Blindness – Low Vision At Work

What happens after you’ve hired that eligible mortal who is blind or low vision? Very often co-workers and supervisors have questions that center around wondering, “How do I work with him? How can I speak with her? What do I need to do differently?”

Blindness means that an individual has 10% or less of normal vision (80% of those who are legally blind have some degree of vision while 20% have none.) Low vision is a visual impairment, not correctable by standard glasses, contact lenses, medicine, or surgery, that interferes with the capability to perform each day activities. Most people develop low vision because of eye disease such as cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy or macular degeneration. Low Vision primarily affects people over the age of 65. macular degeneration products are widely acquirable due to increasing aging population. Yes, for some workers who are legally blind, some tasks will be done using sight. This can get confusing whether co-workers or supervisors believe only “total blindness” fits the definition of “blind” and it can lead to misunderstandings.

For example, a salesperson in a department store in New Jersey is doing all essential tasks well using her sight along with some low vision aids, with one exception. She physically can't read numbers on products for stock purposes. Her instant supervisor thought she was malingering and “gave her a tough time” until he understood the parameters on her vision loss. He appreciated her understanding that he just needed the facts. Now during inventory, when the work is divided among the associates, she is given a essential task that fits her strengths. The low vision aids, even though not a total solution, makes the salesperson competitive.

Among those blind persons who have some sight, a few will read print, but will not have the capability to see people coming toward them on the other side of a hallway (“tunnel vision” or loss of field); some have “night blindness” but operate with sighted techniques when there is enough light without glare; some will see general shapes and colors, or that lights are on. Some are completely blind and use blind techniques all of the time. There are other variations.

What things is not how much sight is left but the amount of skill the blind mortal has in using blind techniques when sighted techniques won’t produce work on time, to the competitive level. A practical definition of blindness could be said like this:

You are blind whether you find it more efficient, some or all of the time, to use blind techniques rather than sighted techniques to perform tasks to a competitive level.

There are two recommendations that are likely to fit each case. First, it often helps blind colleagues whether you verbalize. (For instance, don’t just point, say, “It’s on the left.”) Second, begin with the assumption that the other adult is as competent as you are.

How to get more information on low vision products – Ask your Eye MD for a Low vision or Blindness Specialist. Low vision specialists are licensed physicians of optometry who are trained in the examination and management of patients with visual impairments. A few of them are ophthalmologists with additional training in low vision care. Their services do not offer a cure for the causes of low vision, but they do help the patient memorize how to utilize their remaining vision to its fullest potential. Low vision care does not replace the doable need for other treatments such as laser, medication, and surgery.