Misconceptions about the Blind and Visually Impaired DEBUNKED!

Blindness and visual impairment is a low incidental disability. It is only about 3% of the population. And with that, there are a lot of misconceptions about those who are blind and visually impaired. Today we’re debunking them!

These assumptions are all FALSE and we are here to tell you why!

1.     Blind people don’t work

We wanted to highlight this one first because this is exactly what WSB is proving INCORRECT! While the unemployment rate is 70% for those who are blind and visually impaired, WSB is actively working on breaking that barrier. For those who complete our career training programs, we have an 80% employment rate! There are some great reasons to hire an employee who has a disability.

2.     Blind people don’t use computers

Another important FALSE assumption! There is so much great technology out there that those who are blind and visually impaired from screen readers (JAWS, NVDA) to magnification software. On Apple products, the accessibility is built right in so you don’t even have to download anything extra to use VoiceOver or zoom features!

3.     Guide Dogs know when to cross the street

This is a common misconception. But guide dogs do not know when to cross the street but rather let the handler lead. They do, however, use something called Safety Disobedience. Safety Disobedience means that if the dog deems it is not safe to cross the street, they will stop the handler. You can read more about safety disobedience on our blog post here.

4.     Blind people can’t be put together

There are so many great tips and tricks to looking put together even if you are visually impaired or blind! From color identifiers to apps like Be My Eyes, there are plenty of ways to pick out clothing, put on makeup, do your hair, etc.

5.     Every blind person sees complete darkness

Another common misconception but blindness is a wide spectrum. In fact, most people who are considered blind do not see complete darkness. The definition for legal blindness (in the United States) is that with correction your vision is 20/200 or less or your visual field is less than 20 degrees. This means there is a wide range of visual acuity and still be considered legally blind and blind.

6.     Every blind and visually impaired person uses a cane

While a lot of us use canes, not everyone does! As the above misconception pointed out, blindness is a spectrum. There are also different kinds of canes than just the traditional mobility cane you might see. ID canes are smaller and more compact. They are used to let the public know that the person using it is visually impaired but they may not need to use a mobility cane.

7.     You have to speak loudly to a person who is blind

We don’t need you to speak loudly for us to know you’re addressing us. Instead, introduce who you are and you can speak how you would normally.

8.     Blind people need assistance to the bathroom

This is a big one we are faced with whether it’s starting a new job, at the airport, or just living our lives. And one that is a complete misconception! It comes as a shock to people, but we are capable of going places by ourselves and independently!

9.     Assuming everything online is accessible

Accessibility is probably not even an afterthought for most able-bodied people out there, but it is so important for inclusivity. We wrote a whole post on how to make your social media accessible. It is a lot easier than you would think.

10.  Blind people are so different from those who are able-bodied

While our vision and the way we may experience the world are different, we are just like everyone else. We want to highlight that blind people can do anything able-bodied people can (besides driving… yet!). We can do great things like running marathons, starting businesses, and leading fulfilled happy lives. And as we’ve highlighted before, there are some major perks of being blind or visually impaired!

What misconceptions do you want to debunk? Let us know in the comments!