Ask yourself why you are uncomfortable meeting new people. Do you feel uncomfortable because you can't see the person's face clearly? Do you feel uncomfortable because you don't know where his/her hand is to shake it? Are you concerned about how you might appear to other people?

Meeting new people can be a challenge regardless of whether or not a person has vision impairment. When a person loses their vision, especially in the early stages, their sense of self-confidence in meeting new people can produce some discomfort and anxiety. It can also cause similar feelings among sighted individuals.

The next time you're in a situation with new people, remember that they may be equally uncomfortable. Other people don't really know what you can actually see, or even if you can see anything at all. This kind of "unknown" can make people feel uncomfortable speaking to a person with a vision impairment and shy away from them at social occasions

Questions others may ask themselves are: "Can she see me?" "I wanted to shake her hand, but she didn't reach out for mine. Should I say something to her?" "Does she need help? If so, what kind? What can I do to help?" "Should I just take her arm and bring her to our table or maybe I should ask if he/she needs assistance? If so, will that offend her?"

Understand that some people may be curious about your vision impairment and feel the need to ask questions, or they may behave in inappropriate ways. They don't intend to be unkind, but they do need to be educated about vision loss. You can help reduce the mutual discomfort and take control of the situation by introducing yourself first. By becoming a little more assertive and learning to regard your vision loss as a challenge to be overcome, you'll find your confidence returning.