Journey through rehabilitation

Richard is a blind veteran with an extraordinary life behind him and his rehabilitation journey has given him a renewed sense of purpose ahead.

Sight loss

Richard’s sight loss journey began subtly, he says:

“The right eye had been going for years and eventually, the left one developed a cataract, but the hospital wouldn’t remove it until the optician could no longer correct it with lenses.”

When the cataract was finally removed, Richard's recovery didn’t follow the same path as friends who praised their post-op clarity. The next day, he just had a mist in front of his eye and knew something was not right.

A specialist took one look and confirmed the change: Richard's macular degeneration had turned from dry to wet AMD. He was immediately referred for treatment. He says:

“I had eight months of injections. They didn’t hurt – just a bit of pressure. But in the end they weren’t helping anymore.”

The change wasn’t just physical. The loss of sight impacted Richard emotionally and practically. A lifelong brass band musician, having played since age nine, Richard could no longer read music. He says:

“I could still play, but not being able to read the parts, I was lost. That was the hardest thing.”

And then, last April, Richard was hit by a car coming out of a COVID jab appointment. Already recovering from knee surgery, the impact left him with severe soft tissue damage to his foot and knocked his mobility and confidence back even further. He says:

“I was back on two sticks again, it felt like a big step backward."

Rehabilitation

Everything began to shift after Richard connected with us. After receiving an overwhelm of information from other charities, it was our rehab program that made the biggest impact.

Within just a week of his first stay at our centre, Richard was transformed. He says:

“My confidence went through the roof. I was a different man.”

He also made new friends with other veterans, quickly bonding over shared stories and familiar camaraderie. He says:

“It was like being back in the service; it really lifted me."

Determination

Richard’s not one to sit back. After working with physios and trainers, he committed himself to daily exercises, practising cane use, and slowly transitioning from walking with two sticks to just one. He says:

“I’ve been walking with one stick for ten weeks now. My goal is always to have a spare hand, especially for using my white cane."

Richard completed his white cane training at our Rustington Centre and his brand new white cane awaited him when he returned home from his stay.

Tech has helped too. Using his tablet and phone as magnifiers, Richard has learned to manage emails and read documents. He says:

“I just needed someone to show me how to use what I had to help me."

Before sight loss

Before his sight loss, Richard spent 23 years in the Royal Navy, much of it in submarines. He trained as an electrical engineer and travelled the world, spending much time in the west indies. Of his time in the West Indies, he says:

“I loved it; we even started a steel band out there."

Music has always been a central thread. From volunteer bands to championship section ensembles, Richard played baritone for decades. He says:

“Being told I was good enough for the first baritone part in a championship band, I’ll never forget that.”

Life after sight loss

Now, with our help, Richard is planning his next stage. he says:

“I’m walking again, I’m learning the white cane, and I’m cooking. My stir fries are never the same twice. I just rummage through the cupboards and as long as I’ve got soy sauce and Chinese five-spice, I’m good to go.”

His story is a testament to how support, perseverance, and the right tools can empower someone to reclaim their life after sight loss. He says:

"The staff at Blind Veterans UK couldn’t be more helpful. They just get it and nothing is too much for them.”