"Not being able to lose myself in a good book was one of the hardest things to cope with, especially at a time when being able to escape from the real world meant so much".
Léonie Watson woke up one morning to see a ribbon of blood trailing across her line of vision. She was diagnosed with advanced diabetic retinopathy and it took less than a year for her to lose all her sight.
How RNIB helps me
Two years after losing her sight, Léonie returned to work. Using RNIB Talking Books has meant she was able to study for a computer science degree with the Open University.
Léonie is now Director of Accessibility at Nomensa, a company that specialises in building accessible and user friendly websites. She is also chair of the British Computer Association of the Blind.
It's not just all work and no play - Léonie told us: "Murder mysteries, history and anything by Bill Bryson remain particular favourites thanks to RNIB Talking Books!"
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We need your help to fund our vital services for blind and partially sighted people in the UK. Right now we can only reach one in three of the people who need our help most.
Please make a donation and help us reach them all.
A third of our vital work helping people with sight loss is only possible thanks to people continuing their support through a legacy gift. Find out how you can leave a gift to RNIB in your Will.