You will no doubt agree that blindness is a terrible condition and one that nobody deserves to live with. Unfortunately the reality is that many people do and it is highly likely that everyone will meet a blind person at some point in their lives. There are some things you can learn about the condition that can help any interaction you have with a blind person and ensure both you and they are comfortable together.

Firstly, you should consider what it is like to be in a blind person's shoes. The sense that you rely most heavily on has been taken away, so you will be using your other senses far more heavily. Blind people appreciate a good handshake or a gentle touch on the arm to show your friendliness and willingness to meet them. The position of your hand on their arm tells them a lot too; how tall you are, where you are standing in relation to them and even how big or strong you are depending on your grasp. Blind people will often surprise you by being able to tell how much you weigh simply by feeling you move through vibrations in the floor. Every person with this condition is different, but if they feel your head, shoulders, arms and hair don't be alarmed; they are simply trying to determine what you look like and get a better idea of you.

If you are put in a position of responsibility with a blind person, i.e. you are taking them somewhere then remember you need to act as their eyes. If you are driving them somewhere then say 'take my arm' and walk a step in front of them so they know they won't walk into anything and they can follow you with confidence. As you walk towards the car tell them which way it is facing and which door they will be getting into. Let them stand parallel to the car and put their hand on the open door, so they are not disoriented and wait until they are comfortably in, seatbelt on and ready to go before shutting the door. When they are ready to get out simply tell them if there is a curb to go up and offer your arm as support when they get out. You should also put your hand in between their head and the door frame in case they are about to bump their head.

As well as common sense and keeping a blind person safe in your care, you should be offering detailed descriptions of things that the blind person cannot see. For instance, you might take them into a room and they ask about its layout, but if you don't tell them there are stalls selling goods in the corner then they'll never know. For example they might meet someone who moves on to talk to someone else. The blind person knows nothing about them and cannot formulate a mental picture, so you could add 'she has beautiful red hair you know; a very unusual color' and they'll immediately something to come back to. Little details like this help a blind person immensely and can bring another quality to their lives when out and about.

Stan Tian

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