Reaching out means something different to everyone. Sharla, mother of a college student and an avid volunteer at Foundation Fighting Blindness in Colorado Springs, is new to Be My Eyes. In her experience, what stands out to her about Be My Eyes is that she never feels like she causes any inconvenience to whoever answers her call. Having retinitis pigmentosa for most of her life, Sharla is familiar with most adaptive tools for low vision folks. But even in the short time since she downloaded the app’s new Android version, few measure up to what she calls a “game-changer”.
I’m fiercely independent so asking for help is a really tricky thing for me. So using this app, it makes asking for help so much easier.
Having Be My Eyes in her pocket at the store, on the countertop while she cooks or with her in the mirror to get ready every morning, make things more efficient for Sharla. She shares: “When I’m, say getting ready for the day, and I need to know what color these earrings are, or what color those shoes are … I used to always have to just call my husband in. Now I just pop open By My Eyes.” Sharla often goes shopping at the store or online, she can rely on Be My Eyes to help her find the exact color shoes she has in mind. Sharla recounts:
I had a volunteer go through and describe the various shades of brown: ‘Are you looking for more like a tan? Or like a chocolate? Or a true brown?’ He was so fantastic.
Most of the time Be My Eyes is there to help in little ways. But no task is too small when it can make a big difference in someone's day.
