Francesca Rudkin: I was reminded just how much I take for granted

I had an interesting experience this week, one that reminded me that sometimes even the obvious needs to be pointed out.  

For a very brief moment I got a small taste of what it’s like to have low vision. Blind Low Vision New Zealand hosted a breakfast - during which I was given glasses to wear which mimicked glaucoma, and then I was guided into a café where I tried to read a menu. This all required a level of concentration and effort I don’t often call on. Thankfully, I was able to remove the glasses before I drank my tea and ate my breakfast as, I can tell you, it would have been a very messy affair.  

I’ve had my head firmly in the disability camp for the last few years - getting to grips with the challenges neurodivergent people have fitting into a world that isn’t designed for them.

So, I was embarrassed at how little I have thought about how difficult life is if you’re not able-bodied in an able-bodied designed world. Obviously being blind or having low vision is exhausting. Obviously it makes everything you do in your day much more challenging. Obviously it limits your job prospects and what you can do. But it only took about another 10 minutes at home wearing my newly acquired glaucoma glasses for this to really sink in.  

I did a few basic things around the house. I put the washing on - which went well until I tried to read the buttons on the washing machine. I then stood on the cat. I ate a kiwifruit. I was a bit nervous about the knife - but then couldn’t find my mouth. I filled the kettle and made a cuppa, which took longer than usual. I stood on our clingy cat again, and then went outside and tripped over my partner’s gumboots. At this point my daughter suggested it would be safer if I ended the experiment.  

It was very clear how much I take for granted as I rush through life. I treasure my independence. I don’t think twice about how I’m going to get from A to B and enjoy the interactions I have with work colleagues and others throughout the day.  

But those who are blind or have low vision deal with huge inequities every day - which take a functional, financial and emotional toll. 58 percent of disabled New Zealanders earn $30,000 or less a year, compared with 33 percent of the non-disabled people. 51 percent of working age Blind Low Vision NZ members are without a job, and 74 percent of youth clients have never had a part time or summer job. We’re all impacted by the rising cost of living, but this community is really struggling.  

I’d passively assumed that by 2025 we’d have removed more of the barriers that make the simplest of things - like getting groceries - difficult. But from the conversations and stories I heard this week, that’s clearly that’s not the case.  

As we go about our day today, maybe we should pause for a second each time we do something and imagine doing it like one of the 183,000 Kiwis who are blind, deaf blind or low vision. This month is Blind Low Vision Month - if you have a moment head to blindlowvision.org.nz and see the work they do. And at the very least, next time you pass an e-scooter lying across the footpath, pick it up and move it to the side. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin
from News talks'b So.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
I had quite an interesting experience this week, one that
reminded me that sometimes even the obvious needs to be
pointed out. So for a very, very brief moment, I
got a taste of what it's like to have low vision.
So blind Low Vision New Zealand hosted a breakfast during
which I was given these glasses to wear, which mimicked glaucoma,

(00:34):
and then I was guided into a cafe where I
tried to read a menu. This all required a level
of concentration effort I don't often call on. Thankfully, I
was able to remove the glasses before I drank my
tea and ate my breakfast. As I can tell you,
it would have been a very messy affair. I've had
my head firmly in the disability camp for the last

(00:54):
few years, getting to grips with the challenges neurodivergent people
have fitting into a world that isn't designed for them.
So to be honest, I was a little bit embarrassed
at how little I have thought about how difficult life
is if you're not able bodied and an able bodied
designed world. Obviously being blind or having low vision as exhausting. Obviously,
it makes everything you do in your day that much

(01:16):
more challenging. Obviously limits your job prospects and what you
can do. But it only took about another ten minutes
at home wearing my new year acquired blo Coma glasses
for this to really sink in. I just did a
few basic things around the house. So I put the
washing on, which went well until I tried to read
the buttons on the washing machine. It's something that you
do every day, but you still I was all like,

(01:38):
what am I doing? I then stood on the cat.
I ate a carewy fruit. I was a bit nervous
about the knife, but then I couldn't find my mouth.
I filled the kettle and made a kappa, which took
longer than new rokus. I couldn't work out how much
water was in the kettle, and then I stood on
the clinging cat again. Then I went outside and I
tripped over my partner's gun boots. And at this point
my daughter suggested it would be safe if I ended

(01:59):
this experiment. It was very clear how much I take
for granted. As I rushed through life, I treasured my independence.
I don't think twice about how I'm going to get
from A to B and enjoy the interactions I have
with work, colleagues and others throughout the day. But those
who are blind or have low vision deal with huge
inequities every day which take a functional, financial and emotional toll.

(02:20):
Fifty eight percent of disabled New Zealanders earned thirty thousand
or less a year, compared with thirty three percent of
non disabled people, and fifty one percent of working age
blind low vision New Zealand members are without a job.
Seventy four percent of youth clients have never had a
part time or summer job. We're all impacted by the
rise and cost of living, but this community is really struggling.

(02:42):
I passively assumed that by twenty twenty five we'd have
removed more of the barriers that make the simplest of
things like getting groceries difficult, But from the conversations and
stories I heard this week, that's clearly not the case.
So as we go about our day to day, maybe
we should just pause for a second each time we
do something and imagine doing it like one of the
one hundred and eighty three thousand Kiwis who were deaf,

(03:04):
who are blind, deaf, blind or low vision. This month
is Blind Low Vision Month. If you've got a moment,
head to Blindlowvision dot org dot nz and see the
work they do. And at the very least, next time
you pass in eat scooter lying across the footpath, pick
it up and move it to the side.

Speaker 1 (03:23):
For more from the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin, listen
live to News Talks it Be from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio