About
Welcome to Navigating Blindness. My name is Kim and I have two adult sons. My youngest, Kai, began to unexpectedly lose his sight at the age of ten. We were crushed and had no idea how to help him.
In 2013, he was diagnosed with ‘atypical’ Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). The diagnosis never felt right to me so I continued to push for answers. In 2020, the third round of genetic testing and a Casey Eye Panel revealed that Kai has a rare condition called ABCA4-linked Retinopathy plus Autoimmune Retinopathy (not RP).
Kai learned to read braille, navigate with a white cane, and advocate for himself. In 2021, he graduated as valedictorian of his large public high school then moved away to attend the University of Georgia where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. His next adventure is graduate school near Manhattan.
He’s determined live his life to the fullest. We’ve learned so much and we want to share our experience with you!
Vision loss and autoimmune disease have deeply impacted our family and have enriched our lives in ways we never could have imagined. It’s not been easy, but our lives are filled with opportunities for growth as we learn to accept and navigate blindness, together.
This blog contains information about our day-to-day wins and challenges as well as blindness awareness, braille advocacy, mainstream education, and inclusivity.
Please note that I have Kai’s express consent to share our story.
If you are interested in connecting, please subscribe, introduce yourself, or leave a comment. Thanks for stopping by!
Let’s navigate blindness together. – Kim Owens
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