Loren Harris was born with cataracts in her eyes, that would later develop into glaucoma. At 20, her left eye was replaced with a prosthetic, and her right is slowly going completely blind.
Whenever people see her with her children, walking with her cane, Harris is publicly ridiculed on a regular basis.
"I've encountered people who are really unfriendly. I've been told that I am 'selfish for having children,' that my kids are 'missing out,' and people have said that they feel 'sorry for my children,'" she said. "That sort of intolerance can be really hard to deal with and it's pretty frequent, at least weekly I'll get a comment from somebody."
Harris believes that raising her two children, Saxton and Noah, is equally as challenging as it would be for a parent who can see. Really, what it comes down to is the challenges just being different.
The family's home has to be furnished with bright colors and items so that Harris can differentiate between them. Her kids play with colorful toys contained on a tray so they don't spread where Harris can't see them.
The mother was able to help support her family, working as a hairdresser, but three years ago, her vision loss was too extreme. She had to quit. The Blind Foundation has helped Harris learn to use a cane and become more independent.
Despite negative comments, Harris and her husband plan on having more children.
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