Becoming blind taught Alfredo Holguin to both trust himself and adapt to changes around him. He believes these lessons give him an edge as a blind options trader.
Here is his inspiring story.
How Alfredo beats the market as a blind options trader
From losing his sight to mastering options trading
When Alfredo Holguin lost his eyesight at just 25 years old, he faced what seemed like an impossible challenge. The transition to blindness was devastating, but instead of giving up, he began a long process of adaptation. That process eventually led him into one of the most competitive arenas in finance — options trading.
So far this year, Alfredo has achieved 32% returns, as verified in the U.S. Investing Championship. This being said; his story is as much about resilience and mindset as it is about trading strategies and returns.
A life reshaped by discipline
Alfredo grew up with diabetes, and for much of his youth, he ignored doctors’ warnings about the risks. When his eyesight began to deteriorate in his twenties, he realized the consequences of those habits. Losing his sight became a turning point.
He committed himself to discipline: eating better, managing his health, and carrying those habits into every other part of life. In trading, that discipline became a powerful edge. Alfredo argues that if you develop good habits in one area, like health,, they naturally spill over into others, such as options trading.
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Finding a way into the markets as a blind options trader
After retraining as a programmer and completing his degree, Alfredo became fascinated with statistics. What began with analyzing NFL betting spreads gradually shifted into studying the stock market. He realized that, unlike sports betting, the market offered consistent rules and opportunities that could be measured with data.
In 2015, he began trading options. At first, it was difficult to manage the platforms and tools that most traders take for granted. Option chains, charts, and broker platforms were not designed for screen readers. But Alfredo adapted by programming his own formulas, using Excel spreadsheets, and learning to summarize data in ways that worked for him.
Trading blind — literally
Most traders can’t imagine working without charts, but Alfredo has no choice. Instead of staring at graphs, he converts price action and volatility into formulas that can be read aloud by his software. He doesn’t see candlesticks, moving averages, or colorful indicators. Instead, he hears data points and navigates with arrow keys, building a mental map of the market.
He even calls in trades to his broker by phone, just as traders did in earlier decades, because many online platforms aren’t accessible. While this slows him down, it also forces him to be selective and disciplined. Every trade must meet his rules before he picks up the phone.
His main strategy: weekly put selling
At the heart of Alfredo’s approach is a weekly put-selling strategy. He prefers large-cap stocks with strong fundamentals, and he carefully calculates strike prices using the average true range to create a margin of safety. By focusing on weekly expirations rather than monthly ones, he believes he reduces risk while capturing more premium.
He doesn’t rely on Delta like many traders do. Instead, he uses statistical models and multipliers tied to volatility. His trades usually line up in the 5–12% Delta range, but the decision process is built on his own formulas.
Alfredo typically lets trades run to expiration, rolling only when necessary. His system emphasizes small, consistent gains and risk management, rather than chasing big wins.
Results that speak for themselves
Since recommitting to trading in 2022, Alfredo has steadily improved his results. What started with modest returns grew into a 32% gain so far in 2025.
He rates his risk profile as a 4 out of 10: not ultra-conservative, but far from reckless. His use of margin of safety, large-cap focus, and disciplined process keeps him in control.
Lessons for other traders
Alfredo’s story is not just about trading blind; it’s about showing what’s possible with the right mindset. Three themes stand out:
- Adaptation: He constantly adjusts, whether in life after losing sight, or in the market as conditions shift.
- Discipline: Good habits, built in one part of life, carry over to trading success.
- Internal control: Alfredo never blames the market or his broker. If something goes wrong, he takes responsibility and adapts, believing in the principle of having an internal locus of control.
For retail traders, his journey is both a reminder and a challenge. If a blind options trader can succeed with discipline, then anyone can — provided they put in the work to develop systems and habits that fit their situation.
Book recommendation
Alfredo recommends this book to anyone who likes to understand the psychology behind trading:
- Mark Douglas: Trading in the Zone
John, a fantastic interview! Congratulations.
Above all, an inspiring life lesson. Alfredo has such a head start on us, overcoming any apparent disadvantage.
With the greatest pleasure, I am available to Alfredo for whatever he needs. New learnings, sharing ideas, testing strategies, sharing methodologies, or whatever else he can think of that I can help with.
Thank you, John, and thank you, Alfredo, for sharing your experiences. May you reach 60% profit in 2026!!! Anything is possible.