This is the first time I've seen somebody accurately depict what my vision is like. Thank you for making this!

I am so glad I found this video!! I am a Low Vision Dr and I always struggle to explain to my patients who have early disease what they may start to experience. Thank you so much for sharing this.

I have wet macular degeneration and you are the first person who has shown what my vision looks like. Everyone said it will be a black spot in the middle of my sight, and so I kept thinking that I wasn’t progressing in the disease. Now that I see your example of what you may see, I now SEE why I’ve had such a bad time seeing things thinking it was “just” a floater moving around in my eye. It’s NOT, it is that blurry non-circular thing that keeps making me try to blink it away. It makes sense for the first time in 15 years. I also have Glaucoma in both eyes that is becoming less and less controllable as the 15 yr mark comes up too. I’ve had tubes placed to drain fluid to lower pressure, I’ve had 4 laser treatments in each eye, and I use 3 different drops 3 times, 2 times and 1time a day. I have many blind spots from the glaucoma in the lower area of my vision. My poor cat gets his tail stepped on due to not seeing that area anywhere around me. The AMD was diagnosed two weeks after I had cataracts removed. I finally saw things bright and beautiful for the first time in 5 yrs, and then almost overnight I noticed a frame on the wall in my livingroom seemed to have a wavy border around the inner mat. I remember thinking to myself “I don’t remember that being hand painted” as if someone had a shaky hand. Within 2-3 days everything that had a straight edge on it looked wavy and was getting worse so that it now looked like I was seeing a heat mirage on the street. And if I tried to read street signs, the letters were as if one letter was higher than the next letter as if someone was printing each letter on one line above, then one line below and back and forth. It was disconcerting to say the least. But I thought for sure it had to do with the cataract operation... maybe something had come loose? I got in the next day with my eye dr. and was diagnosed immediately with wet AMD in my right eye and dry AMD in my left eye, and glaucoma in both eyes. I was started on drops once a day for the Glaucoma. And the very day I was diagnosed with the wet AMD, I got my first injection into my right eye. No messing around with this disease. No warning. No slow loss of sight. I was just told with a sadness in the drs voice, that I unfortunately had a double whammy. Both eye diseases were incurable and progressive and I had maybe 3-4 years of sight left. I was 53 yrs old. I am now 69 and have never been able to stretch the injections past 28 days. I was able to work until I was 57, and drive until I was 64 because my left eye remained with Dry AMD. It helped the right eye until it turned into Wet AMD about a yr ago. Now both eyes have active diseases. I get an injection in my left eye every 6 wks and in my right eye, still every 28 days. I feel as though I live at the dr office now. Sorry I went on so long, but I can’t thank you enough for showing me an actual view of what I AM SEEING. No black circle. I move my laptop around at different angles to be able to look around that blurred area, but with the glaucoma taking my peripheral vision, it is getting harder and harder to see. My family doesn’t understand how I can’t see a 55” TV. That’s what they think of as blind. Now I can show them a real representation of what I do see. Thank you. I subscribed. 😎

As someone who’s macular degeneration has finally ‘caught up with them’ this video was invaluable in allowing my family and friends to understand how the world now looks to me. I have subscribed to the channel and am looking at all of the aids reviewed by you. Great work Sam!

Exactly Sam. That is exactly what I see as well. Over time the "blind spot" or scar tissue from the laser surgery has spread as well as suffering color blindness. Much of the blue receptors have been damaged. Thanks for sharing.

My friend with Stargarts Disease has taken up carriage driving with her horses. As her driving coach this video really has helped me understand how she sees. She is a very resilient person with such a positive attitude. Drive On!

Finally someone who knows what I am dealing with.

It’s funny because I have difficulty reading but I am a fine artist and paint detail 🤷🏽‍♀️ I have been diagnosed for over 10 years now, and realized Stargardt patients all have different degrees of the disease. It is definitely true that the brain will compensate. It almost gives you the impression your vision is getting better, but you have just learned to see differently.

Yes! It's exactly what I try to tell people. Even though I have central vision that can see detail(thankfully), my side vision is exactly that! I can set something on counter and then can't find it because I only have very central vision. Thank you for expressing it so well.

Wow. You were able to describe Stargardts (my vision) so accurately!!! Thank you. 💛

Thank you so much for sharing your life and vision situation with us. I have AMD, am 86 years old and still very active in my rural and agricultural life. However, sometimes when looking for my sheep or cattle there is noting there. I did not understand why I just saw nothing but the background until you described the issue. Thank you so much. I have spent hours trying to find something that can help me with both my indoor -haven't seen myself clearly in a mirror for over a year - vision and my outdoor -finding objects at a distance - vision, plus regulating the effects of too much or too little light. So far I have found nothing that helps either situation. I will continue to watch your product reviews in hope of finding something that can help me. Thank you!!

Thank goodness there is someone who really understand. I found your by chance and I have subscribed,

I love the “How I see” video! I have retinitis pigmentosa which is the opposite of you( I just have a bit of central vision left) but this is all so very true! I don’t see a tunnel! And when I look down the street my brain fills in the road and I can miss an entire car- it is just crazy and so difficult to explain. Great job! (Also, you have some awesome peripheral vision. Wow, jaw dropping for me.)

Type 1 diabetic here with pretty bad vision loss due to the diabetes and a botched surgical procedure. I just found this channel and listening to this video I relate to a lot of these problems. I haven't lived with poor vision for very long and any channel I find that can help me is great. Thank you.

I am so happy I found your channel. I have PXE which is described in the eyes like macular degeneration. I have been trying to explain this for years. About a year ago I had a major change and am working on adapting. The depression got me for a bit but I am back up on that horse. Thank you so very much. I will continue to watch and try and watch all the past video's as I have a lot to learn. Have a blessed day!

My mom has Stargardt's! I've *never* seen anyone else with this eye disease, so I'm so happy to see you giving more exposure to what this is

Just found your channel! You nailed it. I was diagnosed with Stargardts at 19. 26 years later here we are… looking forward to following you.

Diagnosed with Stargardt's over 35 years ago when I was in my mid 30's. They said I was lucky because it usually starts when we are juveniles. over the years I have adapted well. had to quitt driving after about 10 years and that was hard. I felt like I lost a lot of independence. Then I found how helpful others could be and I had to suck it up and start using aids. Luckily I, I found you on KZfaq and watched you demonstrate so many of these aids. My favorite is my Orcam and just recently, I watched your video on the Omni Sense roller for blind canes. It was then that I realized I had to go to the next step to let others know about my blindness. I even purchased some of your T-shirts to make others aware. They are quite the conversation starters. Thank you for all you do for all of us and I really enjoyed this video because you nailed it as far as a Stargardt patient sees. You are right no one understands what we can see and not see. Keep up the good videos. I look forward to the next one. Are you planning a video on smart canes such as We Walk?

Thank you! I had someone ask me the same thing. "Surely you see a big black blob in the centre of your vision". When I said no, I see nothing they were so confused. I am going to show people who ask me your video now because your description is SO accurate. Again thank you!

What a great explanation! Have had Stargardt's for 35 years and it has always been the most difficult thig to explain.

I recently joined a Facebook group in my area for the visually impaired/blind community. Since I consider you my Mentor. I have started sharing your videos (such as this one) to the group. Hopefully this will also expand your fan base. 😎

My faculty advisor has Stargardt's and I really wanted to get an understanding of how she sees things. This video makes everything make a lot more sense to me, and now I know why simply zooming in on the page did not help her see the page any more clearly. Thank you for making this video!

Your description is spot on! Pun intended! I'm so glad I found your channel. I have had quite the journey this year. I am coming to terms with my vision loss.

Thanks Sam, I use this video all the time to explain to people about my stargardts, I will even use it in a job interview when I explain my eyesight , you make it look cool!

This is great! Thank you for making a video with such an accurate explanation. I’ve been living with Stargardts for 30 years as well and it’s so difficult to explain to people. Even family members struggle to “believe” I can’t see because over the years I’ve learned to manipulate what vision I do have so well. It’s frustrating. I look forward to sharing this and watching your other videos. I Subscribed!

The BEST description I have EVER heard about my blind spot. I have tried to explain it so many times to no avail. Thank you for this video!! I will share it with my friends!!

THANK YOU SAM!! Now I can share this with my family so they will know what I’m talking about when I tell them I can’t see things. I have macular degeneration but I still have quite a lot of my sight.giving up my drivers license was really hard.

This is the video I've been waiting for. This is heretofore the most accurate representation of vision with Stargardt's I've encountered. Thank you Sam.

My Mom sent me this and the description is so helpful to understand! Thank you.

Yours and mine's Stargardt are very alike! Especially the part where you described the blind spot in the center of the vision. I was diagnosed with Stargardt disease just a few days ago. Very sad when hearing that from the doctors. But mine is ring-shaped macula. So it is not yet affecting the very center of the vision, but the ring-shaped macula is there, surrounding the central focus point. I really had a hard time explaining what I see to my friends and familiy. It is not black spot. It is actually exactly what you said or demonstrated in the video. Thank you very much for sharing this video! Cheers mate!

I am 42 I have had Stargarst's since I was 9, That is the best example of how I see. Good job.

Thank you. Diagnosed at 48. This is the best simulation I've seen❣💫

Thank you for making this video!!!! I have spent 14 years trying to figure out how to put it all into words and people would just look at me like a deer in headlights and confused lol. This video has hit the nail on the head. Appreciate you bro!

Oh, good grief. I just found you. I was looking at the ad for those glasses. I subscribed and went looking for your videos. This is the first one I am watching. You did exactly what I could never describe. So, I just always told people, "You see but you don't see." That was the best I could do. You have hit the nail on the head. I was diagnosed with M.D. a little over 40 yrs of age. I am now 71. I enjoyed vision without having to wear eyeglasses until right before I was diagnosed with MD. I loved to read, was a speed reader, an artist, and a hairstylist. Losing the ability to read as I used to is very frustrating. It has progressed as I got older. Yes, my central vision is affected. I had my left eye go from dry to wet and endured laser surgery on that eye to stop the bleeding. But everything you said hit home with me. I drug my husband out of bed so he could see this. Thank you, thank you so much.

Ah! FINALLY! Not too many people ask me how I see anymore but this is what I will say or show next time. Well done!!

What a great description, thank you! My son has lost his central sight and has also now lost pockets of peripheral. He needs a cane all the time - in all lighting. Excellent video. I’m definitely going to share this.

Omgosh! Thank you! Most accurate description!

Your description to needing light to see yet being photonic to is spot on. Others think I’m nuts.

I cannot thank you enough. I've asked my son time and time again how he sees and he did his best to explain but still couldn't quite. This makes so much sense. Thank you.

Thanks for the video.!!! I had a hard time explaining this to my mother. The examples you give here are spot on.!!! She now understands 100%

My Husband has Stargardts, he was afflicted in his early 40's and he is now 65. He went through all the experimental treatments before going on disability. I am blind in one eye from birth defect so never had 2 sight. My struggles are with depth perception mostly. On a lighter side of this disease we joke that between us we get by because we have half of a good eye 😅. Thank you for this video, my husband has shared it to Facebook so his family members can have an idea of how he sees. ❤

I also have Stargardts, and am so happy to find your channel.

Yes!!! This is how I see with my Stargardts! Love this

Ive experienced this with ocular migraines prior. I know exactly how it is to be able to see enough to get around but have a hard time being able to read. Love that analogy and the still photos capture the phenomenon accurately. Just my “blindness” is only temporary and passes. Great video!

Just found your channel as a half blind person only 50 percent vision in my right eye & zero vision in my left eye but that's another story thumbs up Hi from Sydney Australia.

Thank you so much for posting this! I don't know how you managed to get the camera to replicate it, but this is really accurate! I am beyond impressed. Thanks to you, I am able to show my family what my vision is like so that they are better to able to understand why certain things are really difficult. I am so grateful for your videos 🙂 You are helping me and my family understand that I am not as limited by this as I thought.

Great video Sam! This is very comparable to how I see with LHON. I'll have to share this one out! And, yeah, I got the "How many fingers am I holding up?" reference. Drives me crazy...

Absolutely fantastic explaining how you see and the fact that you don’t have this big black spot here I can I can relate to that I find it difficult to manoeuvre my way round the kitchen I’ve been diagnosed with a I have wet macular And was having injections but now the injection is no longer work. I’m 74 now so most of my life I’ve been able to see and drive and do everything but now it’s difficult because I’m getting older and less firm so I’m trying to learn how to use a ninja foodie and my daughter is trying to help me but it’s a bit difficult thanks for listening

You are amazing! Thank you for the your generosity. I have AMD with no vision loss that is impacting my life - yet. Understanding the disease and planning for what maybe ahead is of paramount importance. I’ll be following you on your journey to help me with mine. Take care.

Just listened to you on Foundation Fighting Blindness webinar. Thank you for sharing this information. Definitely describes my vision problems which I am trying to explain to friends and family who don’t understand. I will be sharing this video with them. God Bless You Sam

I basically have the same exact vision problem as you and just wanted to tell you that you did such a great job of explaining what we see. I love the way you made the coffee cup disappear. That was spot-on. Well done my friend!!

This is absolutely the best representation of how I see! I was watching it on KZfaq with Iris Vision, alone in my room, and I started shouting, "yes, yes!" when I saw the representation! Thanks, Sam, now my family can finally see how I see. They still don't get it, but it's easier to understand now. I have myopic MD and atrophy of the RPE, meaning I have some peripheral loss as well, but you hit the nail on the head!

Spot on! (OK, bad pun intended) Seriously, this was outstanding and does a superb job of explaining how things appear to me. I've been dealing with Fundus Flavi Maculatus for 30 years, and I'll refer friends & family to this video so they can get an idea of how things appear to me.

Mac degen x 9 years here. You nailed it! Thank you for making me feel less alone with it.

My son just sent this to me and told me this is exactly his experience. Thank you so much for helping me understand his situation. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

This was amazing. I go to the doctor next week for them to tell me this same information. I’ve been living with this my entire life but had no idea what was going on. I now have a video to share with the people close to me. Thanks!

Amazing! That's exactly how I see! Thanks Sam! :D

What sighted people can't get is how complex vision is and that it is a mental process andnot simply a physical one. You touched on something I have found which is how exhausting trying to function in a vision based world is and how scary this makes degenerative sisorders

Thanks for making this video, very accurate, I am 46 and I’ve had Stargard since seven years old. And it is very hard to explain to people.

This is Extremely Helpful. Thank you for taking the time and effort to help others understand your experience.

My daughter's boyfriend has this. He's had it since he was about 12 I believe it was. He's very upbeat. He loves to make blind jokes and loves it when you make some too. One of the best people you ever want to meet. Totally lovable

This is the best way I’ve seen not seeing described. I don’t have stargardts but this is the best day I’ve seen not seeing described. I will have to remember this. For instance I don’t see blur like ppl like to say is my vision, I just don’t see. My brain fills in and it’s just a blob. I’ve been trying to do a video of how I see. This was brilliant.

This exact blind spot thing happened to me the other day when I had a migraine. It was only temporary tho. However, I also have macular dystrophy but my symptoms are still mild. I guess the migraine was to give some insight into what my future will be like. 😝 Thanks for explaining this so well!

I am 49 years old and had Stargardts since I was 16 and it’s always been hard to explain to ppl . So THANKYOU

This is the best description of the way I see ever, I don’t have starguardts I have damage to my retina on both eyes and this is exactly how I see

Nice simulations, Sam! with my rod-cone dystrophy, I find the world looks a lot like the one your video portrays.

Thank you for making this, its helping me to explain to my family and friends as well helping me upstand what I am going through as I was just disappointed a few years ago.

Very interesting and awesome video! Your vision kind of relates to mine. My eye condition is sort of confusing, I have optic neuropathy due to glacoma. I only have about 3% vision in my right eye and while my left eye whenever I look directly at a object/face everything gets blurred out. I hate it when people always asks me what I see because it is hard to come up with the right words. Thanks for making this video!

Oh my goodness you are SO helpful exactly what I’m experiencing,

Sir you are amazing to me, I really should have seen this video before I asked you about my friend that has Stargartz (like you) and the Apple Vision Pro. I’m excited to take him to check out the Vision Pro. I can’t thank you enough honestly we both learned so much this evening from you, you have two new fans here in Texas. My friend Jeff currently used the orcam and that alone has changed his life. Like you he is an amazing person. I have so much respect and admiration for you both. David in Texas 🇨🇱

Your depiction is very close to what I see. My blind spot is larger and my peripheral is fuzzier but very close. Great work and t Thank you!

Agree withthe last comment. Only difference for me is that I DO see better in low light. Thanks for the video!

I have NAION in both eyes. It happened to me in two separate incidences in 2018. I have been watching you ever since I wanted to figure out how to mow my yard with vision loss. I’ve been enjoying your videos ever since. This one was immensely helpful for me as I also have trouble describing to someone what I see and don’t see. Thank you so much for this video!

Great explanation. I'm used to say there's just nothing between "vision spots".

Thank you. This helps me understand my mother’s MD better.

Great video, fellow VIP here. For me, I believe I have 20/70 vision, with Nystagmus. I can’t drive, use a cane in unfamiliar areas and at night, use VoiceOver on my iPhone, iPad, and Mac when my eyes are tired but also sometimes I need it when my eyes aren’t tired too. Apple truly is the best for accessibility. I used to be on Android for the bigger screens, but I knew how accessible iOS is by owning an iPad while owning the android phones. At the time of my two android phones, it was still 3.5, 4 inch, iPhones which wouldn’t work. When the iPhone 6 and 6+ came out I started saving money and bought the 7 plus. I also had issues receiving texts and sending texts to iPhone users so I switched. Apple is truly accessible. I have a windows laptop given to me by the state for college. ZoomText messes up the laptop, screen glitches and flickers can’t happen. The laptop has ZERO viruses and only the needed programs for school (plus Handbrake and libdvdcss extension to rip movies from DVD’s) and it still takes 10+ minutes to boot up, I got it in 2016. I’ve had it serviced once, getting it serviced again when COVID ends. As a college student, that wasn’t and isn’t okay. I miss A LOT of info. Luckily at a summer job, I told my boss these issues and that I was in the market for a Mac. I worked at a 3rd party buy/sell/repair store. He sold me an $1,100 top spec 2014 MacBook Air for $600, and parents paid half since I needed it bad. Yes, it is now “Vintage” as of last week, but as long as it works I’m keeping it. Then, when I need a new computer, Mac all the way despite the price. Great video Sam. :)

Hi Sam. My name is Jim and I’ve been an O and M in San Diego for 16 years. I became an O and M after loosing some of my vision due to retinal detachments. I can’t over express how impressed with and appreciative for your channel. I’m sharing it with all my students, their families, and my colleagues. I learn something new every time I watch your content. Thanks again! - Jim

Thank you so much, my daughter was diagnosed at12 she is going on 15, she is running track we fought with the school nurse, hard, very frustrating, we are trying, ty again, it helps my stress level and heart, God bless

I’m using this Sam. It sums up my vision perfectly and I’ve never been able to do it. Always told everyone that it looks like tv static from years ago but it’s never been quite right

I have Stargardt it’s amazing to hear someone else describe it. That is a pretty accurate description. The other thing I get is people are surprised when I am able to see certain things and I’m always like I don’t know I can’t explain it lol.

That is exactly how I see! I am going to save this video. Thank you! Perfect. I like light but not bright light. And, I get the sensation of seeing OK in the dark because I don't see the loss.

Hi Sam Its now 2023 and my wife and I have just come across your channel for the first time. Love it. What fabulous work you do. Watching your explanation of Stargardt Disease thought we'd let you know that Leber's Hereditary Optical Neuropathy (LHON) displays what to us seems identical characteristics. My wife manifest the condition for the first time in 2017 in her mid 70s. Hard to adapt to when you've been a sighted person all your life. Anyway, so glad we've come across your channel and we look forward to more of your fabulous work. MnM ( Australia)

My daughter has Stargardts and we love the videos you make. God bless you. Hoping for a cure one day soon!

Thank you so much Sam for making this video. I have only recently been diagnosed with wet macular degeneration and everything I could find as a description used the black dot scenario. This explains how I see very accurately and I will share it so that my friends can understand it. I love your channel.

just found your channel. best description of the vision loss i have heard. thank you so much.

Thank you for educating all of us more on your disease. This was really helpful information. I know the feeling of looking back on old videos and wishing you could make another one haha!

You are spot on. I explain my disease to tohers as you do. I know that they still can not fully understand. I too have had the disease for, 35 years. I like your sense of humor because that is how I deal with it as well. The loss of my eyesight cost me a medical career and an all too brief Military career. I have gained a lot as well. Thanks for your channel. I will see you soon, you'll see me first lol

You are so positive about your vision. Is very cool.

YES!! I can only echo what the other commentators have said thank you for explaining the condition so well and now I have a means to explain to others how I see.....or don't see. As far as peripheral vision is concerned, it helps, it is not perfect, but it can also lead to a lot of laughs - at myself, and by myself. The other day, for example, I was in the store looking for spices and I picked up a bottle and rather than go for my magnifying glass I decided to ask an assistant nearby. As I reached him a customer putting apples into a bag diagonally across from me let one drop. It rolled past close to me, at my side and I put out my foot, blocked it, picked it up, and flipped it back to the customer. I turned to the assistant and said "I can't see, can you please tell me what spice this is." The look of utter confusion on his face was priceless....to his credit, he answered my question and helped me find the spice. Thanks again for your channel and this video in particular.

OMG!!! You hit the nail on the head! Thank you. Im living with SG for almost 20 years now., and YES...so difficult to explain. But that was exactly right. Thanks for your videos. All the best xxx Elaine

I don't have a vision impairment; but it makes total sense when you say that you just see nothing. A good comparison would be to say (to a person without a vision impairment at least): It's the same reason you don't generally see your nose unless you look directly at it. Look away for a little bit and it disappears. You also have a new subscriber (bell ringing included haha).

I also have Stargardt disease for the past 20 years but I am glad that it’s not that bad my central vision is still in tact to the extent that I can see everything but I have difficulty reading, using my phone, using laptop, and yes I am photophobic that.

Sam, this video is awesome! I'm so glad I stumbled upon your channel. I was diagnosed with Ocular Melanoma recently, and while very different, also so similar! My tumor is very close to my macula and there's been a lot of talk about it. Your video helped me make a little more sense of so many things. I cannot wait to browse though all your videos, especially the accessibility info/tips! Thank you!!

Thank you so much. I'm a filmmaker currently making a documentary about the Myopia Epidemic and having interviewed many people around the world whose vision has been diminished or lost as the result of eye elongation. Then I work with a graphic artist to try to replicate what they say. Your explanation is spot-on and your video is really good. Many, many thanks!

Agree with most of what you said, especially your brain filling in what otherwise would be blank spaces ( and getting creative in other ways). Now you need to do a third version without all the editorial comments and parenthetical interjections and recognize that informing people is best accomplished without putting them to sleep in the process. People generally have very limited attention spans.😅

I am saving this video for the next person who asks “how blind are you? What do you see? Can you see me right now?” 😂 Thank you so much for being able to articulate this so well. I really appreciate it.

Sam that deserves a HUGE thumbs up my friend👍. Thank you for sharing this, it’s pretty much exactly what my sight is like even down to being photophobic. There’s also a dollop of nystagmus thrown in & because I’m also shortsighted I’ve a severe Astigmatism but now I can show my kids this video to try and explain better why Mam can’t see stuff. Thanks for all you bring us. Tori😊

Yoh nailed ! I lost my central vision at age 9. Always had a hard time explaining the people how I see. The ads showing that big gray Mass used to just make me so upset . I always want to do a drawing of a picture showing what others see and what I see by pulling paint covers colors for the surrounding area into the blank spot

Thank you for this video! I've always wondered what the reality is vs what is told to you by wikipedia and other sources. There is not a black spot.

Hey! I met you at CSUN, I followed up with a subscribe! I have a lazy eye, and it is so true how your brain does magic tricks. I don't have great depth perception because of my lazy eye, but it's not like I live in a 2D world, my brain fills in the gaps and I figure out depth on most things. I can really strain my eyes to perceive 3D for a short bit, but like you said it can hurt my eyes. Awesome video, thanks for sharing!