Imagine if you're out and someone you know sees you fall because you didn't see something and weren't using your cane. You'd be embarrassed, and they'd probably ask questions or even joke about it ("Are you blind or something?") If you were using a cane, it is likely that you wouldn't fall, and even if you did, your cane serves as an explanation for why you fell, which might make the I'm-blind-now speech a little less embarrassing. If your vision continues to deteriorate, you're not going to be able to make the choice about whether the way people perceive you or your safety is more important, and using a cane earlier on might help to ease the transition.

It's not really discrimination, but sometimes people will grab you and try to help you when you have not asked them for assistance.


You will definitely face more discrimination if you use a guide dog; guide dogs are still often refused entry into ride-share vehicles, hotels and restaurants.

A white cane has two roles. One is to detect things in your path (drop off, obstacles). But the secondary role is also to tell others that you can't see very well.

Do you find a lot of people discriminate against you because of your vision loss? I see it very seldomly with my clients. I do see times when someone may not know what a white cane means, or when someone doesn't notice a white cane (for example, if someone came to a service desk, and asked them for information that is posted behind them. But the white cane isn't visible because of the desk). People are usually fairly understanding about the situation. Usually.

I can see well enough to navigate but I use a cane because I feel safer with it and I got tired of people yelling at me when I bumped into them. (I have little to no peripheral vision.) As somebody else stated already, get ready for random strangers guiding you. They really do mean well but it's not fun being grabbed and led by a total stranger. I use my cane mostly in my campus dining hall because it's a madhouse in there and I like my food in me not on me but I've been using it a lot when out and about recently because masks make it hard to see what is directly in front and below me. Don't feel weird about using it. People will be more rude or annoyed if you run into them without the cane.

I had worries when I first started using a cane! My train of thought was more like, "what if my using a cane labels me as someone more vulnerable, and therefore more targeted in attacks/crimes?" My solution to this has been to use it in well-populated public spaces, and if I ever have to walk alone in a secluded area/at night, I get on the phone with a friend and talk to them as I travel, so that someone else is always aware of me throughout my travel.

I've heard stories about people getting judged for using a cane and still being able to see. It hasn't happened to me personally - I've been able to tell that people understand what my cane means and also understand I can see at the same time, and I've never gotten any trouble for it. I think it might have to do with the fact that I look like a sweet innocent girl, though. :P

I had major fears about this when I started using my cane a couple of months ago. I can technically navigate without a cane and am able to use my phone (with adaptive settings and apps). I've gotten some odd looks already, but nothing too bad.

Only one person has asked if I "actually need that cane." I just calmly explained that lots of people who use white canes aren't fully blind, that it serves as a recognizable symbol to others, and that it helps me in poor lighting conditions, on stairs, and on uneven pavement.

I think the main thing is to avoid getting upset and defensive. If someone's getting in your face about it, that's exactly what they're banking on. If you quietly defuse their ignorance and don't give them anything to work with on an emotional level, I think the worst case scenario is that they walk away feeling silly.

I remember this feeling very well. I have had this conversation with three people I have mentored in the past and it is not an easy thing to do. For what it's worth, I don't think it even makes much different if you have any sight left at all. I don't and neither does one of the people I talk to, and we both felt like people would judge anyway. If you do have sight I totally get the fear that people will cop an attitude. Personally I don't find that they do, it is very very rare, but the fear of that I understand. If it helps, one of the people I have gone through with this does have a bit of directional light perception and she constantly tells people she can see stuff that I think she really can't, just because she wants to sound more normal, and even then I don't recall anyone giving her any grief about it.

My reaction to this is that if you need it, you need it, and screw what anyone else thinks. I usually have trouble persuading them to use it not so much because they think people will discriminate but just because they don't want to associate with all the disability stuff. I'm not sure if that's a fine dividing line, they don't want to be seen as disabled socially rather than they're scared they won't be allowed to do stuff, maybe you get that distinction. It's not so much a fear of being banned from places or anything like that, it's being treated weirdly. All this stuff depends on your exact circumstances and how you come across to people. Personally, everyone tends to assume there's nothing wrong with me at all until very suddenly when they clock it, which is a mixed blessing sometimes. If they see the cane they generally realise immediately and that can be a downside, you get grabbed more I think. But in the end I'd rather not be clobbering into things. As I said to one of my padawan learners a few months ago, would you rather everyone thought you were blind, or that everyone thought you were a sighted person who just walked into a lot of things for no readily apparent reason.

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I have some vision and I used to use a mobility cane. My personal advice would be to drop the mobility and get a regular one. It's stirdier, people know what it is and if you think you'll ever need one in the future you already have it. I don't use a ton of proper cane technique, but I still feel naked without mine. I can get around without it, but sometimes it's still nice to help find hazards I might not see and it just lets people know.

My vision field is atleast 50% of its original field so the white cane does help me in public. Its common here in sg for some teenagers to discriminate against me but I guess they are too shallow minded to understand. Those who know of my condition are supportive though

There are shorter canes that just symbolise that you’re blind, they’re too short to use as a cane though and I’m not sure how many people would recognise it

I have been wearing a badge/bracelet from the RNIB or the PSS and my tinted glasses and have found this works for me

I think it depends on how comfortable you are being blind and how independent you are. I prefer not to have a dog (just wasn’t for me) or a cane as I’m pretty independent, I rarely go places I don’t know (I bring someone with me if I do) and I was able adjust slowly as I lost my sight

I think a cane could be a good starting point for someone who has recently gone blind, then if you decide you want to go out more or need help around the house think about a guide dog.

Be aware that whatever you decide works for you, you will get questions or the occasional person arguing with you that you don’t need a cane/dog/badge

You will get some positive discrimination when people see you have a white cane. People will make more space for you, take the initiative in social distancing. You might get told unprompted by staff about special concessions or facilities for VI visitors to an event or attraction you didn't think to ask about.

I've seen this all happen with someone I know.