When James A. lost his vision in his early 60s, he was eager to learn braille, but not really out of necessity. With audio books and assistive text-to-speech devices that make it simple to access reading material, taking on braille might seem superfluous. James, however, rose to the challenge, spending five years at Braille Institute to become proficient in braille. “A couple of my friends asked, ‘Why do all that work when you can use a screen reader?’” says James. “I use a screen reader, but I want to know how to do everything. I want to be prepared.”
Having spent most of his career as a business systems analyst, including with accounting giant KPMG helping governments implement computer systems, it’s not surprising that when James was first diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa in his 40s, his reaction was more analytical than emotional. He wanted to know if he’d be able to continue working until he could retire before he would lose his vision.
“I had never heard of retinitis pigmentosa,” he says. “I didn’t have any concern. I was still driving and functioning.”
Eventually, his vision worsened. The signs of dramatic vision loss became clear. First, he didn’t see a water glass and knocked it off the table. In a parking garage, he walked into a pylon. “Then I got worried,” he says. In 2017, at his doctor’s recommendation, he visited Braille Institute to learn how to use a white cane. By 2020, James could no longer read, and he had to stop working.
“I wasn’t panicked, but I was thrown for a loop,” James says. “I didn’t know how I would function. I was 63. One thing I was certain about was that I had to learn to be independent as long as I could. Naively, I thought all blind people learned braille, so I had to learn, too.”
James began his braille journey remotely in 2020, since it was the beginning of the COVID pandemic. He studied with Monique Mariani, one of Braille Institute’s expert braille instructors. In 2023, when Braille Institute reopened for on-site classes, Monique suggested he come in to learn how to write in braille using a Perkins Brailler typewriter. Since July 2025, having learned how to write in braille, James has continued his braille studies independently.
“I can honestly say, I can read braille,” he says. “I’m not fast, but I don’t care. I’m not doing it to impress anyone. I was always a good student, and I felt that knowing braille was like the core element of all learning for me, now that I’m visually impaired.”
It’s also a different experience to read a book in braille than to listen to an audio book in someone else’s voice. “For certain books, you need to hear it in your head, in your own voice,” he says, “like poetry by T.S. Eliot. There are some things you just have to read on your own.”
James also learned what it is like to live with a visual impairment from Monique, who is blind, and he has also taken classes at Braille Institute, including cooking. He soon became more confident. Having majored in theater in college, James recently connected with Theatre by the Blind, a Los Angeles-based company featuring actors who are visually impaired, and has a small part in an upcoming production.
Recounting his experience with Braille Institute, James recalls how he was sitting in the cafeteria when another student sat down at his table. “She was so happy to talk to me and asked if she could take my picture. I think that’s what is so great about Braille Institute, giving people an avenue to have confidence. It does so much for people, not just from classes, but by validating them and giving them a place where they are respected. I owe Braille Institute my appreciation. It’s a remarkable organization.”
