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What It’s Like To Be A Legally Blind Illustrator And Graphic Designer
I can literally only see inches of paper at once; my art will always look a little off.
By Keith Rosson, Guest Writer
Jun 8, 2018, 08:30 AM EDT
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Keith Rosson
I’m a freelance illustrator and graphic designer. I’ve made art my entire life ― paintings, illustrations, album covers, comics, fanzines, novels. People seek me out to create something for them, and I’ve got a client list that I’m profoundly proud of.
The thing is, I’m an illustrator and graphic designer, but I’m also a legally blind illustrator and graphic designer.
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I was born with optic nerve hypoplasia, or ONH, which is essentially the deadening or lack of development of the optic nerve during gestation. ONH is one of the three most common causes of visual impairments in children. In my case, ONH resulted in a severe lack of peripheral vision. While most people are born with a 180-degree peripheral field, I’ve got a roughly 25-degree field with both eyes combined. This is what most people refer to as tunnel vision.
It means that I sometimes walk with a red-tipped cane, and I’m regularly taken out by periphery-testers like cupboard doors and [...]