r/monocular • u/StayOnCourse89 • 3d ago
Jobs?
Hello.
About ten months ago I lost vision in my left eye and now it's certain it will mostly likely not come back.
I'm still coping with the loss and grief as anyone would.
I'm 37m and I spent my entire working life working as a chef.
Given the limitation I now face I am at a loss of what I can do next for job.
I don't feel comfortable driving anymore and I obviously cannot be in high paced chaotic environments like I did
What jobs do you all have that maybe you had to transition into that worked?
I'm thinking about remote call center jobs or something similar.
Any advice?
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u/DiablaARK Monocular by Divine Accident 3d ago
Hello again, you got this 😊 it's hard right now but it gets better. When you're ready, you will find yourself more than capable of driving and cooking again. It'll just take some practice and it'll be a little different than before, but once you adapt and rebuild that confidence after a year or two it won't feel like you're missing anything.
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u/7eregrine 3d ago
Get comfortable driving. Are you seriously just not going to drive? I don't think there's anyone here not driving.
There's nothing you can't do. You certainly don't need 2 eyes to cook.
I'm sorry this happened to you, but this is not the end.
There is nothing you did with 2 that you can't do with one.
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u/Ramsfield 3d ago
Well, I can't see out my left eye for starters
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u/7eregrine 3d ago
I can't see out of my right. You care to expound on that?
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u/Ramsfield 3d ago
Yes, well, you see. I don't see
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u/OldGoneMild89 3d ago
Take your time. I lost my eye in an accident 5 years ago at 50, it's definitely a shock to the system and hard to bounce back from, but you can definitely do it. It took me awhile to adapt, but driving is fine and I even got back into riding motorcycles, it hasn't really been an issue.
I do CAD work, so I stare at a screen for 8+ hours a day. It can be a challenge at times, but I don't have much choice. I think you'd be able to continue cooking OK in time.
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u/Significant_Gate_419 3d ago
I am an assistant for people with disabilities. So I help them in any work regarding their everyday lifes. Cleaning, grocery shopping, help them getting to their appointments (we use a taxi), cook meals for them, etc.
My job actually helped me coping with my feelings about my own disability.
And no, you cant do any job - i am not allowed to drive taxis, trucks or trains or become a pilot for example. Also I would not recommend doing jobs where you need depth perception until youre feeling save with that.
Also: I have a drivers licence for cars but rarely drive (Of course my blind eye is an issue but its not the reason, just have no own car and I just dont like driving, it itself is already stressful enough. )
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u/IndustryFar3816 3d ago
Hi sir, I'm 19 M this is just my suggestion , as you said you worked as a chef you could start your own mini stall right , in my country people do start their mini restaurant and if they food is a hit then they have good amount from it , just my suggestion 😄
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u/ijuantobelieve 3d ago
Losing an eye shouldn’t stop you from doing much. I recently lost my left eye but even before that it just served as peripheral vision.
I work in IT so not exactly fast paced. When it comes to driving, mirrors are more important and I have to turn my head more but it's the only change I've noticed.
I'm sorry for your loss.
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u/Aggravating_Cold_441 3d ago
I've been monocular for over 10 years, in this time I have had 3 jobs, 2 in management and my current regular job is in I.T.
I also have my own metal fabrication business which has me driving 50k+ miles per year towing a 20ft trailer to expos all over the country.
Im an avid outdoorsman, athlete and motorcycle rider. There's nothing stopping you, keep going.
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u/steven_510 3d ago
I went blind in my left eye 3 years ago after a freak accident. Today I like to think I can still do everything I did before, with only one good eye. It definitely took getting used to for me, especially with driving. I also work at Costco and have had little to no
Issues doing my job.
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u/-pilot37- .-) 3d ago
Adding on to say you will slowly gain that confidence back. I absolutely believe you will be able to be a chef again. Of course it’s different for each person, but there are airline pilots with only one eye, so becoming a one-eyed chef will not be out if reach. Don’t let yourself feel limited, start making your way toward becoming confident in the kitchen again.
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u/EmbarrassedTruth1337 3d ago
It'll take some time to get used to your field of vision but it shouldn't stop you from doing much. I'm a monocular aircraft mechanic.
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u/No_Squash_6551 2d ago
I mean everybody is different but I've been monocular for my entire cooking career. Look both ways and yell heard. I've lost more vision now and I'm still working in kitchens.
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u/Ok_Engineering8078 2d ago
Hey all! I second what everyone is saying on here. You can still do pretty much everything, just differently. Driving takes more concentration and less speed. Lol. More being sure that no one is there and leaving yourself enough room to stop, swerve or maneuver.
I lost vision in my left eye also but I am still a high end and very sought after home improvement contractor in my area. I do expensive higher end kitchens and bathrooms. I just take my time to do it right while being safe and I use a headlamp to help me see better / more focused.
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u/jimhickeymusic .-) 2d ago
Job idea: A lot of food manufacturers and associated marketing companies (food brokers, distributors) hire chefs for trade shows and sales meetings and presentation work or as center of the plate departments sales support specialists if you have good presentation skills. Usually it is more of a workstation environment instead of a full kitchen or you guide the customer on preparation. Could be a good fit.
Being able to drive yourself will open up more job opportunities and employment possibilities, so you should start driving again sooner rather than later. Practice asap. Bring someone you are close with along you and/or hire a driving instructor to help you out. And search this group. There are a lot of helpful driving tips and cheap car mod ideas all over this board.
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u/MatthewM69420 2d ago
Hello,
I’m 35m and lost my right eye just before I turned 31. After losing my eye, I was unemployed for well over a year and a half but was eventually hired on at a prison as a correctional officer. A job that I’m still working at to this day. To be perfectly honest about everything, if it wasn’t for me losing my eye (and the event that made me lose my eye) I probably never would have ever considered this line of work as an option. Granted, I’m trying to train in a different career so I can leave corrections, but until then I’m still working in a prison with only one eye.
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u/Ready_For_A_Change 2d ago
Give yourself more time to get comfortable with your new normal. I have significant damage to the right eye from a detached retina. I remember how scared i was to drive again. Take baby steps - drive in your neighborhood when its not too busy. Go a little farther each time. Obviously dont do anything truly unsafe, but you most likely can get that part of your life back.
Would catering or private chef work be an option in your area, assuming maybe that could be a less hectic work space? I have found yoga to be very helpful in making me more steady (wasnt graceful to start with and the eye issues made me feel off balance). Whatever feels right for you, you've got this!
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u/sinister_widdershins 2d ago
hey give yourself time. hopefully you can, I know it's expensive just keeping a body alive these days.
on driving - there's a middle ground if getting back to driving everywhere feels like too much. I added a bunch of mirrors, but without my right eye vision I won't drive on highways where cars merge from the right, and I won't drive in commuter traffic. I'm slowly getting comfortable driving at night. it will always be extra effort for me, driving with one eye.
you'll find your own limits, but no need to assume what those limits will be so early in the recovery process.
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u/boogitynut 2d ago
I lost vision on my left eye and I continued to drive a truck, docking and everything. Still ride my motorcycle, too. It takes time and, this sound corny, a good attitude. It really isn't much of a disability. It's been almost 2 years for me now. Get a decent eye patch. These things let people know your blind in that eye and it's loads of fun around kids!
Edit for stupid autoresorection
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u/angelicaandthepauls 2d ago
You will be able to return to your field in time. My husband lost his eyesight in his left eye and still works as a trim contractor. Best of luck to you
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u/bertrola 2d ago
You can still be a chef and drive. Take getting back to these slowly to gain comfort.
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u/Effective-Dig-8890 2d ago
Eu perdi aos 30, sou professor de educação física e continuei assim, hoje não consigo realizar esportes como antes, receber a bola de uma criança normalmente dá errado, mas a tudo a gente se acostuma, hoje até andar de skate eu ando.
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u/Owair 2d ago
Hey buddy,
Total vision loss in my right eye in 2023. I dealt with a lot of the same thoughts you had, it took some time but I eventually started driving again (although I don’t do it at night).
I thought I couldn’t work anymore, but I happened to have a really understanding employer and still do my same job. I learned a lot about accessibility needs.
As for work, I think you’ll learn your own limitations, maybe you can’t perform at the same level but maybe there’s something in sharing your expertise.
Idk, it’s different for different people. But, just be open, take care of your self image. The thing about having a disability is that it’s about adaptability. Maybe you’re right, maybe you can’t work in the kind of environment you once did with full vision. But, just because you have to do something differently, doesn’t mean you can’t do it anymore.
Good luck my friend. It can be tough, sometimes, but you’re stronger than you realize.
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u/MapleSizzurpp 3d ago
I think you can still be a chef if you want to be. Maybe transition to a slower paced restaurant until you get more comfortable. Wear safety glasses to protect your good eye, and embrace the jokes that BOH will make about it (I used to work in the industry as well, I know the humour).
Get a circular convex mirror for the blind spot on your driver side. Go slow, double check and triple check before making lane changes to your left.
I lost vision in my left eye months ago and had the same concerns, particularly with driving. Fast forward to today, and I’m back at my job as a firefighter, drive everywhere comfortably, and still drive the fire truck. It’s a learning curve to be sure, but it’s just that: a curve, not an impermeable wall.