I know I know I KNOWWWW. I’ve been thinking about this a LOT since last night’s episode.
So what would it mean if the blinding was permanent?
1) Either Barry is unable to fight crime altogether, or he’s gonna have to hone in some serious Daredevil shit to be able to do it - but even then, Matt Murdock had special powers that allowed him to do all the stuff he did without sight. Would Barry? Probably not. So, no crime fighting.
2) Which means that he’d probably feel pretty useless, right? Oliver’s out there being a hero, protecting people, and Barry can’t do shit anymore because he can’t see a damn thing. Nobody needs him. Except that Oliver holds him at night and tells him that that’s bullshit, and that Oliver needs him. That his friends need him - his family. Tells him that he’s still his light, even if Barry’s sight is shrouded in darkness.
3) Oliver coming home to Barry, and he’s just curled up on the couch hugging into a pillow, and Oliver reaches down to swipe the tears from his eyes. “What if I forget what you look like? What if I forget what my friends look like? My dad? Joe and Iris? I’m never going to see anyone again. I’m never going to see anything again.” - and of course, there’s not much Oliver can say to that - but he listens, and he holds Barry as he cries and strokes his hair in a soothing manner. And then, of course, does his best to cheer Barry up, whatever it takes. Even if it involves listening to one of his dorky educational radio stations that Oliver holds no interest in (although he does enjoy the feeling of Barry lying with his head on his chest on the couch as they curl up together to listen, so there’s that).
4) I could imagine Oliver getting really overprotective on the matter, too. Stays near Barry whenever possible - makes sure to scan every environment for possible threats - things that might harm Barry. Then again, he’d do that anyway. But now that Barry’s more vulnerable, Oliver’s extra cautious.
5) I feel that this would make Joe warm to Oliver quite a bit once he sees the way that Oliver is intent on taking care of his son, and not even remotely concerned about any burden on himself. It just goes to show that Oliver Queen even loves stubbornly, and that’s definitely something that Joe can get on board with.
Overall, Oliver helping Barry cope and comforting him and just being there for him throughout the entire ordeal (alongside supportive friends and family, of course!) Eventually, he’ll learn to deal with it, because at the end of the day, there’s nothing more that can be done and hey, at least he’s still breathing.