What Do Blind People See?

It is usual for a sighted individual to ponder what do blind people see or for a blind individual to be inquisitive whether or not the experience is similar for other individuals without sight. No particular answer can be obtained for that question as there are respective levels of blindness. Also, it is the brain that views the information, regardless of the fact that the person ever had a vision.

What do blind people see admittedly?

Legally blind:

An individual may be capable of seeing sizable objects and people, but their focus is not clear. A legally blind individual can see colours or focus at certain distances (for example, capable of computing fingers fronting the face). In other cases, the intensity of the colour may be lost, or all vision is dull. The experience is extremely variable.

Went fully blind:

Individuals who have lost sight experience different things. Some express overseeing total darkness. Some other people view sparks or experience evocative visual illusions that can take the form of random shapes, recognizable shapes, and flashes, and colours of light. Vision is a feature of Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS). CBS can be transient in nature or permanent. It is not at all a mental illness and is not syndicated with brain damage.

In addition to complete blindness, there is functional blindness. From country to country, the explanation of blindness vacillates. In the United States, it specifies visual impairment where the vision in a superior eye with optimal correction with glasses is shoddier than 20 / 200. The form of impairment and the severity of blindness are the two factors about what blind people would see. According to WHO, visual acuity is worse than 3/60 presents blindness.

Blind from birth:

An individual having no sight from his/her birth can’t see anything. On the contrary, what do blind people see; it is wrong to say that blind people see black because there is often no visual stimulation.

Actually, they just see nothing. For a full sight person, it may be helpful to think about this: close one eye and use the open eye to focus on an object. What does your closed eye see? Absolutely nothing! Another tip is to compare the sight of a blind person with what you see with your elbows.

Tunnel vision:

Vision may be somewhat normal (or maybe not), but it is only within a certain radius. A person having tunnel vision cannot see objects except within the bounds of a cone of lesser than 10 degrees.

Light perception:

An individual who still suffers from light perception cannot form clear-cut pictures but can respond when the lights are off or on.

What blind people see in their dreams?

An individual, who is born blind, actually has dreams, but they cannot see the image. Dreams can comprise tactile information, sounds, smells, tastes, and emotions. On the other hand, if an individual has sight and later loses it, dreams may contain images. People who are visually impaired (legally blind) can see in their dreams. Most often, the vision in a dream is comparable to a range of vision throughout an individual’s life.

For instance, those who have colour blindness will not suddenly see new colours while dreaming. A person whose vision deteriorates over time will see a dream or a current profound dream with full clarity of the previous days. Visually impaired people who wear corrective lenses have the same experience whether or not a dream is fully focused.

It is all based on experience accumulated over time. Although blinded by the brightness of light and colour from Charles Bonnet Syndrome, he can incorporate these experiences into dreams.

The rapid eye movements that characterize REM sleep occur in some blind persons, even if they cannot see a picture in dreams. In cases where rapid eye movement does not occur, the person is blind from birth or is more likely to have depleted eyesight at a budding age.

How to provide support?

Experts say family support is significant in their adjustment process for those who are suffering from low sight or had vision loss.

People with vision can take on many other roles to offer support. They can bring awareness about vision loss and the best ways to help blind people or people with low vision. They can unravel the myths about what do blind people see and dispel any misconceptions about people with vision loss.

Experts suggest greeting the person first. Later ask if you could support them instead of trying to help them directly. Listen to the person’s answers. If they wish for help in a particular way, they venerate their wishes and try not to do anything more instead. If they refuse your help, look up to their preference furthermore.

Bottom Line

After going through this article on ‘what do blind people see’, now you know blind people are mostly like sighted people, but they see the world differently. If you come in contact with someone who has complete blindness or low vision, tell them how you can help them in the best way and appreciate their decisions.

Want to go through more of these kinds of interesting topics? You should read the blog on 11 Unbelievable Scientific Materials That Actually Exist.