As someone with a fairly “hidden” visual impairment, I’d like to share my story. I was diagnosed with Usher syndrome, which is an inherited condition characterized by impairment of vision and hearing.
When I’m in the office, I can pretty much walk around anywhere unassisted. If there’s bright sunlight coming through a window, I’ll move away from it so that I’m not temporarily blinded due to light sensitivity. I always keep a small flashlight in my pocket in case a room is too dark for me to see.
People with an impairment are incredibly adaptive
So, with all of that said, I don’t think that the vast majority of my fellow Fidelity colleagues know about the extent of my visual impairment.
Of course, there are times where my lack of vision becomes very apparent. Dinner with my team or clients in a dark restaurant is a common scenario. I never want to pull out my flashlight as we walk through a dimly lit restaurant to the table. That’s where trusted colleagues and clients come in. The first time I had to do this, I was very nervous. I confided in one of the leaders on our services team and asked if I could hold onto their shoulder as we walked to the table. She paused and happily agreed!
My best advice for others: trust people and don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you’re nervous about something, ask ahead of time. That’s helped me tremendously.
When I was having issues viewing screenshares, I worked with a member of the Fidelity HR Accommodation Team. Most of my coworkers use typical light mode, while I work in dark mode. The team member was incredible, listening to the issue I was having, and found a creative solution by sending me a filter for my monitor that can double as a bright light reducer.
Lastly, my managers have been amazing, and have always been willing to work with me on any and all accommodations. They’ll even acknowledge that learning about my visual impairment has helped raise their own awareness, both in and out of work.
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