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How do you best describe what you see to a blind person? eg: (rooms, scenery, pictures or views) (self.Blind)
submitted by YorDnilb
I have Diabetic Retinopathy & Cataracts at best on a sunny day I can make out shapes & colors with my only good right eye. When traveling with my partner she points out things, like there's some turkeys on your side or there's something over there or going shopping points & says gab one of those. I need to train her to describe things better, but how?
KillerLag 5 points 6y ago
Instead of saying "over there", be more specific. For example, using left or right, or the clock system if you need more precision. You don't want her to overload you with information, but you need to know what is relevant. Talk to her about what you can and can't see (for example, if you don't have depth preception, it would be nice to warn you about an upcoming step or curb. Or there is a something on the sidewalk that is low contrast).
Depending on where you live, you can also get some O&M training. The O&M specialist can provide training for you but also her as well in better communication techniques.
Depending on where you live, you can also get some O&M training. The O&M specialist can provide training for you but also her as well in better communication techniques.
laconicflow 2 points 6y ago
As a blind person, colors don't matter, if you say there's a pretty red whatever it is, you could have said green or blue and I would have heard the same thing, if you use color, link it to how it makes you feel.
Aside from that, imagine it this way. If you want to describe things to a blind person, tell them things they could learn for themselves if they just went around touching everything. While colors mean nothing, your saying "there's a really tall very old looking tree to our left" does mean something to me. If you talk about how people are dressed, that's interesting. Like nice or trashy or oddly.
Also interesting are little visual things that I'll miss, like person A was shooting me or you or whomever a mean look from across the room, or general visual observations made while people watching.
Picking interesting details is nice, describing a person as 'hot' means something, but its vague, going into detail about why is more helpful.
In general, if we were friends what I'd want from you would be ocassional visual information that might change my outlook on a given situation.
Aside from that, imagine it this way. If you want to describe things to a blind person, tell them things they could learn for themselves if they just went around touching everything. While colors mean nothing, your saying "there's a really tall very old looking tree to our left" does mean something to me. If you talk about how people are dressed, that's interesting. Like nice or trashy or oddly.
Also interesting are little visual things that I'll miss, like person A was shooting me or you or whomever a mean look from across the room, or general visual observations made while people watching.
Picking interesting details is nice, describing a person as 'hot' means something, but its vague, going into detail about why is more helpful.
In general, if we were friends what I'd want from you would be ocassional visual information that might change my outlook on a given situation.
EffYourUpvotes 2 points 6y ago
Interesting reply! Have you always been blind? I'm guessing so, since you have no reference for colors.
I'm wondering if you have a reference for the way people dress and what's considered trashy/nice/odd. If you don't have a reference, how did you define these things for yourself?
If someone describes a feeling they get from a color, does that trigger a color or something else in your mind? Are you able to see color in your mind, and just have no reference for which colors are which, or do you not see color in your mind at all?
I'm wondering if you have a reference for the way people dress and what's considered trashy/nice/odd. If you don't have a reference, how did you define these things for yourself?
If someone describes a feeling they get from a color, does that trigger a color or something else in your mind? Are you able to see color in your mind, and just have no reference for which colors are which, or do you not see color in your mind at all?
laconicflow 1 points 6y ago
I've always been blind. For people who could see before they were blind, obviously my color thing doesn't apply.
I have no personal reference for what's trashy, outside of things like wearing a teashirt and jeans to a wedding, things like that. But I don't really care about clothes, other blind people might have their own standards. A lot of fashion is visual, so when I buy clothes, I'm just going with the flow, based on what other people tell me it is.
I have no concept of color that isn't intillectual. Imagine if everyone around you could read minds and there was a vocabulary for discussing it, you could infir things from the vocabulary while still having no viseral understanding of what they were talking about. So, for example, while I know the sunset is 'pretty to watch' I will often forget that people find it beautiful and will watch it for that reason. The reason I'd mentioned you should link colors to feelings is because otherwise your just saying that apple is red, that plant is green, but this means nothing to me. Your reactions to the colors do mean something to me, if a certain shade of red makes you feel a certain way, and its been displayed in a sunset, that's more interesting then you saying "woe, there's a beautiful red in the sunset
I have no personal reference for what's trashy, outside of things like wearing a teashirt and jeans to a wedding, things like that. But I don't really care about clothes, other blind people might have their own standards. A lot of fashion is visual, so when I buy clothes, I'm just going with the flow, based on what other people tell me it is.
I have no concept of color that isn't intillectual. Imagine if everyone around you could read minds and there was a vocabulary for discussing it, you could infir things from the vocabulary while still having no viseral understanding of what they were talking about. So, for example, while I know the sunset is 'pretty to watch' I will often forget that people find it beautiful and will watch it for that reason. The reason I'd mentioned you should link colors to feelings is because otherwise your just saying that apple is red, that plant is green, but this means nothing to me. Your reactions to the colors do mean something to me, if a certain shade of red makes you feel a certain way, and its been displayed in a sunset, that's more interesting then you saying "woe, there's a beautiful red in the sunset
FluffyCookieMaster 1 points 1y ago
>eople who could see before they were blind, obviously my color thing doesn't apply. I have no personal reference for what's trashy, outside of things like wearing a teashirt and jeans to a wedding, things like that. But I don't really care about clothes, other blind people might have their own standards. A lot of fashion is visual, so when I buy clothes, I'm just going with the flow, based on what other people tell me it is. I have no concept of color that isn't intillectual. Imagine if everyone
How do you type and see if you are blind? you shouldn't even be able to see this at all.... :l
How do you type and see if you are blind? you shouldn't even be able to see this at all.... :l
laconicflow 1 points 1y ago
Every time I type, I make lucky guesses, the guesses are so lucky that, even though I can't see, I end up saying all the things I intend to say, to comments I'm unable to read.
EffYourUpvotes 1 points 6y ago
Very insightful. Thank you.
gelema5 1 points 6y ago
I have a question for you! If someone was describing an artistic work (painting, video game, etc) and they used colors, would that make a difference? Sometimes a color can become a theme, like everything that's sad is highlighted in blue. Is it worth it to say something like "This image is in a blue tint, which makes it feel colder and sadder"?
laconicflow 1 points 6y ago
Yes, it would be worth it, but when you do this remember what's going to be meaningful to me as a blind person is the emotions the colors evoke? Evolk? Anyway, knowing that a work of art or a movie or a TV show is using a certain color pallit or group of colors to make an emotional point is important information. But the important part of it is how, generally, those colors make you feel.
I like to write fiction, and colors are what troubles me, after pondering it for a year or so, what I realized is that if I ask the right questions, I can use the ocasional color to give the mood I'm getting across, "the sky was black with stormclouds" doesn't make anyone feel good, and because you can see I don't need to say anything more about the sky if I don't want to.
To think of this another way, if you were talking to a def person and the topic was music, you'd never be able to explain how motzart sounds, but you could say "this makes me happy/sad/ something else," and the def person would easily be able to understand that.
I like to write fiction, and colors are what troubles me, after pondering it for a year or so, what I realized is that if I ask the right questions, I can use the ocasional color to give the mood I'm getting across, "the sky was black with stormclouds" doesn't make anyone feel good, and because you can see I don't need to say anything more about the sky if I don't want to.
To think of this another way, if you were talking to a def person and the topic was music, you'd never be able to explain how motzart sounds, but you could say "this makes me happy/sad/ something else," and the def person would easily be able to understand that.
YorDnilb [OP] 1 points 6y ago
What is the clock system? Why I'm here. I live out in the country over an hour away from CNIB services & have not had much help from anyone except a cnib lady that give me a white cane with not much instructions. Need more info. on dealing with vision loss & found this place full of it.
-shacklebolt- 1 points 6y ago
Regarding cane use, check out the free book the [care and feeding of the long white cane.]
(https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr15/issue1/f1501tc2.html) If the cane you were provided does not meet the minimum recommended length (shoulder length for mobility use) you can either ask about a replacement through CNIB (no idea how, not from canada) or purchase one directly through https://ambutech.com/ or http://www.aroga.com/ The graphite canes are best from ambutech as they are lighter weight, and the metal glide tip is very similar to the recommended NFB cane tip. (I don't know how you can get actual NFB canes in Canada, probably through a reseller or by paying extra international shipping? Their site is https://ecommerce.nfb.org/asp/default.asp )
That book is very helpful, as is downloading a map app that is designed for blind users on your phone. Blindsquare is most popular I think on iOS, I've been enjoying Nearby Explorer on Android.
(https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr15/issue1/f1501tc2.html) If the cane you were provided does not meet the minimum recommended length (shoulder length for mobility use) you can either ask about a replacement through CNIB (no idea how, not from canada) or purchase one directly through https://ambutech.com/ or http://www.aroga.com/ The graphite canes are best from ambutech as they are lighter weight, and the metal glide tip is very similar to the recommended NFB cane tip. (I don't know how you can get actual NFB canes in Canada, probably through a reseller or by paying extra international shipping? Their site is https://ecommerce.nfb.org/asp/default.asp )
That book is very helpful, as is downloading a map app that is designed for blind users on your phone. Blindsquare is most popular I think on iOS, I've been enjoying Nearby Explorer on Android.
YorDnilb [OP] 1 points 6y ago
Thanks so much for that book link, I know it will be a valuable learning tool & can't wait to get to it. I am on my 3rd. white cane in the past 20 years relying on it more lately. I am just learning to run a cell phone with great difficulty seeing it & don't know if I'm ready for nearby explorer yet, as I don't go any where on my own & mostly stay around the house .
-shacklebolt- 1 points 6y ago
An iPhone is definitely easier to use as a blind person than an Android phone, if that might help you. That said, if you are having trouble seeing the screen, are you using Talkback? It takes a bit of training to learn, but speech is usually much easier than slowly navigating around with the magnifier once you get the hang of it.
On Android there is a free version of nearby explorer called [nearby explorer online]
(https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.aph.nearbyonline&hl=en) which requires your phone to have mobile data (but uses fairly little) as it relies on offline maps. It does not have all the features but costs nothing to try. This is a great tool to use even if you are walking with someone, so that you become better independently acquainted with what streets you are crossing, what is nearby, etc without having to ask.
If your 3 canes have lasted 20 years, you definitely haven't been using them enough! Practice is essential. Take your cane with you whenever you leave the house, even if you don't think you need it. USE your cane the way it is meant to be used, don't leave it folded away and don't just slide it in front of your body. And practice traveling independently! Try to get a trainer to come out where you live. Ask friends or family to accompany (not guide or instruct!) you while you practice in the beginning so you are not fearful.
I'm just a regular person, not an instructor of any sort, but if you have questions about how some things might be done or need some resources I can try to help.
On Android there is a free version of nearby explorer called [nearby explorer online]
(https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.aph.nearbyonline&hl=en) which requires your phone to have mobile data (but uses fairly little) as it relies on offline maps. It does not have all the features but costs nothing to try. This is a great tool to use even if you are walking with someone, so that you become better independently acquainted with what streets you are crossing, what is nearby, etc without having to ask.
If your 3 canes have lasted 20 years, you definitely haven't been using them enough! Practice is essential. Take your cane with you whenever you leave the house, even if you don't think you need it. USE your cane the way it is meant to be used, don't leave it folded away and don't just slide it in front of your body. And practice traveling independently! Try to get a trainer to come out where you live. Ask friends or family to accompany (not guide or instruct!) you while you practice in the beginning so you are not fearful.
I'm just a regular person, not an instructor of any sort, but if you have questions about how some things might be done or need some resources I can try to help.
awesomesaucesaywhat 1 points 6y ago
The clock system refers to the location of the hours in relation to a person. So noon would be in front of you, 3 would be directly to your right, six would be directly behind and so forth. It's a little more exact to say at your 2 than saying on your right if something is actually a little ahead and on your right.
HannahRAWRR 1 points 6y ago
Probably just advise along the lines of be more specific. I used to hate when my family would say right there when what I really needed was a bit to your right ;)
Depending on where you live, there are a lot of amazing and free organizations for the blind and visually impaired. I personally have someone who helps me weekly with mobility in the community.
Depending on where you live, there are a lot of amazing and free organizations for the blind and visually impaired. I personally have someone who helps me weekly with mobility in the community.
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