Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Some questions for further inside into the mind of a blind person (self.Blind)
submitted by Kimax98
Hello dear folks from r/Blind!
I'm currently in the early stages of writing a philosophical essay/short story ( I'm still in the early stages ^^) about a person whose senses get takes away all at once due to a research program. It's written in a first person perspective, so it'll be a monologue of just the persons mind, not being able to sense anything at all anymore.
Therefore I would like to ask if any of you would be so gentle and may take some time to describe how it feels in their head to be blind as precise as possible since I could not find detailed articles concerning my question myself(perhaps you do know some as well?).
Thank you very much,
Max.
I'm currently in the early stages of writing a philosophical essay/short story ( I'm still in the early stages ^^) about a person whose senses get takes away all at once due to a research program. It's written in a first person perspective, so it'll be a monologue of just the persons mind, not being able to sense anything at all anymore.
Therefore I would like to ask if any of you would be so gentle and may take some time to describe how it feels in their head to be blind as precise as possible since I could not find detailed articles concerning my question myself(perhaps you do know some as well?).
Thank you very much,
Max.
EndlessReverberation 4 points 6y ago
Being blind feels like being sighted, with some extra Annoyances. There is nothing especially unique or different about how our mindes work.
Kimax98 [OP] 0 points 6y ago
I'm sorry if I might have offended any of you ! I wasn't actually referring to a real change of mind such as a personality change or something.
I just can't understand how it feels not to see anything so I therefore ask you how it's different in your mind when you are or become blind. It's hard for me to imagine what's left in terms of feeling of sight when the vision disappears.
Thanks for your reply :)
I just can't understand how it feels not to see anything so I therefore ask you how it's different in your mind when you are or become blind. It's hard for me to imagine what's left in terms of feeling of sight when the vision disappears.
Thanks for your reply :)
Rustyvulva 1 points 6y ago
It feels scary. When will my sight completely leave? How long will this going blind process take? Why did I bother finishing my BA degree in 2015? All that hard work, only to lose my sight! Scary and frustrating
It feel betrayed by my own body. I can't help but wonder what I did to deserve this.
It feel betrayed by my own body. I can't help but wonder what I did to deserve this.
KillerLag 2 points 6y ago
If the person had sight previously and then lost it, the person usually will go through the five stages of grief while they process their vision loss. How they will go through that will depend on many factors, including their outlook, the support they have and their personality.
I think the question you are asking is assuming that being blind makes someone different in their head. Fundamentally, people don't change as much as you would think when they lose their vision.
I think the question you are asking is assuming that being blind makes someone different in their head. Fundamentally, people don't change as much as you would think when they lose their vision.
Kimax98 [OP] 1 points 6y ago
Maybe the question was a bit vague, I'm sorry for that!
But the first part of your reply makes sense to me thanks very much :) .
I wrote the question mainly on my expectations of how it feels to be blind and when I said how "the mind changes" I didn't think of a change in the personality or thinking processes but more about something like an "inner view" maybe ? So that there's still something like a room inside of them but I guess that makes no sense either ^^.
Just pretty hard to imagine for me because I can't feel it myself right now.
I really appreciate you took time to answer :)
But the first part of your reply makes sense to me thanks very much :) .
I wrote the question mainly on my expectations of how it feels to be blind and when I said how "the mind changes" I didn't think of a change in the personality or thinking processes but more about something like an "inner view" maybe ? So that there's still something like a room inside of them but I guess that makes no sense either ^^.
Just pretty hard to imagine for me because I can't feel it myself right now.
I really appreciate you took time to answer :)
KillerLag 1 points 6y ago
I think the individual's personality would still matter greatly. I'll give you three case studies to show you what I mean.
Client A went in for routine heart surgery. During the surgery, there was a complication and his brain didn't get enough oxygen. It caused brain damage to his occipital lobe, which caused complete vision loss.
Client B was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at age 20. It is an aggresive version, and told that he will likely lose all of his vision before he is 40.
Client C is an elderly client who has been diagnosed with macular degeneration, an eye condition that damages the central vision that causes loss of fine detail. While it doesn't cause total blindness, it will make it virtually impossible to read without adaptive aids, or to see her grandchildren clearly.
In all three of those examples, I've had that happen to more than one client. Sometimes the client gives up and doesn't want to do anything... another client, though, may refuse to give in and work hard at their rehabilitation.
Client A went in for routine heart surgery. During the surgery, there was a complication and his brain didn't get enough oxygen. It caused brain damage to his occipital lobe, which caused complete vision loss.
Client B was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at age 20. It is an aggresive version, and told that he will likely lose all of his vision before he is 40.
Client C is an elderly client who has been diagnosed with macular degeneration, an eye condition that damages the central vision that causes loss of fine detail. While it doesn't cause total blindness, it will make it virtually impossible to read without adaptive aids, or to see her grandchildren clearly.
In all three of those examples, I've had that happen to more than one client. Sometimes the client gives up and doesn't want to do anything... another client, though, may refuse to give in and work hard at their rehabilitation.
Rustyvulva 1 points 6y ago
I'm slowly going legally blind. I'm not legally blind yet though! Until last year, I was under the impression that my eyesight was normal. As a kid I thought if you are blind then all you see is total darkness. Not true! I don't see complete and total darkness. I can still see the world around me, it's just become VERY blurry.
The first thing to go was night vision. When I'm in a dark room, I can't really see anything. I can't see any details on my SO's face in a dimly lit room but I CAN see his face during the day.
It's difficult to read, even with my glasses on during the day. I can strain my eyes a bit and temporarily get rid of the double vision. I'll last a couple hours before I have to rest my throbbing eyes.
Hmmmm. What else? My peripheral vision is gone. You can easily scare the shit out of me by sneaking up on me. Gets me every time.
So to recap- my internal thought process is the same. I'm just more jumpy, more clumsy, and easily fatigued.
Feel free to ask any questions
The first thing to go was night vision. When I'm in a dark room, I can't really see anything. I can't see any details on my SO's face in a dimly lit room but I CAN see his face during the day.
It's difficult to read, even with my glasses on during the day. I can strain my eyes a bit and temporarily get rid of the double vision. I'll last a couple hours before I have to rest my throbbing eyes.
Hmmmm. What else? My peripheral vision is gone. You can easily scare the shit out of me by sneaking up on me. Gets me every time.
So to recap- my internal thought process is the same. I'm just more jumpy, more clumsy, and easily fatigued.
Feel free to ask any questions
KillerLag 2 points 6y ago
That sounds like RP or some sort of rod-cone dystrophy.
Have you seen a low vision specialist yet? They may be able to make some suggestions regarding tools that may help.
For night blindness, one thing that helps is carrying a flashlight. A decent, high powered one with a good LED light, not one of those ones that you get from the dollar store. It might cost $20 to $30, but can be quite effective. Another possible tool is yellow sunglasses. They are not always helpful, but they do help to bring out the contrast.
Depending on how progressive your condition is, you may want to also consider speaking to your state agency regarding early rehabilitation training. While you may not need a full mobility cane, you may find an ID cane useful.
Have you seen a low vision specialist yet? They may be able to make some suggestions regarding tools that may help.
For night blindness, one thing that helps is carrying a flashlight. A decent, high powered one with a good LED light, not one of those ones that you get from the dollar store. It might cost $20 to $30, but can be quite effective. Another possible tool is yellow sunglasses. They are not always helpful, but they do help to bring out the contrast.
Depending on how progressive your condition is, you may want to also consider speaking to your state agency regarding early rehabilitation training. While you may not need a full mobility cane, you may find an ID cane useful.
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