Step Into My World—Blindness and Vision Impairment
When you arrive, introduce yourself and the disability—blindness. You can give
the following tidbit about vision:
A.
Vision serves as the primary source of information.
B.
Over 75% of people in the US who are legally blind have some
residual vision. 11.5 million people have some degree of visual
impairment.
C.
Most visual acuity problems can be corrected with eyeglasses—the
two most common difficulties are myopia (nearsightedness) and
hyperopia (farsightedness). A person who is visually impaired has
difficulty seeing even with his or her glasses on.
D.
Visual acuity is measured and reported as numbers. 20/20 is normal
vision. Larger denominators indicate less acute vision—legal
blindness is a visual acuity of 20/200 or worse.
E.
Legal blindness can also be the result of field restriction of 20 degrees
or less in both eyes. The normal field of vision covers approximately
150 degrees on the nasal to temporal axis and approximately 110
degrees on the superior to inferior axis.)
F.
The leading cause of blindness in the US are glaucoma, cataracts,
diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration.
Tips to interacting with individuals who are blind:
1.
Be careful when you give directions. The two major referential
systems to frame directions are egocentric and exocentric.
a. Egocentric frame of reference means giving directions using the
individual and the body position of the individual as the frame of
reference. For example, “the door is to your left.”
b. Exocentric frame of reference is giving direction in relation to the
world or to a particular object. For example, “the drinking fountain
is by the bathroom door.”
2.
When something is being shown, describe what it is to the best of your
ability and give it to the person to feel and “see” drawing a mental
picture of the object.
3.
When you come to an individual who is blind, say hello and introduce
yourself. Say hello and give your name.
4.
Offer to shake the hands by touching their hands.
5.
Allow a person who is blind to take your arm (at or about the elbow).
This will enable you to guide rather than propel or lead the person.
6.
If you come to a stairwell, pause and let the person you are walking
with know where the handrail is located, then proceed up or down the
stairs one step ahead of the person you are escorting.
7.
In you are entering a new environment share the details about what
you see (who is there, what is going on, where things are located, etc)
Suggested Activities:
1.
Use the cane to travel from one building to another. Try the stairwells
as part of the travel.
a. With cane travel, the person that is blind will usually use the right
hand to hold the cane so if and when you want to offer your elbow,
offer your right elbow. Be sure to ask before you offer (e.g. would
you like to hold my elbow?)
b. When you come to a door, announce that you are at the door and
be sure to identify how the door opens (e.g. door opens from left to
right and I am getting the door).
c. Be sure to announce when you come to a hallway especially if the
area is unfamiliar to the individual
d. Go to a room with a chair and help the person to sit. When
showing a person who is blind to sit in a chair, simply place his or
her hand on the back of the chair.
2.
Use the cane to travel and visit the MU and order food.
a. Read the menu aloud and don’t forget the prices. Give an
orientation of the plate when you get the food (e.g. using the person
that is blind sitting at the six o’clock position, introduce that the rice
is at twelve o’clock, the bread is at nine o’clock and the greens on
the three o’clock)
3.
Give the individual a document to read and sign. Show the line where
signature should be and allow them to sign.
4.
Walk with the individual to Disability Resources office and get a copy of
a Braille document and ask the individual to read it. Explain this is
exactly how a student who is blind feel when printed text or handouts
are presented to them—they don’t know what to do with it.
As you go through the simulation exercise, as the person if they know where they
are, if they notice that they are close to a crowd or group of people.
Simulation follow-up questions:
1.
How does it feel to be blind and go through the daily activity?
2.
What are some likely challenges faced by people that are blind?
3.
How does it feel to rely on others to do things for you?
4.
How accessible is campus for the individual when they simulated being
blind?