35 - Retinitis Pigmentosa - Ohio

Founder's Eyece Breaker Spotlight - October 2026

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Special Note from Austin: 

For October, I decided to step into the Eyece Breaker spotlight myself. Rather than making the founder feature bigger or different from anyone else’s, I wanted to keep it true to what Eyece Breaker has always been through Rare Perspective Co — sharing real stories from people in the blind and low-vision community.

The one thing I did want to make different is the impact. For my Founder’s Eyece Breaker, Rare Perspective Co will be doubling the normal contribution to the Foundation Fighting Blindness, with 20% of proceeds from my Eyece Breaker shirt donated to FFB.

Thank you to everyone who has supported these stories, the people behind them, Rare Perspective Co, and in turn helped us continue supporting the Foundation Fighting Blindness.

Austin's Eyece Breaker Story:

"A couple years ago, I was at a club “seeing” a DJ and eventually I had to use the bathroom.

There were only two bathrooms, both individual one-person bathrooms, so I walked over and got in line.

And I waited.

And waited.

I’m talking like 20–25 MINUTES.

Now, did I think that was a little long for the guy in front of me to be waiting too? Sure.But hey, I don’t judge people. You gotta do what you gotta do.

While I’m standing there, I keep bumping into this guy because everybody’s moving around, swaying to the music, stepping out of people’s way, whatever.

And EVERY time I bump into him, I’m apologizing.

“Dude, I’m so sorry.”

“My bad.”

“I have this vision condition.”

“Sorry, man.”

Over and over and OVER. I’m pretty sure at one point I was even talking to him a little bit.

Eventually one of my friends walks up, and from his perspective he has apparently just found his friend awkwardly standing by himself in the corner of a club next to the bathrooms for the last who-knows-how-long.

 

So he looks at me and, LOUDLY, goes: “AUSTIN… WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

And I’m like, “What do you mean? I’m waiting in line to go to the bathroom.”

He starts laughing...“There is NO line.”

And I’m like, “What are you talking about? YES THERE IS. There’s literally a guy standing right in front of me.”

And he goes: “Austin… there is NO ONE there.”

 

So now I slowly pull out my phone, turn on the flashlight, and realize I’ve basically been inching my way along the corner of a wall this entire time.

Then eventually I see it.... a wall-mounted fire extinguisher.

And that’s when I realize the “guy” I had been bumping into, apologizing to, and apparently having a conversation with for the last 20 minutes…

 

IT WAS A FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

So yeah. Needless to say…

I was next in line."

Beyond the Story:

What's an activity or hobby that you refuse to give up doing, despite the changes to or loss of your vision? 

What’s something that living with vision loss has taught you about yourself?

What’s a moment, related to your vision, that still makes you laugh? 

When speaking about your vision, what’s something people are usually surprised to learn about your day-to-day life?

What’s one misconception about your vision that you wish people knew and/or would let go of?

With your diagnosis in mind, what’s one “rare perspective” you’ve gained?