. I recently was looking into options to get some of my eyesight back and this came up and I actually feel so hopeful that maybe there is a solution for me! I am disabled and don't have thr money for any surgery at the moment but I hope one day I can save to have it done.

You both are amazing. Loved this video so much. 🖤🌈

I love her! I am loving this new mature Molly content

Who else wanted a zoomed out shot of the cushions and pillows situation? That’s adorable, she’s so cute!

SOO EXCITED!!! 💖💖💖💖💖💖

Molly, just this past Wednesday I found a product with Braille packaging, and immediately thought about your platform. Dogsters ice cream for dogs has Braille on the box. I was so excited to find Braille on the package, but quickly felt discouraged, because the population that would benefit from their inclusive packaging would likely not even know it was there without sighted help. I would love to see you discuss "everyday" products that have inclusive packaging and/or instructions. I am a special education teacher for young adults fresh out of high school. I teach job skills with fully integrated internships in our community, basic adult skills, and most importantly; self-advocacy/disability rights and history. I have had students with vision loss to varying degrees, and have talked about your channel as a relatable source of information for navigating life with limited or no vision.

Wow, it's like finding yourself sensing another dimension or something - wild! That really would be mind-blowing.Thanks for sharing.

Wow this is awesome, Olivia is my friend! She is awesome

Thank you to Olivia, and yes, life could be hard when you’re visually impaired, but it can be hard at first, because you just have to make accommodations for yourself and find ways to do things, just because you can’t see, doesn’t mean you don’t do anything, you just gotta find ways and figure out how to do things

Many of the things that you are experiencing Olivia, about being a newly sighted person, are things that I experience as an autistic person. So cool to find a shared experience through such different disabilities.

Such an interesting conversation

Omg so early! Love you molly!🥰❤️

I am so glad there is a part two! ❤ But also the guy at the end backing away from someone that had been blind in the past; yeah, I can see that that's hurtful, but I can also see a person that has maybe had an easy maybe shallow life finding it hard to connect with someone that had a hard life. And the other way around, what do you want with such a person? So it's probably for the best to just stop it right there. I hope I'm making sense!

Ooo excited to see this video, watching right now!!!

What you said about accommodation really resonates with me. I have dyspraxia and suspect other learning disabilities but I recently lost my extra time for exams that ive had since GCSEs (and im about to start A levels). To everyone else its just "oh shes on the same level as us now" but to me its "i was barely on your level before, now i have no chance". People dont always understand that its not because we're "special" and we "get given help", its because we're disadvanted and we need extra help to be equal. I wouldn't change who I am for the world but I still need that extra push to reach my best ability.

My dad had this surgery and he went from wearing glasses that where so at least an inch and a half thick. He could see with his glasses but couldn't find his glasses if they got replaced. He can now walk around the house without glasses. It worked for him but I can definitely see why this surgery isn't for everyone. He has to use eye drops to keep the pressure from building up in his eyes so they definitely aren't perfect still.

I am sighted but have always had the same feeling about eye contact. It might be stemming from being autistic, or one of my other neurological things. But even with people I’m close to, I don’t automatically hate it, but it’s like touching, like sometimes some people I’ll hug or nudge or let someone put their hand on my shoulder, but like, sometimes some people, give me space. Especially strangers. It feels forced and uncomfortable and kind of claustrophobic almost. I don’t understand the need for it in casual interactions at all. Like maybe brief, couple seconds every now and then, but maintaining it throughout the conversation?? That craps stressful man.

I was born cited and went blind because of cancer I’m really content being blind but sometimes I want to be cited I love the opportunity that blindness and disability has given me but sometimes I just think small tasks would be a lot easier with site

I loved this video so much 🌟🌟

The dynamic of a personal relationship is based on so many things. Vision, hearing, mobility are part of your relationship. When these change, especially sudden changes, the relationship will change and everyone needs to be prepared.

What a delightful and thought provoking video! Thank you, ladies! Don't be embarrassed about going into the men's bathroom, I do that on purpose sometimes, because of a chronic urinary tract condition :)) I do ask around to make sure it's ok and it's usually in public places that are relatively safer for women than, say, a weird bar at night. Sometimes a kind restaurant employee or museum custodian will take pity at the ladies waiting in line at the ladies room and let us know we can safely go to the men's room as no one is needing to use it.

Molly, you said you imagine sight being over stimulating. I can tell you, as someone who has had sights my whole life, it is over stimulating. It does not have to be but society, and consumerism has made sight over stimulating. I adopted minimalism 5 years ago and my anxiety was drastically reduced, almost eliminated. I think a huge factor is the fact that I see fewer things in my home. Before I could not pinpoint my triggers but now that I live with less I recognize the cutter on my kitchen counters after a meal as the trigger to my anxiety.

Interesting...I wear hard contacts that are not disposable. I love them! Thank you for sharing your story, Olivia.

So so great!

Thank you for sharing your stories! Wonderful! About men backing away when finding your are not AS disAbled as before. I had a guy that wanted to “take care of me” so when he found I could get along more without him…he was gone! Better for me anyway!

I honestly can't imagine what it would be like to basically gain a new sense, like how jarring that would be. That's so interesting though about the eye contact thing! I never thought about what it would be like on the other end, making eye contact but not actually making the connection, while knowing the other person is

That look Molly gave when Olivia described the color transition in the Wizard of Oz. As if to say... "The Wizard of Oz is in black and white AND color....?" 🤣

I love this video!

Molly I deeply enjoyed this episode. It had a podcast feel. Will you please start a podcast? You have incredible connections and I feel like a podcast would be PERFECT for your targeted audience. You could name it “InSight” like the word insight but with a capital S. Please consider it 💕

Molly this is close to my heart as a blind mother of a special needs child. I won’t in my life time have a cure as I was never born with parts of the eye that can be replaced. However I have always found the cure question a interesting reflection more of others. However it makes me think would I… from the perspective of never ever having perfect sight when I had my child now 8 I may well have said yes. Honestly I truly believe I was not created imperfect. I am not exactly who I was meant to be for the betterment and good for myself and everyone. I am perfectly happy being who I am! Blessed Be ✨🌟❤️✨

Olivia you are a queen 👑🤧💜💜💜

As far as I can remember, I have never had a sense of smell. That affects taste alot. I can taste sweet/sour/salty/spicy or whatever the 4 major tasts are, but not really difference between like rosemary and sage...if that makes sense. For me food is a ll about presentation at the start, then mostly texture (there are food textures I just despise).

Very interesting perspective

I am finding Olivia's story very interesting, because I connect so much to some of her experiences ,as a disabled person who is loosing some of my abilities ,over the course of time and age.But I understand the hiding your disability as much as you can, and negative experiences including bullying that I experienced. I also am older than either one of you and accommodations were not done in my time in school. I also live in America. The land of the free if you are healthy and can afford it. I can't wait for part two.

I found her on TikTok and follow her too!! I mean, I have enough eyesight but I’ve always dreamed of one day being able to see well enough to drive safely.

I was just talking to my daughter about going to a regular school and having major anxiety before going school in the mornings. My day would be a continual struggle to see the board or overhead projector. No one was prepared to teach a child or teen with limited vision. My parents refused to send me to a school for the blind. Because I read so close and with only one eye I was put in the slower groups of kids that had learning issues. I didn’t have learning problems I just couldn’t see well. When there were tests that were given to see what grade level you were in , back then they called them Iowa tests, I would do horribly because I read so slow I couldn’t finish the tests and if you didn’t finish you would be marked incorrect on all unfinished. I had so much anxiety on a daily basis that I wouldn’t understand that feeling or how I could deal with it or feel better. I lived a life and still do. I got married, divorced, had a business, I am a grandma. So, I didn’t let my low vision get in the way of fulfilling some of my true desires.

I LOVE HER!

such a privilege to have found this video

the eye contact thing is interesting, because that's how I feel about facial expressions, I'm terrible at decoding them and all the unspoken communication that comes with that. Masks have actually been really good for me since they made me learn small talk scripts that I was previously too overwhelmed to follow because I was hung up on how people looked at me, how I was supposed to interpret that and how they would interpret me.

Thank you very much to both of you for this discussion. Though I can see with the help of glasses I can understand some of what you went through as a child. I didn't get glasses until the second grade and I was labeled developmentally disabled because I couldn't follow what was going on in class. Of course, you are made fun of.

I have an ugly deformity as well as many scars from surgeries and an ostomy, so how people focus so much on looks makes me angry and sad. I don't care what someone looks like either, though I can see it. I don't understand why people care so much how others look. How someone looks tells you nothing about if they are a kind person or not. Also, even though I do wear glasses and am near sighted i'm nowhere near blind and I still walk into glass doors to lol. And then wonder for a few second what the hell I just walked into before my brain is like "Oh, yea, a glass door, again". I'm also autistic and eye contact is strange! It's like staring into someone's soul and incredibly intimate to me. Thank you for sharing your story.

Legit the earliest I have ever been on any video, ever 😳

$40,000 is a lot of money, but for someone's Sight (!) is Nothing. Just... unbelievable that this is an optional, highly expensive and inaccessible surgery in the US for patients. Just...shocking and terrible.

Oh, wow. I am from Pittsburgh, and people speak highly of the School for the Blind here. I wonder how your experience might have been different if you had gone there!

You two should write a book together from your different perspective of sight loss.

💕💕💕 It’s actually such a crazy coincidence that I had just watched Emily D Bakers Ted Talk and then right after Auto play had played Olivia’s Ted talk to me YESTERDAY. Like so crazy !! 💕💕💕