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Our assumptions are not always right and often they need challenging.
When you see a person carrying a white cane or accompanied by a guide dog, do you automatically assume they are blind? For many people, it can be a huge surprise that someone who has the outward appearance of being blind is able to make out words, signs, shapes or specific objects. It’s an easy trap to fall into but did you know it’s estimated that less than 10% of registered blind people have absolutely no vision whatsoever. The other 90% who have some vision often experience insensitive comments and accusatory looks. This of course, can be hugely frustrating/upsetting/highly amusing depending on the situation, to the visually impaired person and the wider community.
Annalisa D'Innella’s : The Way I see It” article in The Guardian summed it up neatly:-
“Blindness is not binary. It is a rich and fascinating spectrum. Visually impaired people come in many different variations. Some have central vision but no periphery. Some have periphery but no central. Some see the world through “a window stained with blobs”. For others, it is all a blur..”
CONSPEXIT is currently prototyping and designing an application that will personally assist people with a visual impairment to gain greater independent mobility but we’ve also taken on another challenge; raising awareness around sight loss.
Not the easiest challenge but there are many individuals and organisations out there seeking attempting to do the same. Check out Annalisa’s full article here:-