Vision Loss Support in Oklahoma | Karl’s Story
Karl has a saying that he lives by: if he stumbles and falls, he gets up and keeps on ticking.
Karl was diagnosed with glaucoma, and while his vision held steady for years, everything changed in 2015 when his eyesight began to decline. Eventually, he had to give up driving. For the past 11 years, Karl has worked to navigate that new reality without losing himself in it. Instead of letting the adversity define him, he’s used it as fuel to grow, to encourage, and to keep showing up.
Finding NewView
Karl came to NewView Oklahoma on a recommendation from his tribe, who connected him with our doctors and staff.
“These people are overwhelmingly full of love and joy as they help those who are blind or have low vision, seeing and doing for themselves.”
In just a few weeks of working with our team, he has built tech skills — navigating the computer, doing research on his phone — and drawing inspiration from the people around him, including a counselor who is totally blind and still working at 75. “She don’t let nothing stop her,” Karl says.
After becoming involved in the blind and low vision community, Karl has learned to live alone, take care of himself, and ask for help without shame.
When asked where his joy comes from, Karl explains that it was part nature, part nurture. His parents encouraged by signing him up for activities like Boy Scouts, Eagle Scouts, and the Order of the Arrow. That same spirit of showing up for people carries through everything Karl does today. Within the blind and low vision community, he’s become the one who lifts others up.
“We make ourselves a family, because when one’s down, we’re all down,” he says. “I’m the encouraging one — I always encourage: don’t let nothing get you down.”
A Message for the Community
Karl wants people to understand something simple: a little courtesy goes a long way. When you see someone walking with a cane, he encourages politeness — many people who are blind or have low vision are navigating by sound, not sight. Karl himself gets around by listening and using his cane, guided by training from his counselors.
“It’s a challenge for all of us who are blind or have low vision to be determined and show the world that being called disabled doesn’t stop us,” he says. “Or hold us back or keep us down.”
For anyone facing vision loss and wondering where to turn, Karl’s answer is simple: “If you want to change, if you’re looking for something to help you grow or help you move forward, NewView has staff that can show you much better ways to do things to better your life and yourself.”
Karl still faces adversity every day, but he doesn’t let it bring him down. He just keeps on ticking.
If you or someone you love is navigating vision loss, NewView Oklahoma is here to help. Learn more about our programs and services and take the first step toward independence.
