June of last year I had an accident in my home. Split my femur, not just broke but split. Also broke all the bones in my face on the left side. I am now blind on that side. I retired 12/ 21. I spent thousands on tools in the previous year to get ready for retirement. I have worked wood for decades. Now I don’t have the depth perception. I have not pulled the trigger on a power tool since 4/22. Scared. Can anyone help me get over that fear? I have every machine known to man. Are there jigs, fixtures or anything to help me. I DESPERATELY need to get back to woodworking. Please help.
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Hi Ross-
My Dad was a general contractor who built houses, and residential remodeling. He lost the use of one of his eyes about 18 years before he died and retired. He was capable of doing most any task (table saw, raising beams, framing) and did not seem to be bothered by the loss of depth perception. He could "see" better than a lot of folks we worked with. I think that, over time he was able to compensate for the loss of one eye. I thought the most dangerous thing he did was driving. At the end he died of heart issues while building a house for my mom and himself, which I finished, but he framed the dang thing almost by himself. It can be done.
Michael
Thank you very much 🙂
https://www.finewoodworking.com/2019/03/11/blind-woodturners-inspiration
https://www.finewoodworking.com/2020/02/19/george-wurtzel-sees-things-differently
Two things I offer in hopes that each are positives for you.
First is the phrase, "Slow, smooth, and easy". Simply by slowing down a mite and ensuring one's focus is on the task will do tremendous amounts to help both safely and effectively do the job. As is always the rule about the kinds of power machines one finds in a shop, "If unsure or uneasy, stop. Step back. Re-evaluate and re-think as necessary, and don't go ahead until the niggling uneasiness is properly erased.
Second, my uncle. Or, really, great-uncle. He passed away quite some time back, but I recall him from when I was myself much younger. He lost an eye in a farm accident when he was a young man, but kept on farming, and, more to the point here, doing woodworking, metalworking, and more. When I knew him, he'd been doing those things with one eye so long that I never noticed or thought much about how he was doing all that--everything from running stock through a router to using an arc-welder to fix a tractor--with one eye. Only later did I realize how his monocular vision might have been a handicap, but I never saw it in him. But one other thing I do recall--he was a meticulous worker in every respect. I wonder if that didn't come about as a means of dealing with the circumstances of being, literally, a one-eyed Jack.
I think you are absolutely right.
You have helped me make up my mind. I appreciate that more than you will ever know.
And, I assume you will put on eye protection when you enter the shop, and take it off when you leave, as I do (to keep both my eyes.)
Hear, hear!
Oh yeah... down to one eye makes you think safety over.
Once you get your mojo back and no longer even notice the lack of depth perception, you’re prolly worthy of a FWW article. Sorry to hear you got banged up the way you did.
Thank you very much.
Kia kaha - be strong.
Some tools are sensitive to depth perception, most are not.
Start with hand tools - you may find that in many circumstances, picking up a hand tool is faster than the machine - The better I get with hand tools, the less I reach for the machines.
Routers are very safe - depth never comes in to using them safely.
Mitre saw - similarly safe.
Chisels do appreciate depth perception, but you will not lose a finger if you use them right.
Jointers and planers could not care less about your vision.
Even the table saw requires only a moment for you to STOP, assess what you are going to do, set it up properly, THINK about what you are going to do, then do it.
Carving aside, almost all woodwork is in a single plane at a time.
it's a matter of thinking about the path the wood and fingers will take, and ensuring that there is no chance they could intersect the blade.
If more people did that, there would be fewer injuries.
As for eyes, as a doctor with a good amount of emergency care experience (3 years) and 20 years of General Practice experience, I have never once seen a woodworking injury to an eye. Never.
Wearing safety glasses probably reduces the risk of eye sight threatening injury to less than your risk of death by meteor strike (approc 1:500,000 per lifetime - more than you might think!)
Remember, you will not lose your other eye unless you are REALLY stupid; wear safety glasses and your chances of injury are negligible.
In the end if your shop time does not make you happy, then find something else to do, but from what you say, I suspect that all you need to do is think every cut through, every time - when you do that you will realise that woodworking safety comes down to that, and nothing more. All you need to do, is THINK.
EDIT:
When I was a junior surgeon, laparoscopy was a new thing - you had to learn to operate using a single camera with a flat plane of view - it was surprisingly easy to assess depth and distance even though the information was not there.
In my experience, almost all people who love woodwork have the 'brain type' that is associated with this ability to synthesise depth from limited information. I don't know you of course, but if you start you will find you can do it; and if you think first, the risk will be very, very small.
Nice to hear from a Dr that understands. I have more resume' type things than most people can understand. I have built houses, additions, cabinets, furniture. I am also a retired full-time Fire Officer. So I am also certified in rope-rescue, rappelling, scuba and ice diving, and a paramedic for 12 years. I have never been afraid of anything in my life until now. Thank you for the kind words
Ross
Congratulations on your decision to get back in the shop.
Good Luck.
You have a fantastic opportunity to be an inspiration and help to others. Hopefully you will continue to communicate and share your future success.
I will do that
I have partial vision in my right eye and vision I do have is blurred double vision. However the brain is an amazing tool. With use it will adjust over time if put to use. Never will be back to normal but it will compensate. Best wishes
I read an article not long ago in which the medical opinion was that depth perception is not entirely tied to having two eyes. The brain subconsciously uses other visual clues that allow you to judge distance. You will likely find that over time your brain improves its' ability to do so - the more woodworking you do with one eye, the less it will hold you back.
Next time I'm in the shop, I will close one eye and see how much it affects my work, keeping in mind that the ability to work with one eye will likely improve over time.
Finally, as commented above, you really need to protect your remaining eye...
I certainly appreciate all of the inspirational words above, and could add one about a totally blind woodworker that comes into the Woodcraft store where I work (his craftsmanship was stellar, his grain matching - not so much) here is some more practical advice. Eventually your brain will start to process the data from your good eye differently. It will find other cues to help assess depth. Until that happens, you can leave yourself marks. In areas where it's important draw lines every half or quarter inch as reference points for your good eye and new brain to process. Over time I suspect you will need them less and less. Welcome back to the shop.
First, I'm glad to hear you're on the mend. Sounds like a horrific accident. I'm also glad that you want to get into the shop and didn't start selling your tools. As someone missing half a finger (or two thirds if you count joints instead of inches, lol) getting back in the saddle is the hardest part. As a number of the folks have already said, stay within your comfort zone. If you follow common sense safety rules, the ones you used before your accident, you'll be ok. I went back in the shop within a week but it took about a month to start using a jointer again. Then I started slowly. Didn't feel comfortable using the offending machine with a faulty guard so I got rid of it and bought a bigger one! Regardless, I still cringe at a lot of YouTube videos.
For what it's worth, one of my best friends is legally blind, a result of sarcoidosis. One of his vision problems is ZERO depth perception. While it keeps him from driving anything more than a golf cart, it hasn't stopped him from doing anything else, including woodworking. In fact, his shop time has increased since losing his vision. I introduced him to woodturning about five years ago and he's been doing hollow forms for the last two, with no depth perception. His secret, he goes slowly and only does what he's comfortable doing.
Best wishes and welcome back to the shop!
Thank you
I read this forum often, but seldom offer a reply. However,.
I have a friend who is 86 years old. He did lose an eye in the mid 1960's due to a nail head striking him in the eye. After recovery he continued to function in all forms of woodworking/carpentry. And to this day if you did not know he had sight in only one eye, you would never know it. God speed and best wishes.
@Ross, I never post here, but I just wanted to echo the positive comments and advice above. I'm glad to hear that it sounds like your recovery is still progressing. We're all pulling for you! I also think most, if not all of us have tons of confidence that you can successfully work through this. Slow and steady, friend, you'll get there!
Slow and steady indeed...I lost my shop of 30 years in November '21. So part of my stuff is in the garage, a lot is in my basement shop room. My machines and wood/ plywood are about 40 minutes away. Have my thickness planer and jointer here as well as most of not all my hand tools. Still trying to organize and clean downstairs to my satisfaction. Pulled the trigger on a power tool on Sunday for the first time since April of last year. Very satisfying and scary at the same time. Confidence is what it is all about. Thank you for the kind words