How Do Blind People Get Around the Community?

Blindness has two definitions: the common definition and the legal definition. Someone who is unable to see at all is said to be completely blind. Someone who is unable to see better than 20/200 with corrected lenses or has a visual field of less than 20 degrees is said to be legally blind. Either form of impairment can make getting around difficult. Fortunately there are methods that allow blind people to travel though the community and accomplish their daily tasks effectively.

Seeing Eye Dogs

• A blind person may work with a Seeing Eye dog. A Seeing Eye dog is a dog that has been specially trained to help blind people navigate. Potential Seeing Eye dogs are raised for a year by volunteers. When the dog is old enough the animal's training begins. Once the training has been completed, the dog is matched with an owner. The owner and dog work together for a trial period that lasts for a week or two. During this time the owner and the Seeing Eye dog learn to work together as an effective team. A Seeing Eye dog guides the blind person around the community.

Canes

• A blind person may use a cane to navigate around his neighborhood. White canes are reserved for blind people. The user is taught to work with the cane. With proper training a cane can allow a blind person to go to any place they would like to visit. Users swing the cane as they walk. This helps them find objects and swerve around them.

Assistance by Others

• A blind person who is allergic to dogs or finds cane usage difficulty may work with a volunteer to help them walk around town. The volunteer gently guides the blind person around obstacles that may be in his way as he walks. A volunteer also helps the blind person cross busy streets and conduct such tasks as food shopping and banking.

Braille

• Braille is a system of writing that was invented by Louis Braille, a nineteenth-century Frenchman. His writing system employs a series of raised dots to represent letters and numbers. Blind people can read the raised dots the way they read print. Many cities have placed Braille lettering adjacent to subway stations, elevators, automatic teller machines and street crossings. Blind people can read the embossed dots and use this information to make such judgments as where to deposit money and what button to press on an elevator.

Other Aids

• Some people who are legally blind retain a small sliver of sight. This can allow them to navigate city streets with the help of large eyeglasses and magnifying lenses. A legally blind person may also use a Seeing Eye dog and learn Braille as well.