Ask HN: I'm a software engineer going blind, how should I prepare?

I'm a 24 y/o full stack engineer (I know some of you are rolling your eyes right now, just highlighting that I have experience on frontend apps as well as backend architecture). I've been working professionally for ~7 years building mostly javascript projects but also some PHP. Two years ago I was diagnosed with a condition called "Usher's Syndrome" - characterized by hearing loss, balance issues, and progressive vision loss.

I know there are blind software engineers out there. My main questions are:

- Are there blind frontend engineers?

- What kinds of software engineering lend themselves to someone with limited vision? Backend only?

- Besides a screen reader, what are some of the best tools for building software with limited vision?

- Does your company employ blind engineers? How well does it work? What kind of engineer are they?

I'm really trying to get ahead of this thing and prepare myself as my vision is degrading rather quickly. I'm not sure what I can do if I can't do SE as I don't have any formal education in anything. I've worked really hard to get to where I am and don't want it to go to waste.

Thank you for any input, and stay safe out there!

Edit:

Thank you all for your links, suggestions, and moral support, I really appreciate it. Since my diagnosis I've slowly developed a crippling anxiety centered around a feeling that I need to figure out the rest of my life before it's too late. I know I shouldn't think this way but it is hard not to. I'm very independent and I feel a pressure to "show up." I will look into these opportunities mentioned and try to get in touch with some more members of the blind engineering community.

Please watch this video on the i3 desktop environment. The windows are managed and can be controlled by keystrokes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_RL_Q8CR78

From 2015, a blind engineer uses emacspeak to write C++.

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-blind-google-engineer-wr...

I have read some HN comments in the past from blind engineers. Not sure if they are frontend.

There's fair amount of useful information here https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18522497

Biggest advice, start programming with your monitor covered up by a sheet or turned off now while you still have the option to turn it back on to figure out what you just did.

Gradually have it turned off for longer periods without turning it on to see what's happening until you can do it without seeing it at all.

Hey, there you have a few references that could be of some help!

Google: https://www.businessinsider.com/how-blind-google-engineer-wr...

Visual Studio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94swlF55tVc

Forzano (Amazon) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57P_dCEPtRw, https://blog.aboutamazon.com/working-at-amazon/blind-since-b...

Wishing you the best, J