I have an eye and brain condition affected by flashing lights. Here’s how I work with instructors to modify assignments and course content as needed

When my best friend had an occipital stroke shortly before Christmas, one of the first things they mentioned when they got out of the hospital was how they were having trouble using their phone. They didn’t know at the time about the multitude of iPhone…

Examples of disability accommodations for graduation and other commencement events for graduates of all ages

As a student with low vision who also has photophobia/photosensitivity to bright lights, I often take vision breaks throughout the day to rest my eyes. When I’m working on visually demanding tasks such as reading, working on my computer, or taking notes in a classroom,…

For one of my class projects, I worked with a tween-aged student who had a confirmed diagnosis of Cortical Visual Impairment (also known as Cerebral Visual Impairment or CVI) and wanted to redesign their bedroom to make it a more accessible and fun space. Designing…

Sometime around sixth grade, I came to the conclusion that the combination of school cafeterias and low vision contributed to a great deal of frustration for me at school. Other than the school gym, the cafeteria was one of the places at school where I…

When I was in middle school, one of my teachers had a classroom that was filled with a lot of bright lights and glare-inducing items, which was difficult for me as a student with low vision and photophobia/light sensitivity. I know that the teacher had…

I receive disability accommodations in college for two different medical conditions- an eye condition that causes low vision and a neurological condition called Chiari Malformation. Both my eye and brain condition cause me to experience light sensitivity, sometimes referred to as photosensitivity, and my accommodations…

I love listening to live music and watching concert videos and music videos from my favorite bands, but it’s difficult for me to attend events in person since I have a medical condition that causes photosensitivity, or a sensitivity to strobe and flashing lights. Since…

A guide for visiting the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum with disabilities, with a focus on low vision

As a user with low vision, I have discovered that custom video backgrounds can be either super helpful tools for making it easier to concentrate on video calls or super distracting tools that make it harder to concentrate. Factors such as background choice, environmental lighting,…

Many school band programs have a uniform requirement for specific ensembles, which can consist of a mix of school-owned pieces (such as a marching band jacket) and items purchased by the musician like shoes or pants in a specific color. Musicians that experience sensitivity to…