Last Sunday we wrote about ADA lawsuits skyrocketing because website accessibility requirements weren’t being followed. We’re taking some of the information from this to heart and learning how we can make our own website more accessible. For starters, we’re wondering if you have any vision or hearing impairment(s)?
If you answer yes, will you please leave a comment and tell us what we can do to make your experience on our website better? We’d really appreciate it. Thank you!
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Several years ago I had cataract surgery on both eyes and wear glasses to read. As far as any problems reading the news letter, I just enlarge the small print to make it easier to read.
Does wearing prescription glasses count as visual impairment?
I’d say yes its on your license.
I don’t think glasses count. I’ve been wearing glasses since second grade.
I’d say if it’s on your drivers license you have vision impairment.
Does tinnitus count?
I would say yes. I have it too.
Vision. Good ole cateracts. So having them removed but have to get A1C to stay at 7.2. Makes it difficult with things being cloudy. Hearing is selective as I can mentally turn it off or on. Wife doesn’t much appreciate it.
Huuuh 👂I can’t see you 🤓
My wife is deaf and I’m hearing impaired since birth
By “impairment” I’m assuming it is defined as a condition that cannot be easily corrected such that one can reasonably use services designed for “normal” users.
For example, glasses or contacts can correct a lot of vision issues or a hearing aide allows certain hearing deficiency corrections, so those are not impairments, IMO, that make a website unuseable.
I have color vision deficiency. I hate saying color blind as many people think that means seeing only black, white, or shades of grey, which is highly uncommon.
Approximately 1 in 10 males have “color blindness.” It is far less prevalent in females because of how the genetics work.
There is nothing I expect any business to do to accommodate me. While color blindness does have an impact by removing certain job opportunities that require normal color vision, it’s not so critical to be focused on like more serious impairments.
I consider it an impairment wearing hearing aids and glasses, without each what happens? Asking someone to repeat themselves many times is an impairment and lord knows I’m not reading anything without my glasses, yes without them I can see to walk and drive but reading signs become difficult. So if I lose or break any one of them the tasks I can do are, you guessed it, impaired. I also have the pleasure of color deficiency and I think it would be very beneficial for mapmakers to get away from color coding. Graphs, maps and many other things I see daily that I have no idea what trail is which etc…not sure if there is a better way so for now I just ask someone for help which is…another impairment and it sucks.
well I wear readers but then that comes with the miles. I also have tinnitus from my years working on the flightline with the Air Force. I guess LEGALLY they’re impairments, but to me they are nothing more than a PITA.
Yup, deaf in one ear and can’t hear outta the other.
I’ve had mild hearing impairment since the early 70’s from working at 2 or 3 rock concerts a week. I’d come home and my ears would ring for several hours.
Ten years later, facilities hosting rock concerts made employees wear ear plugs.
I could complain that I’m 80 and have hearing and vision loss, or celebrate that there are convenient hearing aids and progressive transition lenses and cataract surgeries.
You need to say what you consider an impairment. Considering that you are talking about website accessibility I would assume that you mean things that cannot be corrected by glasses or hearing aids, but the results of this poll will be meaningless without that being clear.
If you can’t see or hear clearly without some aid like glasses or hearing aids, then you have an impairment. My tinnitus does not require a hearing aid, but it still impairs my hearing.
Seemed clear enough to me. Are you by chance a PhD? Sounds like some I know.
I agree. If I wear my glasses I can read it just fine so I’m no longer impaired.
I agree with Bob Palin! Remember that the poll is a continuation of an article about ADA and lawsuits. I wear glasses but software designers do not need to make changes to their software to accommodate me. I am not considered disabled because I need glasses.
I have Dry Eye disease and OTC eye drops don’t help. Medicare Part D doesn’t cover the prescription I need. So i have blurred vision most of the time. I used to read for hours but now for about 2 hours is my max.
I had cataract surgery on both eyes, a week apart. My lenses actually had a yellow tint. I went with the standard lenses since the multi-focal ones were not covered by my insurance (an extra $4000). I do get free glasses once a year though.
I now have to wear reading glasses, but what an improvement in distance vision and color.
the surgery is a lot different than years ago. I left the surgery center with a clear protective cover. No more solid eye patches. Two weeks recovery.
Yes, Severe hearing loss due to significant combat. After returning home from Vietnam, I was good for about almost 10 years, and then my hearing started to deteriorate tremendously. I initially got hearing aids the size of small bananas and they were terrible. Several years later I got some that were a little bit smaller but still not that good. For several years now I’ve had Beltone Hearing Aids, that have Bluetooth! I can answer my phone, listen to audiobooks, and it’s just wonderful with the app that allows me to adjust for restaurants, or outdoor activities and has made such a difference in my life. I must say they’re not perfect, no hearing aid is, but a heck of a lot better and my wife doesn’t have to repeat herself three times!
I have visual impairment, when my wife try’s saying something to me I have hearing impairment.
Minor visual impairment
Started with readers at 48. Rx glasses at 56.
Tinnitus and hearing loss became an issue at 67. Too many years listening to machines, before anyone cared about protection. Tinnitus was aggravated by the Covid Jab. Along with other issues.
While it’s not listed as a requirement on my driver’s license, I do wear trifocal glasses. I can see well enough to navigate, but need them for smaller details at all distances.
I also have a degree of tinnitus, but can hear “through” it. So far …
We both wear glasses. Wife wears hearing aids which come in handy when she does not want to hear me.
We both wear glasses but my says that I can’t hear her all the time
impairment? i need reading glasses. i ‘spose that’s an impairment. but i’m 72 and that in itself is an impairment. ;o)
Cataract surgery and need cheaters inside of 3 feet. My wife says I can’t hear- consider the source.
I just turned 65. At my last hearing exam I was told that my hearing is excellent. As for vision, I need glasses for reading but distance vision is still pretty good.
I guess I am blessed! At 85-1/2 and no hearing aids or glasses – yet! Just a long recovery time when going from bright lite to a dark area! (Think “headlites”!) Once dark adjusted, I can see nearly as well as a cat! Always been lite sensitive tho.
I have hearing loss but can’t afford to get hearing aids
https://www.healthyhearing.com/help/hearing-aids/insurance-financial-assistance
I’ve gone through several HD’s by falling out of my ear misplacing or losing them. I now order online from either Amazon, eBay or wherever I can afford. Any suggestions will be gladly app.
Doesn’t Medicare pay for them?
I’ve worn glasses since elementary school so don’t think in terms of impairment. My hearing seems more selective then it use to.
I’m one of the 1 in 12 men who are partly color-blind. It drives me crazy when charts or graphs have similar shades of reds, greens, browns, or yellows for the lines. There may be a legend for what the colors stand for, but since I can’t make out the different colors, the chart or graph is useless!
Fortunately, there are sites that explain how developers can avoid this confusion. A Google search can list these, and it’s a matter of choosing the best one to meet your circumstances.
Here’s one:
https://www.colourblindawareness.org/colour-blindness/
Yes, those graphs can be a real pain when you are in that 8% of the male population. Thanks for the hint.
Define impaired! I wear glasses but I don’t consider it being impaired because I have worn them for many years. However my hearing is bad enough that I needed to get hearing aids.
After cataract surgery 20/20 except for readers and I can see at night now. I’d worn glasses since the second grade and I’ll be 65 soon.
just need glasses
I don’t consider glasses an impairment, but the tinnitus and hearing loss the Navy saddled me with definitely is!
I agree with Jeff. After 2 years in ‘Nam and the constant E-sharp in both ears, it’s enough to drive one crazy.
just get hearing aids
Hearing aids cannot resolve all hearing problems. I Know because I wear them and not all issues are resolved.
People who are not afflicted don’t understand Tinnitus. I often tell people my ringing is louder than the conversations in the room.
The good thing is it is often louder than the voices in my head too…
My optometrist and I agree that my eyesight is impaired so I wear hard contacts or eyeglasses to address that. My wife says that I have a hearing impairment, but no doctor yet agrees. 🙂
Low vision, so black on white print is easier than gray on white. I read your newsletter on a kindle so print can be enlarged.
I have a hearing impairment on both ears. I am hard of hearing since little girl. I tend to take Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E to restore my hearing.