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Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask
Tips, proper vocabulary, and other useful information
❌ Disabled person
❌ Blind
❌ Visually impaired
Person with disability ✅
Person with vision impairment ✅
Person with low vision ✅
Basic information
There are 39 million people w/o sight in the world
This number increases every year. There is no exact statistics for Ukraine, but according to various estimates, it ranges from 70,000 to 300,000 people.
Braille font
It is a tactile font (not a language!). With its help, blind people can write and read. It is based on a combination of 6 raised dots.
Dark glasses
Not all people with vision impairment wear glasses, but often they do it to protect their eyes (for example, from branches on the street).
White cane
The white cane helps to navigate the city and find obstacles.
There are numerous obstacles in the city
Cars on sidewalks
They hinder free passage. It is difficult to bypass them if there is a narrow passage or, for example, around a puddle.
Half-spheres, flower beds
They can go unnoticed with a cane and cause tripping.
Open manholes, pits, gaps
This is very dangerous for all people, so it is necessary to immediately inform the relevant services.
У місті безліч перешкод для незрячих
Машини на тротуарах
Вони заважають вільно проходити. Їх складно оминути, якщо залишається вузький прохід чи, наприклад, довкола калюжі.
Напівсфери, клумби
Їх можна не помітити за допомогою тростини і добряче перечепитися.
Відкриті люки, ями, провалля
Це дуже небезпечно для всіх людей, тому потрібно негайно повідомляти у відповідні служби
On the other hand!
Audible traffic lights
They help people with vision impairment understand whether it is safe to cross the road and allow them do so independently.
Tactile paving
It helps to stay on track, walk straight, and understand when it is necessary to turn.
Famous people with vision impairment
Натомість!
Озвучені світлофори
Допомагають незрячим зрозуміти, чи можна переходити дорогу та зробити це без супроводжуючих.
Тактильна плитка
Допомагає не збиватися зі шляху, йти прямо та розуміти, коли потрібно повертати.
FAQ
💻 Do people with vision impairment use phones and computers?
Even more so - they are also working as professional programmers and IT specialists! And we have such guides among us! For example, Igor Kushnir teaches non-visual accessibility of touch devices and satellite navigation for the blind.
How is it possible?
In the phone settings, you can enable the screen reader feature. On the iPhone, it's called VoiceOver, and on Android, it's called TalkBack. Similarly, computers can be set up with programs that provide audio feedback. For Windows, you can use the free "NVDA" or the paid "JAWS for Windows," for example.💰 How do people with vision impairment handle money?
Cashless transactions are the most convenient, but blind individuals also use paper money.
For example, our guide Yaroslav explained that he arranges the bills in different sections of his wallet and can orient himself based on the location and denomination of the notes.
There are also special apps available that use the phone's camera to identify and announce the denomination of banknotes.💤 Do people with vision impairment dream?
People who were born blind see dreams with colors and images because they remember visual concepts. Many of our guides see their loved ones in their dreams as they remember them visually.
People who are blind from birth also experience dreams but without visual images. Their dreams are predominantly based on emotions and sensations, such as smells, tastes, touch, and sounds. Sometimes they may experience fear associated with difficulties they might face in their daily lives. In other words, the dreams of individuals blind from birth are mainly focused on emotions and sensations, while dreams of those who lost their sight later in life may still include visual components.🦮 What is the situation with guide dogs in Ukraine and the world?
People with vision impairment are sometimes accompanied by specially trained animals. The most common are guide dogs, but there are interesting exceptions, such as ponies (if someone is allergic to dogs). The first guide dog schools were established in Germany after World War I. Unfortunately, there are still no such schools in Ukraine.
🍿 How do people with vision impairment watch movies?
Do you also sometimes cook, clean, or engage in other activities while simultaneously listening to a movie or TV show? You can imagine parts of the scenes without seeing them. If something is unclear, you can ask about the current events on the screen. However, understanding everything is impossible.
That's why audio description is created for people with vision impairment - a concise description of actions, space, or objects that is inserted between the dialogues of actors. But there is one catch - there are relatively few films with audio description available. That's why most of our guides watch regular movies - they can watch any new release without waiting for an accessible version.
Movies and animations can be watched blindly! There is a special audio description of the visual elements where clothing, facial expressions, and silent actions are succinctly described.⬛ Do people with vision impairment always see only darkness?
No, almost no one experiences complete darkness. More often, it is a gray fog, and some people have light sensitivity - the ability to distinguish between light and darkness.
A person is considered visually impaired not only if they can't see anything, but also if their vision is very blurred or has a limited field of view.📚 Do all people with vision impairment know Braille?
In reality, most people who are blind from birth or childhood are familiar with Braille because they use it in school.
However, many people who lose their sight in adulthood do not learn Braille. This can be due to the difficulty of learning it (although it is possible) and the limited availability of Braille literature for adults. Without practice, this skill quickly deteriorates.
Most of our guides are proficient in Braille but use it infrequently or not at all.
This can also be explained by the fact that there are now a variety of technological tools that can replace Braille, primarily smartphones. Some people find it more convenient to use a device, while others prefer reading Braille.
"Audiobooks are not better than Braille books. It's just that, unfortunately, there is not much literature printed in Braille. While you can still find children's books, it is almost impossible to find others. It's not a problem, it's a catastrophe.
That's why we prefer audiobooks. Personally, I listen to audio because I enjoy contemporary Ukrainian authors. There is no good Ukrainian text-to-speech synthesis.
Undoubtedly, reading Braille books increases literacy levels. Yes, you can listen, but slaves could also listen, and it didn't make them literate. Of course, you can print on a computer, but how do you read it later? Only by listening," shares our guide Igor.💼 Which positions can people with vision impairment work in?
Like anyone else, people with vision impairment can be massage therapists, lawyers, journalists, politicians, and chefs. With the advancement of technology, all fields have become even more accessible.
🤦 Do people with vision impairment really touch the faces of the people they meet?
No, in reality, that's not how it usually works. :-)
🍲 Do people with vision impairment cook?
Yes, of course! Just like everyone else, some blind people enjoy cooking, while others may not be as interested. For example, our guide Victoria Shevchuk absolutely loves cooking, especially baking and desserts.
The sense of smell is very helpful during the cooking process, as the aroma of a dish changes slightly when it is cooked. There are also special kitchen gadgets for blind individuals, such as voice-enabled scales, multicookers, liquid measuring devices, and more.👩❤️👨 Do people with vision impairment go on dates and get married?
Yes, people with vision impairment can and do socialize, go on dates, get married, and have children.
😎 Are people more often born blind or do they lose their sight during their lifetime?
In reality, very few people are born blind. More often, people lose their vision during their lifetime, mainly due to accidents or illnesses.
🚌 How do people with vision impairment get around the city? Do they use public transportation?
People with vision impairment navigate the city with the help of a white cane, and less commonly, with a guide dog.
Yes, people with vision impairment use public transportation. The most accessible modes of transportation are the subway, where there are tactile tiles and voice announcements at stations, as well as all forms of surface transportation with announced stops.👗 How do people with vision impairment choose clothing?
People with vision impairment pay more attention to the fit, fabric, and comfort of their clothing. Some of them buy clothes independently, while others do it with the help of friends or family. They can also seek advice from a consultant who can guide them on color coordination
🟠 🟣 🟢 🔴 How do people with vision impairment differentiate colors? Do they have favorite colors?
Yes, they have favorite colors, but their perception depends on when they lost their sight. If a person is born blind, they are deprived of any visual imagery and only know colors associatively (for example, blue sky or green grass). If a person loses their sight during their lifetime, they remember all the colors and may have a favorite color.
😎 Why do people with vision impairment wear black sunglasses?
The main purpose is to protect the eyes from dust and branches. Sometimes blind people also wear glasses to conceal certain visual defects.
🚲 Can people with vision impairment participate in sports?
Yes, and moreover, they can be Paralympic champions. People with vision impairment may not be able to engage in sports such as tennis, volleyball, or golf, but they successfully master other sports such as swimming, Nordic walking, running, and many other sports.
💄 Do people with vision impairment do makeup? How?
Absolutely!
Detailed descriptions of decorative cosmetics are provided to help them with makeup. The descriptions include information about the shade, the area of the face to apply the product, the blending techniques, and more.
For convenience, they can also label their own cosmetics to differentiate between different products.
Nowadays, more and more cosmetic brands are initiating the accessibility of their products for the people with vision impairment. For example, the inclusive project by Oriflame provides an inclusive page on their website where the descriptions are adapted, including information about the product, its purpose, effects, fragrance, application areas, ingredients, and even descriptions of the texture and packaging tubes.
Do you still have questions?Just send it to us in the form below, and we will definitely answer it!
How can I help right now?
Be My Eyes
Download the Be My Eyes app and assist people with vision impairment online!
Tactile Stickers
Place tactile stickers on the buttons of elevators in your building (you can purchase them in our online shop).
Sign Language
Learn a few basic phrases in sign language, such as "Thank you" and "Hello!"
Image Descriptions
You can add alternative text to your photos on Facebook, allowing to understand what is depicted in the images.