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Accessibility Tips for Travelers with Vision Loss

Mar 24, 2025

Accessibility Tips for Travelers with Vision Loss

Embarking on a trip, with vision loss, is a challenge. Awareness and planning will serve to elevate your confidence, comfort and safety. It always helps to learn about services and utilize them when possible. Start here with a review of some of the travel advice and accommodations we’ve shared on OE.

Image shows a a red passport in hands.

5 Keys to Comfort for Visually Impaired Travelers

Research and preparation is pivotal, when traveling near and far, with a visual impairment. Don’t leave the house without a plan for how you’ll deal with obstacles you’ll encounter.

Airport waiting area windows looking out to departing plane

Arranging Airport Accessibility

Help getting through the airport is widely available. It can be arranged when booking flights, and some airlines even have dedicated accessibility phone lines for your convenience.

View of the left side of a black care with Uber sticker.

Your Driver Has Arrived

Transportation to and from airports, as well as rides during your visit, can be arranged by app. Here are some helpful tips for managing the process with vision loss.

Travelers rushing through a busy airport terminal

Aira At The Airport

Live assistance is available, through this app on your smartphone, at many airports free of charge. The Aira visual interpreting service is also accessible for a fee, and can be very useful at travel hubs, hotels, etc.

Hotel guest is warmly welcomed at reception desk for check-in

Making Hotels More Accessible

Hilton hotels has partnered with the Be My Eyes app to provide accessibility support, to guests, who are blind or visually impaired, in the United States and Canada. We also discuss how to utilize apps and services at any hotel.

Delta’s Attention to Accessibility

This airline has improved the travel experience for people with vision loss with an accessible flight map and a dedicated disabilities support phone line.

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About the Author: Dorrie Rush

Dorrie Rush is the Chief Content Officer and Visual Accessibility Expert at Ophthalmic Edge Patients (OE Patients), an online resource, presented by the Association for Macular Diseases, providing practical information and empowering advice for living a full and successful life with vision loss.

She is the former Director of the Grunwald Technology Center and Information Resource Service at Lighthouse International 2001 to 2016. Dorrie is known to have an eccentric view, which is particularly useful in compensating for her central vision loss from Stargardt Disease.

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