Did you know that according to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are an estimated 39 million blind individuals globally, with an additional 246 million experiencing low vision? Today, blindness is exponentially common, notably among the 50+ population. However, we continue to grapple with a lack of understanding and consciousness when it comes to visually impaired individuals, their needs, and their preferences.
In an attempt to extinguish the myriad of myths, widespread lack of sensitivity, and the dearth of awareness surrounding the aforementioned concern, Helplocal India is here with a guide on helping visually impaired people. Let’s start!
How to help a blind person?
If there is a blind person in your life or you wish to lend support to someone you just met, we recommend reading this blog till the end. Let’s start with our guide for supporting blind individuals:
Reach out and ask
It’s important to remember that not every visually impaired individual needs help and may wish to perform a certain task by themselves. Don’t be offended if a blind person doesn’t accept your help; just like sighted people, blind and visually impaired people don’t always need help.
They may want to do things independently and are more than capable of doing so. Always ask if they need help instead of assuming. Respect their independence and preferences. On the other hand, some may also be shy or reluctant to seek assistance; so, do not hesitate to reach out courteously!
Introduce yourself and get specific
When assisting a blind person you have just met, it’s always a good idea to introduce yourself, providing context and fostering mutual comfort. Make sure to greet them and introduce yourself clearly by name and role. Mention your location (e.g., “I’m on your left”) and explain any physical actions before touching or guiding. Use their name if known and keep them informed if you move or leave.
Speak naturally so as not to startle them. When assisting, it’s commonly advised to have specific orders; while it’s nice to ask, “What can I do?” most will be too shy or polite to say so. Instead, getting specific with your suggestions, here are some examples:
– Grocery shopping
– Rides
– Crossing the road
– Domestic chores
Use clear, succinct directions
When giving directions to help a visually impaired person, use spatial terms like “straight ahead” or “behind you.” Avoid vague phrases like “over there.” The bone of contention is that a visually impaired person can’t see where “over there” is. It could be north or south, in front of them, to the left or to the right—they have no idea.
If you’re guiding a blind or visually impaired person, then make sure you tell them important aspects such as when you’re approaching steps and whether they should go up or down. For eg: “There are a bench 3 steps to your left.” Being sequential in your directions by guiding them step by step can help them navigate complex routes seamlessly. Ambiguity can result in confusion and misunderstanding.
Describe surroundings effectively
When assisting someone who is visually challenged, describe their surroundings accurately and thoughtfully allowing them to better navigate and understand their environment. Your descriptions act as their “eyes,” helping them visualize the space, anticipate obstacles, and locate landmarks. Begin by providing a brief overview and general layout, helping them effectively visualize.
When helping a blind person, highlight key landmarks and specific points of interest, aiding them to orient themselves better with their surroundings. Make sure to point out potential hazards like stairs, curbs, low-hanging objects, or uneven surfaces. A helpful tip would be to describe the position of objects relative to one another or to the person. Like, “The trash bin is next to the bench.” Lastly, incorporating sensory clues in your dialogue like sounds, scent or textures can help them acclimatize with their surroundings.
Assist with navigation tools:
Navigation apps designed specifically for visually impaired individuals incorporate tools like voice guidance, auditory cues and other unique features to bolster independence. Aiding a visually impaired individual set up such platforms can ensure they navigate seamlessly. Begin by understanding their needs, preferences and conditions on the basis of which an appropriate app can be chosen. Common examples include:
– Seeing AI: Provides detailed information about surroundings using the phone’s camera.
– BlindSquare: Offers GPS navigation and nearby points of interest with audio guidance.
– Be My Eyes: Connects them with sighted volunteers for real-time assistance.
– GoodMaps Explore: Provides indoor and outdoor navigation.
Help them install the app and set up key features and preferences for language, voice-over, and measurement units (meters/miles). Ensure you demonstrate the features effectively and walk them through the varied operations of different apps. It’s a good idea to practice using the app in a mock scenario to extinguish any preliminary concerns. Be patient with them as it may take some getting used to. This is critical while helping blind people get used to new tech.
Support training & acquisition of service animals
Service animals like guide dogs play a crucial role in bolstering the mobility, safety and independence of visually impaired individuals. They provide practical assistance with navigation, emotional support and companionship. Begin by gauging their need and openness towards a service animal, in addition to their commitments and responsibilities, followed by identifying service animal programs or schools in that area.
You can help them navigate the application process which commonly includes proof of visual impairment, an assessment of mobility skills and lifestyle and a willingness to care for the animal’s physical and emotional needs. It’s extremely helpful if you can offer help filling out forms, gathering necessary documentation, writing letters of recommendation, if needed, or provide guidance on what’s required.
Interact with them directly
Many individuals who haven’t interacted with blind people before are confused on how to address them, and as a result do not communicate with them directly but instead with their companion. This however is extremely unnecessary and potentially discomforting for the visually impaired individual.
In restaurants, it’s commonly known for the servers to avoid interaction with the blind individual and instead ask the person seated next to a blind person if they would like more water, a menu, and so on. So, please go ahead and address (and help!) blind people like you would anyone else because they may not be able to see but they can definitely hear and comprehend what you are saying perfectly well. A basic yet impactful way to help a blind person.
Talk as you normally would
When communicating with someone who is blind or visually impaired, it’s natural to be mindful of your word choice, especially words like “look” or “see” as it’s widely perceived that blind people find such statements offensive. However, it’s quite the contrary, and overthinking these terms can lead to awkward interactions that feel unnatural for both parties. It could make a blind person more uncomfortable for you to talk to them in a way that’s different from how you’d talk to other people. The key is to be as authentic as possible as you need not alter crucial parts of your everyday vocabulary.
These words are embedded in everyday language and are commonly used in ways unrelated to vision. When communicating with visually impaired individuals, maintain a natural and conversational tone, speaking to them as you would anyone else. Focus on clarity and directness rather than avoiding words like “look” or “see,” as these common phrases are generally not an issue. If they express a preference for specific phrasing, adapt accordingly, but there’s no need to apologize if such terms slip into the conversation—likely, they didn’t mind or notice.
Don’t make unjustified assumptions
When interacting with someone who is blind, it’s important to approach them with respect and understanding rather than assumptions about their experiences or capabilities. Making blind individuals feel singled out or different by asking intrusive questions about their blindness or treating them as if they are extraordinary due to their impairment can be impolite and unnecessary. Blind individuals often encounter repetitive or invasive questions about their condition, which can be frustrating or emotionally taxing. For instance:
– Asking how they became blind may bring up traumatic or personal experiences they prefer not to discuss.
– Questions about daily life challenges or their ability to perform specific tasks
This can lead to sentiments of patronization and exclusion as blind people often develop their efficient methods for independence. Blindness can result from various causes, including accidents, illnesses, or congenital conditions. Discussing the origin of their blindness without invitation can unintentionally open painful wounds or memories.
Treat them as would anyone else
Blind or visually impaired individuals value being treated with the same respect, dignity, and normalcy as sighted individuals. This means focusing on who they are as a person, their personality, interests, and abilities rather than centering interactions around their impairment. Blindness is just one aspect of their life, not their defining feature. Treat them as a whole person, not as someone to pity or idolize. Avoid statements like “I could never live like that” or “You’re so inspiring just for doing everyday things” as they can come across as patronizing.
Here’s how to help visually impaired people
There you have it!
These were 10 tips for visually impaired support. We hope you can embody the above recommendations and express your succour towards the visually impaired for as Sol LeWitt sagaciously said, “A blind man can make art if what is in his mind can be passed to another mind in some tangible form.”
Do you wish to add another tip or cue to our ‘How to help blind people’ blog? Drop the same in the comments section and we will consider it for adding to the list! If you wish to support blind individuals or people with disabilities in general, we recommend checking out these NGOs for differently abled.
We also recommend checking out these blogs:
Differently abled children statistics and data
Best NGOs for disabled people in India
Disability in India: All the insights
Kaavya Bhatt
Kaavya is a 14-year-old, budding change maker passionate about tackling societal issues creatively and trying to do her bit for the world today. She has a keen affinity for reading, research, the culinary arts, and traveling. Get in touch with Kaavya on bhatt.kaavya24@gmail.com
