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1 What is blindness? “Blind” (severely sight impaired)* means a high degree of sight loss, i.e. seeing much less than is normal, or perhaps nothing at all. Most “blind” people can see something but not very much, even if they wear glasses. The World Health Organisation defines “profound blindness” as the inability to distinguish fingers at a distance of 10 feet (3 metres) or less. Some people who are registered blind (see below) may be able to see an object three metres away but only with great difficulty; others may see it only if it is directly in front of them and not if it is to the side, below or above them. In other words, their visual field is severely restricted.
2 What is partial sight? “Partial sight” (moderately sight impaired)* is a less severe loss of vision. Partially sighted people can see more than blind people but less than sighted people. The World Health Organisation defines partial sight or “severe low vision” as the inability to distinguish fingers at a distance of 20 feet (6 metres) or less. Some partially sighted people may be able to see an object six metres away but only with great difficulty. Like people who are blind, they may be unable to see the same object when it is not directly in front of them.
3 What can blind or partially sighted people actually see? Very few blind people see nothing at all. A minority can distinguish light but nothing else. Some blind or partially sighted people have no central vision while others have no side vision. Some see everything as a vague blur; others see a patchwork of blanks and defined areas. Some people with impaired vision can see enough to read this briefing sheet even though they might have difficulty in crossing a road.
4 What is visual impairment? Some people do not like to be labelled “blind” or “partially sighted” because they feel the terms are negative and misleading. Instead they may prefer to be described as “visually impaired” or as having “impaired vision”. Impaired vision simply means that a person’s sight does not work as well as it might.
5 What is visual disability? For the reasons described above, some blind or partially sighted people prefer the term “visual disability”. A person is visually disabled if he or she is unable to see or is unable to see very clearly. How much a visually disabled person can see depends on several things. For example, a person may be able to read a newspaper if it is printed in large print but not if it is printed in small print. In other words, it may not be just a person’s level of sight which is disabling; the external environment may also be a contributing factor.
6 What is it like to go blind? There is no simple answer to this question because it is different for each individual. People who lose their sight suddenly – as the result of an accident, for example – tend to find it more traumatic than people who were born blind or who have lost their sight gradually. Because they have not had time to adjust to their disability, they may be angry, frightened and depressed. However, many people are able to come to terms with their condition and learn to overcome the difficulties it causes.
7 What are blind and partially sighted people like? Sight loss can affect anyone. Some blind people are young but the vast majority are older people who have lost their sight with age. These days a “typical” blind person is likely to be an older woman, probably with arthritis or a hearing difficulty, living alone on state benefits and unaware of her rights or the services that exist to help her. She is unlikely to go out by herself or use a guide dog or white cane, and she may need to rely on friends or relatives for help
Note: Following a review of the whole registration process by the Department of Health, the term “blind” has been replaced by “severely sight impaired” and “partial sight” has been replaced by “moderately sight impaired”.
Source www.rnib.org.uk October 2003