Creeping blindness: life with glaucoma | DW Documentary

What happens when your eyesight begins to fail? Michael has glaucoma and has lost most of his eyesight. He’s had to reorder his whole life. For the longest time, Michael Lins didn’t notice anything was wrong. Then, one day in the bathroom, he’s surprised to find that what he thought was a bit of foam in the corner of his eye won’t go away. The doctor’s diagnosis is devastating: glaucoma in both eyes. The eye disease known as glaucoma is one of the leading causes for blindness, affecting an estimated 80 million people worldwide. Some call it the “silent thief” of sight, because it often causes irreparable damage before vision loss occurs. Those affected, like Michael, often only notice the disease once it’s too late. When Michael first learned he was losing his vision, he also lost his will to carry on. Then, he joined a professional rehabilitation program for people who are blind or visually impaired. There, he learned how to navigate his new life. Slowly but surely, he regained his mobility and confidence. DW accompanied his journey for a year. 00:00 Glaucoma diagnosis – the world goes dark 00:56 After the diagnosis: Michael withdraws 03:43 Rehab begins 04:47 Exchange with others and mutual support 06:53 Practicing daily tasks with the mobility specialist 08:55 After rehab: reorganizing daily life 10:35 A new lease on life #documentary #dwdocumentary #dwdocs #reporter ______ DW Documentary gives you knowledge beyond the headlines. Watch top documentaries from German broadcasters and international production companies. Meet intriguing people, travel to distant lands, get a look behind the complexities of daily life and build a deeper understanding of current affairs and global events. Subscribe and explore the world around you with DW Documentary. Subscribe to: ‬ ⮞ DW Documentary (English):    / @dwdocumentary   ⮞ DW Documental (Spanish):    / @dwdocumental   ⮞ DW Documentary وثائقية دي دبليو (Arabic):    / @dwdocarabia   ⮞ DW Documentary हिन्दी (Hindi):    / @dwdochindi   ⮞ DW Dokumenter (Indonesian):    / @dwdokumenter   ⮞ DW Doku (German):    / @dwdoku   For more visit: http://www.dw.com/en/tv/docfilm/s-3610 Follow DW Documentary on Instagram:   / dwdocumentary   Follow DW Documental on Facebook:   / dwdocumental   We kindly ask viewers to read and stick to the DW netiquette policy on our channel: https://p.dw.com/p/MF1G