Yakima Valley Council of the Blind

08/20/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1Acojt3MLy/?mibextid=wwXIfr

How close are you to a full house?

Many blind and partially sighted people will have encountered at least a few of these comments and situations. They are often well-intentioned, but can reveal just how misunderstood sight loss still is.

Which square have you encountered most often. Tell us in the comments, and tag someone who will recognise a few of these too.

[Image description: A square, high-contrast graphic with a bright yellow background. The circular black-and-yellow logo of The Partially Sighted Society appears in the upper-left corner, beside the title “Sight Loss Bingo”. Below is a three-by-three grid of white squares with thick black borders.

From left to right, the squares read: “But you don’t look blind”; “How many fingers am I holding up?”; “Have you tried stronger glasses?”; “You can use a smartphone?”; “Being grabbed without warning”; “Someone speaks to your companion instead”; “But you saw that!”; “My eyesight is terrible too”; and “You’re too young to have sight loss”.

Along the bottom, bold black text asks: “How close are you to a full house?”]

08/20/2026

Today, August 20th, is National Accessible Air Travel Day. It was designated by advocacy organization All Wheels Up to draw national attention to the severe gaps in commercial aviation accessibility and push for systemic legislative and engineering solutions.
While laws like the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) were intended to protect travelers with disabilities, air travel remains one of the least accessible modes of public transportation.

Key issues and advocacy goals

1. In-Cabin Wheelchair Securement
The Goal: Allow passengers who use power wheelchairs to remain in their personal mobility devices during flight.
Current State: Passengers are forced to transfer out of custom mobility chairs into narrow aisle chairs and then into standard airplane seats, which presents physical risks, pain, and loss of postural support.
Progress: All Wheels Up has conducted crash tests with regulators and engineers to prove that tie-down systems used in buses and vans can be safely adapted for commercial aircraft.
2. Mishandled & Damaged Mobility Equipment
According to U.S. Department of Transportation data, thousands of wheelchairs and mobility scooters are damaged, delayed, or destroyed in aircraft cargo holds every year.
For power wheelchair users, a damaged chair is not a minor inconvenience—it is a complete loss of personal independence and mobility upon landing.
3. Restroom & Cabin Accessibility
Single-aisle commercial aircraft often lack accessible lavatories large enough to accommodate a wheelchair or an assistant.
Narrow aisles make moving through the cabin during flight virtually impossible for non-ambulatory passengers.

08/19/2026

Hi, my name is Vikki Vaughan and today, we’ll learn how to create a Google Docs account. Before we set up our account, let’s talk a little about what Google Docs is and how we might use it.

08/15/2026

Discover the Jobseeker's Toolkit: a free online training course for blind and visually impaired job seekers, designed to enhance job search skills.

08/15/2026

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

08/14/2026

🎳 Strike Up Some Fun with Blind Bowling Tomorrow! 🎳
Looking to connect, have fun, and knock down a few pins? Join the Yakima Valley Council of the Blind tomorrow for a friendly morning on the lanes! Whether you're a seasoned bowler or just coming out for the laughs and great company.
📅 When: Tomorrow at 11:00 AM
📍 Where: Nob Hill Lanes (1508 E Nob Hill Blvd, Yakima)

07/31/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1935coJi5B/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Australian company Bionic Vision Technologies restored functional vision to 30 blind patients using a next-generation retinal implant. All patients could navigate independently and recognize faces within 3 months.

The implant contains 256 electrodes that stimulate remaining healthy retinal cells. External glasses capture images and process them into signals the implant converts to visual perception. Each patient's brain learns to interpret the signals, gradually improving vision quality over time. Think of learning a new language your eyes speak.

Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration approved the device in 2024. The FDA requires 5 more years of American trials despite the technology being safer than currently-approved US devices. The reasoning cites "different patient populations" — a bureaucratic delay that means 500,000 legally blind Americans wait.

Australian patients access the treatment through national healthcare. American blind patients face zero domestic equivalent. Some fly to Melbourne for surgery, but US insurance refuses to cover the $110,000 procedure, follow-up care, or emergency complications back home.

Are FDA delays protecting Americans or protecting corporate patents from Australian competition?

📊 Source: Bionic Vision Technologies & The Lancet Digital Health, March 2026

07/26/2026

Ever wonder which tools professionals with vision loss use in their daily lives? Wonder no more! Join Sam Seavey, creator of The Blind Life YouTube channel, as he shares the tools he loves.

Website mentioned in the podcast:
The Blind Life YouTube Channel

07/20/2026

This free webinar is designed for job seekers who are blind, low vision, DeafBlind, or are blind with other disabilities who want to learn how Apple’s Mac and VoiceOver accessibility features can support a successful job search and workplace productivity.

Discover How Mac VoiceOver Can Help You Search for Jobs and Succeed at Work The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. invites you to the next installment of our