Blindness & The Partially Sighted

Ever curious to wonder what defines or classifies blindness over partial sight? Always wondered what tools the blind and partially sighted use? Sometimes those with sight confuse blindness and the partially sighted when they see a person walking around with a cane. As all know, a cane is a symbol of blindness but few ever understand that the cane is used for both the blind and partially sighted. Below are a few items to compare each section (sighted (except for tools), blindness, partial sight and low vision. If you feel you have symptoms of an eye condition that can be corrected it's best to seek a doctor for guidance.

Definitions (Taken from Google Dictionary)
Sighted

  1. (of a person) Having the ability to see; not blind
    • a sighted guide is needed
    • for the sighted, it is hard to imagine a world without vision
  2. Having a specified kind of sight
    • the keen-sighted watcher may catch a glimpse

  3. able to see

  4. (sightedness) eyesight: normal use of the faculty of vision
Partially Sighted (or Vision Impairment)
  1. Impairment of the sense of sight

  2. Vision loss (of a person) to such a degree as to qualify as an additional support need through a significant limitation of visual capability resulting from either disease, trauma, or congenital or degenerative conditions that cannot be corrected by conventional means, such as refractive correction, medication, or surgery.

  3. This refers to any group condition which interferes with 'normal' vision. This incorporates the entire range of vision difficulties, from correctable conditions through to total blindness. Unable to see at all.

  4. A person who is visually impaired but has some vision; is not completely blind.

  5. Experiencing any degree of vision loss.

  6. Means a person with visual acuity of less than 6/18 (0,3) but equal to or better than 6/60 (0,05) in the better eye with the best possible correction and/or a visual field of less than 20 degrees.

  7. A term that indicates some type of visual problem has resulted in a need for special education.
Low Vision
  1. Individuals who have reduced vision even when using the best possible spectacle or contact lens correction available. It can be a result of either congenital disease (e.g. Retinitis Pigmentosa or Leber's Congenital Amaurosis) or acquired factors (such as in some forms of optic atrophy).

  2. Term usually used to indicate vision of less than 20/200.

  3. Reduced visual acuity and/or abnormal visual fields resulting from a disorder in the visual system.

  4. Term used to describe a level of unaided visual ability insufficient to perform certain tasks like reading.

  5. Vision loss that may be severe enough to impede a person’s ability to carry on everyday activities, but still allows some functionally useful sight. Low vision may range from moderate impairment to near-total blindness.
Blindness
  1. The state of being blind or lacking sight

  2. Unable to see

  3. People who have severe visual impairments, considered as a group; "he spent hours reading to the blind"

  4. Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.

  5. Describes a condition in which a person has loss of vision for ordinary life purposes. Visually impaired is the generic term used by some individuals to refer to all degrees of vision loss.

Classifications
Sighted

Low Vision/Partially Sighted Blindness

Tools
Low Vision (also for those Partially Sighted/Vision Impairment)

Blindness



































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