After an extensive career as a police officer, Henry Karpik was enjoying a well-earned retirement when he was delivered a diagnosis that would soon change his life.
The Wollongong resident was diagnosed with macular degeneration in 2012 and despite seeking treatment the condition ultimately left him legally blind.
“I’d spent nearly 40 years as a police officer and I been retired for five or six years and I was really having a fantastic time. I was doing things like taking the grandkids to soccer practice and watching them play and I was really enjoying it,” Henry says.
“I was diagnosed with wet macular degeneration and I started to get the injections into my eye to treat it, unfortunately I had a heart attack and my doctor said I would have stop receiving the injections,” he says.
As a result the condition worsened to where Henry now has no central vision and is classed as legally blind.
“I’ve got no central vision left, but I can still see about five or six feet out of my peripheral vision,” he says.
“When my vision really started to deteriorate it happened pretty quickly. I was at a race meeting at Scone and woke up one day and it had happened overnight.”
With his vision loss happening quickly, Henry wasted little time in looking for support.
“When I happened and I was told I was legally blind I didn’t really have any idea of what to do next.
“I’d never heard of Vision Australia before, but I was told to give them a ring and a week or two later I went in for my first appointment.”
Henry has now been an on-going Vision Australia client since mid-2012 and has received support across a number of different areas. Support from Vision Australia’s Access Technology Specialists has been of particular importance to Henry as it’s allowed him to continue doing many of the things he was enjoying in his retirement.
The 70-year old was the treasurer of his local hotel golf club and Lions club, but had to give those jobs up as he could no longer use his computer.
“Those jobs were something that I really enjoyed and when I had to give them up it was a big reason I decided to get some help with technology from Vision Australia. I used to be able to touch type, but I had to pretty much learn how to do everything on the computer all over again.
“I went and bought Touch Typer software and Vision Australia helped me install and learn how to use the NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access) screen reader. Now I can send emails and I’m back organising dinners and things for the Lions club which is great.”
Henry has also worked with Vision Australia’s Orientation & Mobility Specialists and the skills he’s learned from them, such as using a white cane has helped him to remain active and independent.
“I usually go out for a walk every day and I head to the gym a few times a week. Learning how to use the cane and working with the O&Ms has really made me feel confident about being out and about.
“A few months ago I travelled from Wollongong to Coffs Harbour on my own to visit my son. I jumped on the train at Wollongong and used my phone to know when I was at the airport and then checked myself in flew to Coffs. I did the same thing on the way back and a lot of people are pretty surprised when I tell them that.”
Outside of the support he has received from Vision Australia, Henry’s family and friends have also been an important network for him, helping him to continue to enjoy his other hobbies, such as playing golf and following horse races.
“I play a bit of golf, I can’t see the ball but my mates will tell me where it is or which way the green’s sloping.
“I’ve always been a keen punter, every Saturday I meet up with a mate to go over the scratchings and he’d help me to put my bets on until my son taught me how to do that through my phone. Now I can ring up and do it myself which I enjoy.”
Henry also keeps himself occupied as a Vision Australia volunteer speaker, addressing community groups around the Illawarra.
“I’ve been doing it since about 2014 and I really enjoy it. Sally Thompson, the Illawarra Coordinator of Volunteers asked me if I’d like to do it and I said yes straight away.
“Vision Australia has done that much for me that I wanted someway to give back and also make sure that anybody else in a situation like mine knows where they can get help.”