Glen Turner's interview
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How did all start?
I was born with Aniridia in 1983, inherited from my mother.
Do you already have a diagnosis? How long did it take you to get it?
Because my mother already had the condition, it didn't take very long to get my diagnosis, as the eye doctor knew what to look for. Then I had plenty of tests done in my early childhood to monitor my progress, and to see how severe or not the effects of the condition would be.
For what medical specialties have you been treated? What has been the most useful specialty for your?
Aniridia can't be cured, so apart from regular eye checks to ensure my condition remains stable, I haven't had any medical treatments for it. That may change in the future of course, if I develop cataracts, corneal problems or other issues.
What has been the most useful thing for you so far?
Technology has developed so much for me in my lifetime. It is now very accessible and has given me so much independence, especially with smartphones that give you a computer in your pocket these days, and products like the Amazon Echo that you can talk to.
What have been your biggest difficulties?
Developing my confidence. I was bullied as a young child at a mainstream school, which resulted in me becoming very quiet and shy. It took a long time to build my confidence back up, slowly but surely. But I did, and I'm much more confident and open now, and I've led a very successful and happy life.
How has your social and family environment reacted? Have your social or family relationships changed?
My parents were already visually impaired, so they had no issues with it. Our relatives aren't visually impaired, so they've never truly understood what it's like, but they've helped as best they can if we need it. Socially, after being bullied at mainstream school, I was moved to a special school for the visually impaired, where I was able to develop friendships with visually impaired people, which was easier, and helped my confidence to grow. Returning to more mainstream situations - e.g. university and particularly work - was a little bit awkward to begin with, as other people needed to get comfortable with me, and vice-versa. But as people got to know me, things soon went very well in that respect. So my confidence grew more there as well. And most recently, I moved to London at the end of 2016, which has involved building an entirely new social network from scratch. And I've been able to do so with a combination of social groups (some for disabled people, and some for the non-disabled) and the use of social media. And I've been able to make a lot of friends since moving here. In my childhood I wouldn't have had the confidence to do that, but now I do, and it's been worth the wait.
What things have you stopped doing?
As my sight hasn't changed over the years, it's not so much a case of stopping doing things, as simply not being able to do certain things in the first place. Driving is the main thing I can't do, but that doesn't matter, as I have easy and free access to public transport here in London, which I'm very grateful for, and discounted travel on trains and buses elsewhere in the country. So I can still get around independently.
What do you think about the future?
I'm hopeful for the future, things seem to be going in a very positive direction. I have a good job, a good social life, there's lots for me to do here in London, and I'm comfortable with how things are. Life has had its rocky moments for sure, not just because of my sight, and no doubt will do so in the future on occasion. But at the moment I'm happy with how things are.
So far, which years have been the best years in your life? What have you done during them?
I moved to London at the end of 2016, so 2017 and 2018 have been great years for exploring the city, having new experiences and making new friends. It's been a completely fresh new chapter in my life that I'm embracing as much as I can. But also, 2004 was a good year, as I graduated from university and started a new job. And 2000 was a particularly memorable year at college, as I went with a group on an exchange trip to America for a fortnight.
What would you like to do if you didn’t have your condition?
It would be nice to be able to drive, and it would easier to do things like sports. But honestly, having lived with the condition all my life and not known any different, and as it hasn't stopped me having a great time and being happy and successful, it's not something I've given any particular thought to. Aniridia isn't going to go away, and it's not a barrier to me, so I'm happy as things are.
If you had to describe your life in a sentence, what would it be?
My condition hasn't stopped me being independent, successful, active and happy.
Finally, what advice would you give to a person in a similar situation?
Aniridia isn't a barrier to living a happy and successful life. There are ways of doing the things you want to do, especially in terms of technology these days. It may take some research, some time to adapt, and some trial and error, but that's normal for anybody trying new things in life. So don't give up. Pursue your dreams, because with the right support you can pretty much the same things as anybody else. And don't assume the future will be bad, because you have no idea what it has in store. Chance are you'll be surprised where things lead to.
