Visual impairment varies in intensity and type from "summary" of The Mind's Eye by Oliver Sacks
Visual impairment, I have found, is not a uniform entity - it varies in intensity and type. Some people are born blind, others lose their sight later in life; some lose central vision, others peripheral vision; some see only in black and white, while others see in vivid color. There are those who have problems with depth perception, or with recognizing faces, or with reading, or with motion. There are those who have "associative agnosias," who can see perfectly well but cannot recognize what they see. The intensity of visual impairment can also vary greatly - some people are only slightly impaired, able to function quite well with the help of glasses or contact lenses, while others are severely impaired, legally blind, or even totally blind. And the type of impairment can be equally diverse - from macular degeneration to glaucoma to cataracts to retinitis pigmentosa to diabetic retinopathy to congenital disorders. Given this variability, it is essential for those of us who are not visually impaired to understand and appreciate the wide range of experiences that people with visual impairments may have. It is not enough to simply assume that all visually impaired individuals see the world in the same way. We must recognize that each person's visual impairment is unique to them, and that they may have different needs, preferences, and challenges as a result. Furthermore, we must also be mindful of the fact that visual impairment is not just a physical condition - it can also have profound psychological, emotional, and social implications. The loss of vision can be deeply disorienting and distressing, leading to feelings of isolation, depression, and anxiety. It can also impact a person's sense of identity, self-esteem, and autonomy. Therefore, it is important for us to approach those with visual impairments with empathy, compassion, and respect, and to support them in whatever ways we can.
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