Basit Choudhary of Elk Grove was fascinated when he realized it was easier to walk with zero vision than it was with partial vision. 

ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - Basit Choudhary of Elk Grove was fascinated when he realized it was easier to walk with zero vision than it was with partial vision. Wearing learning shades in Sacramento-based nonprofit Society for the Blind’s orientation and mobility class, Choudhary was no longer distracted by shadows and could focus on using his white cane.

“With my low vision, I walked really slowly. There was so much mental hesitation blocking me,” he said. “The first time I put learning shades on and used my white cane, I was zooming up and down the streets because the cane told me the path was clear. It was so liberating and freeing. I felt like I was walking for the first time. It gave me a huge confidence boost.”

The 30-year-old was born with X-linked retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic condition that took 22 years to diagnose. He remembers having glasses at a very early age and being told he had an astigmatism. As he entered middle school in the Bay Area, he noticed it was harder to play basketball indoors because he could not see as well. He switched to playing basketball outdoors and graduated middle school as valedictorian. Not long after, his grandfather died and his family moved to Elk Grove.

“I was really happy because Elk Grove is a nice, calm and quiet place, and very family-oriented, but we moved from a city that was very accessible to suddenly being in a gated community where it was hard to navigate,” Choudhary said. “I was really depressed those first couple years of high school with having to make friends all over again.”

By his junior year of high school, Choudhary was feeling happy and confident again, but realized his vision was becoming more limited. By the end of high school, he was unable to play basketball anymore, even outdoors, and reading was hard in one eye.

As he began studying biology at Cosumnes River College, and then Sacramento State, to become a teacher, he began visiting specialists and eventually received his diagnosis.

“By that point, I was relieved to have a diagnosis, and my biology background made me very curious about it,” he said. “I love learning about science, and I could understand the genetics related to it, so it was really interesting to me.”

Yet, the commute to Sacramento State became difficult with low vision. It was a 30-minute drive from his house, so his dad would drop him off in the morning. Then Choudhary would take light rail and the bus to Elk Grove where someone would pick him up from the station. One dark night it became clear to Choudhary that he could no longer safely navigate public transportation with late evening classes, so his dad began commuting the 30 minutes to pick him up in the evening as well.

“My family became really protective of me as my vision declined, and I was really thankful to my dad for supporting me during my college years,” he said.

By the time Choudhary graduated from college in 2020, he decided classroom management would be too challenging with vision loss, so he began looking for a job with the state while volunteering with local nonprofit Muslim American Society-Social Services Foundation. He loved his volunteer work and was soon offered a paid position as an administrative assistant. By his mid 20s, Choudhary was promoted to his current position as manager of the program where he initially volunteered and became certified in anger management and domestic violence advocacy, and as a peer specialist.

“It’s been so nice to see that come full circle,” Choudhary said. “I’m really happy that I’m in a field where I can educate others and support them, and I get to work with youth too. I have the position I always wanted without being a traditional teacher.”

By age 28, Choudhary’s vision had deteriorated to the point where he was diagnosed as legally blind. He was referred to the Department of Rehabilitation, which then referred him to Society for the Blind.

“Having the label of legal blindness was a shock to me at first,” he said. “I didn't realize the vision I managed with normally was to the point of disability. But accepting it was a huge help. I no longer needed to feel frustrated or pressured to keep up with others in orthodox ways. The resources and accommodations for disabilities are immense supports.”

Society for the Blind provides low-vision eye care, life and job skills training, mentorship, and access to tools to maintain independence for more than 5,000 youth, working-age adults and seniors experiencing vision loss each year.

In addition to its onsite Low Vision Clinic and assistive technology store, Society for the Blind offers four core classes – orientation and mobility, independent living skills, assistive technology and braille – to ensure people with vision loss can stay active, employed and living life to the fullest. The nonprofit provides a program for seniors that includes support groups and classes. For youth, Society for the Blind offers support groups for caregivers and parents of children with vision loss. The nonprofit also provides a braille production program and hosts events open to the public.

Choudhary is working part-time while attending Society for the Blind, and he has excelled in every class, from assistive technology and independent living skills to braille and orientation and mobility.

He began with assistive technology classes and said learning screen reader programs and how to use voice to text on his phone have been the most helpful. As he took independent living skills classes, he would finish his work early, so his instructor would teach him braille. He remembers her saying that what he learned in 30 minutes of braille usually takes people a month. He has been grateful to know some braille, particularly when he least expected it – like the time he found himself in a dark hallway and was able to use the correct restroom.

Yet orientation and mobility felt more intimidating – he struggled with walking because of shadows that made him think he was going to trip over something. The idea of navigating the streets of Sacramento seemed nearly impossible.

“I had told myself, though, that if I just closed my eyes for a day, I would probably be able to navigate way better,” Choudhary said. “Lo and behold, those learning shades made me feel way more comfortable and gave me so much confidence. Once I realized I could walk with no vision, that excitement and confidence seeped into every part of my training.”

Choudhary said he has especially enjoyed learning to cook for his parents, aunt and two siblings – all of whom live with him. He remembers being shocked he could bake cookies with his eyes closed. He has since cooked brownies, breads, shoyu chicken and even mastered the multi-step process of making lasagna.

“It felt really nice that I was able to make lasagna with my own hands,” Choudhary said. “It turned out really decent, and my family liked it a lot. Being able to cook is really empowering, and it’s shown my family members that I can do more,  too.”

In a matter of months, Choudhary has learned how to cross streets, find a local address, use a computer and phone, and cook – all without vision. He now hopes to one day buy a house and get married.

“It’s been really nice knowing that there are staff at Society for the Blind who have been completely blind from birth and are navigating life,” he said. “They’ve all been really friendly, empowering and supportive. I know my family is still here to support me when I need it, but they also see me using my white cane and learning all these skills. They’re now looking forward to what I’m going to cook next.”

For more than 70 years, Society for the Blind has created innovative ways to empower individuals living with low vision or blindness to discover, develop and achieve their full potential. Since 1954, Society for the Blind has grown from a dedicated group of volunteers to a nationally recognized agency and the only comprehensive rehabilitative teaching center that provides services for a 27-county region of Northern California. To learn more or donate, visit www.SocietyfortheBlind.org.