Blind and Visually Impaired Community
↑
2
↓
Question about writing a character born blind, also has prosthesis. (self.Blind)
submitted by CaR_HoPPeR
Hey, I'm not visually impaired or born blind but I would like some insight regarding writing a character who is born blind from Optic Nerve Hypoplasia, and had part of her left arm and her right foot removed and is using a claw hook limb and a fake foot for her prosthesis. She doesn't have any myoelectric or motorized limbs, just using basic prosthesis for her daily tasks. She works as a therapist and has an assistant that helps her take notes and guide her to locations she hasn't gone to, but other than that she's fairly independent.
I'm wondering how a blind person can interact with one's surroundings, especially when they can't feel some of their faculties from their prosthesis, especially putting them on without sight, taking them off, and interacting without feel with their prosthesis attached. Also any other insight from being visually impaired and born blind would be greatly appreciated.
I'm wondering how a blind person can interact with one's surroundings, especially when they can't feel some of their faculties from their prosthesis, especially putting them on without sight, taking them off, and interacting without feel with their prosthesis attached. Also any other insight from being visually impaired and born blind would be greatly appreciated.
KillerLag 2 points 4y ago
I had a client before who had been caught in a house fire, and ended up getting severe burns and losing his fingers. As a result, he couldn't grip anything and couldn't feel with his skin (since it was essentially not his skin).
He was still able to feel proprioception and deep tissue contact, so we ended up building a brace that could strap a white cane to his forearm. It was help on by velcro and had a metal ring he could bite to pull it over to set the velcro. Instead of scanning from his wrist, he would scan from his elbow, and feel for large objects. He couldn't feel the textures (not enough fine detail sense), but he could hear to tell if what he contacted was solid (like thick wood or stone) or hollow (plastic containers or metal cases).
Out of curiosity, this takes place in a relatively modern time frame? I am curious as to why she would have such a relatively simple arm prosthesis. Even soon after World War 2, they had hooks that were able to be opened and closed with cables. And it was noted that patients were able to, without sight, predict an adjust the position of the prosthesis by feeling the tension of the wires.
He was still able to feel proprioception and deep tissue contact, so we ended up building a brace that could strap a white cane to his forearm. It was help on by velcro and had a metal ring he could bite to pull it over to set the velcro. Instead of scanning from his wrist, he would scan from his elbow, and feel for large objects. He couldn't feel the textures (not enough fine detail sense), but he could hear to tell if what he contacted was solid (like thick wood or stone) or hollow (plastic containers or metal cases).
Out of curiosity, this takes place in a relatively modern time frame? I am curious as to why she would have such a relatively simple arm prosthesis. Even soon after World War 2, they had hooks that were able to be opened and closed with cables. And it was noted that patients were able to, without sight, predict an adjust the position of the prosthesis by feeling the tension of the wires.
CaR_HoPPeR [OP] 1 points 4y ago
It's set in the late 1970's, and I did forget to mention that she is using a body powered claw prosthesis in my question. She often uses it to grab things and uses her other hand for her support cane due to conditioning since she was born blind. She lives by herself, and has her own assistant to help with writing notes and guiding her at work.
I never thought of giving her a brace so she can hold her support cane with her prosthetic arm, and that's something I might add into the story later on. Thanks for the insight!
I never thought of giving her a brace so she can hold her support cane with her prosthetic arm, and that's something I might add into the story later on. Thanks for the insight!
KillerLag 2 points 4y ago
No problems.
You may be interested to know that by that period, they were also experimenting with laser canes. They were whites canes with a laser rangefinder attached.
https://www.rehab.research.va.gov/jour/74/11/2/443.pdf (see the third page, but the entire thing may be useful to read).
It was by no means common, and the cost quite high (at $1,950 in the 1970s, it would have been almost $8,000 nowadays). It was also not really *that* accurate.
You may be interested to know that by that period, they were also experimenting with laser canes. They were whites canes with a laser rangefinder attached.
https://www.rehab.research.va.gov/jour/74/11/2/443.pdf (see the third page, but the entire thing may be useful to read).
It was by no means common, and the cost quite high (at $1,950 in the 1970s, it would have been almost $8,000 nowadays). It was also not really *that* accurate.
CaR_HoPPeR [OP] 1 points 4y ago
Oooh, Fancy. Could be something to add as a plug, like her being excited for it even if it's real pricey. I'll take a read on that thanks!
Remy_C 2 points 4y ago
A very interesting question. I don't have much in regards to prosthetic experience, but I DO have optic Nerve Hypoplasia. While I do have some sight, it's quite limited. It's also interesting because the way ONP works is what I DO see doesn't all get to my brain. I actually see perfectly well, but most of what I see gets lost along the way. So if I really don't know what I'm looking at, I find it hard to process unless I have a point of reference. Let me know if you have specific questions. I applaud your willingness to actually ASK people about there experiences rather than just write based on popular media portrayals. Blind people are VERY misrepresented in fiction. And it's super annoying.
CaR_HoPPeR [OP] 2 points 4y ago
Yea I'm trying to do blind characters justice. I do have some visually impaired to born blind friends, so I'm keen on being as authentic as possible, especially when I'm writing a story that is about mental health and trauma, specifically PTSD and CPTSD. So I'm trying to be as accurate and faithful as possible on every account.
Interesting, so your brain would process certain objects, but would just omit unfamiliar or can't remember what you saw before? That's quite spooky if you were in somewhere really new to you. So is this your brain not having the object permanence, or that your vision is affected with blurriness or just "objects being missing"?
However, my blind character doesn't have any faculties to her eyes whatsoever: she's completely blind from her Optic Nerve Hypoplasia. Her hearing hasn't been affected from ONH as having loss of hearing can be a symptom of ONH. I wonder with someone who's been born blind and not having any semblance of vision would experience childhood and eventually adulthood. Would be nice to have that kind of insight.
I supposed I'm not being stumped on writing a blind character, rather writing a blind character whose having to handle and deal with their prosthetic limbs as well. That's something I'm completely unfamiliar with and I rather not write insinuations when I can find people who has experienced that.
Interesting, so your brain would process certain objects, but would just omit unfamiliar or can't remember what you saw before? That's quite spooky if you were in somewhere really new to you. So is this your brain not having the object permanence, or that your vision is affected with blurriness or just "objects being missing"?
However, my blind character doesn't have any faculties to her eyes whatsoever: she's completely blind from her Optic Nerve Hypoplasia. Her hearing hasn't been affected from ONH as having loss of hearing can be a symptom of ONH. I wonder with someone who's been born blind and not having any semblance of vision would experience childhood and eventually adulthood. Would be nice to have that kind of insight.
I supposed I'm not being stumped on writing a blind character, rather writing a blind character whose having to handle and deal with their prosthetic limbs as well. That's something I'm completely unfamiliar with and I rather not write insinuations when I can find people who has experienced that.
This nonprofit website is run by volunteers.
Please contribute if you can. Thank you!
Our mission is to provide everyone with access to large-
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
©2023 HumbleCat Inc • HumbleCat is a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Michigan, USA.