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Eric & Jillian Hintz
Eric and Jillian Hintz are parents to two wonderful boys. When their youngest son, Joey, was diagnosed with low vision as a result of congenital nystagmus, they found themselves on a steep learning curve. The wide range of conditions and levels of low vision made it challenging to educate themselves and find the right resources.
When Joey entered early childhood education, Eric and Jillian had to quickly familiarize themselves with strategies and classroom accommodations to provide a conducive learning environment for Joey. They discovered that technology in the classroom made a world of difference.
Now, the Hintzes are equipped with knowledge from how to navigate discussions with educators to finding the right technology for Joey. They have decided to share their resources with others and raise awareness to assist children and caregivers along the education journey. Their goal is to ensure others are getting the right accommodations for their unique vision needs.
Join them on their journey as they share their experiences, learnings, and resources to help other families navigate the world of low vision. Together, we can make a difference.
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Joey & Will Hintz
Joey
As he entered preschool, Joey began learning the importance of self-advocacy through his parents and education plans. By 7, they began including him in the discussion to help drive decisions on classroom needs.. Joey will never have typical vision and glasses do not fully correct his abilities. Joey says, “technology helps me learn better by letting me zoom in on things very closely and it reads text for me when I can’t read it, like messages from people.”
Will
Joey’s big brother has joined the low vision journey as a supporter and his number one fan. Being only two years older than Joey, Will quickly learned that his brother didn’t see things the same way. When playing together, Will adapted to Joey’s vision needs by being his guide in large play areas and helping Joey when he couldn’t find faces in a crowd. Will doesn’t see Joey’s vision as a setback. He just says, “that’s Joey,” and moves on.