I am a 26-year-old woman who was born blind, AMA.

When I imagine something in my mind I see images. When you imagine something what are your thought processes?

It depends. Mostly tactile, unless it's something like a flower or food in which case I think of smell or taste.

Have you ever experimented with psychedelics? If so, what was your experience like?

I have. It was extremely weird. I felt like I could feel time, as though it had a physical manifestation. And I felt like I had achieved a higher sense of purpose and knowledge.

That's an incredibly interesting answer. Thanks for that insight! Out of interest was it mushrooms or LSD?

LSD. Never tried shrooms.

When I read your post, I immediately thought of this thread which I had read earlier about a person blind from birth who experienced dmt for the first time. Would you be interested in trying dmt ever?

Sure, why not.

I have RP ( Retinitis Pigmentosa ), so I am slowly going blind. And mental health tips?? :)

Hey, LCA is very similar to RP in terms of what it does to our eyes, we're just born blind. My best advice is to reach out to the blind community, especially in your local area if possible. Your blind friends can give you advice, they can teach you things, but they can also empathise when that's what you need. But keep your connections with sighted friends too, because they are just as great. Don't give up on your goals, look at them as an opportunity to learn something. By that I mean if you want to get a particular job, find out how other blind people do it and learn those skills. If you feel like you need professional mental health support there's no shame in getting it either. It is possible to go through this and come out the other side.

Do you have an understanding of color? Or is that just an unknown concept to you?

It's unknown. I can learn facts about colour and the science behind it, but I'll never actually understand it in the way someone who can see does.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about being blind?

That I'm still an adult. I can make the same choices about my life as other people. This includes where I go and what I do, and whether I do or don't want help. It's often forced on me.

I hope this doesn’t sound rude but I’m unsure how to word it. Do you think you have a good grasp on what you look like? Do you ever wish you could see yourself?

Edit: I’ve never gotten this many upvotes before thanks strangers!

Kind of. I think for me it's the hardest part about my blindness. I know facts about my appearance, but there will always be that extra layer that I don't have, something everyone else gets to see that I don't. My knowledge of my appearance is always filtered through the eyes of others.

What is your favorite sound?

Great question, maybe the sound of wind in the trees, but especially at night, combined with the smell.

I've spent some time as a software developer trying to make my software accessible. Are there any common mistakes in "accessible" software that makes it hard to navigate via screen readers? Is there any type of accessibility software that doesn't exist yet, that should?

Where is the first place you want to travel once this pandemic bullshit blows over?

I think the hardest thing is when buttons aren't labeled correctly to interact with a screenreader. Though honestly I'm not a developer, good accessibility testing is really crucial. And as for travel...I'm not sure, I want to go back to the United States to visit friends, but we'll see.

I once watched a documentary on a young man who learned to navigate by using clicking sounds and hearing the echoes, and was tested to have a high degree of accuracy. Do you have any similar experience, say hearing a noise coming from a building to know you’re close?

Sure, most blind people use echo location, or flash sonar, to some degree. Much of it is passive, so the echo my cane makes when it taps something. I can gather a lot of information through that.

What non visual things equivalent to body language do you notice about people when you first meet them?

Speech patterns are a big giveaway regarding a persons emotional state. But I do think I miss out on some information because I don't see body language, particularly if I'm the only blind person in the room.

How are social cues different with an all blind group versus a sighted or mixed group?

When it's all blind people we tend to vocalise things more. There's no non-visual communication, so we're going to verbalise something if we want people to know. In a mixed group I might miss out on whole conversations because they take place through body language only.

Do you know when a room is bright or dark?

I have a small amount of light perception, so yes. But people who can't see light can use apps or small devices to tell whether the lights are on.

What ways have you been able to express yourself creatively? My father recently lost his sight and this has been a struggle for him.

I love to write, but I know a lot of blind people who enjoy tactile art. I'm just not really in to it.

Hi CatchTheseWords! How do you find blind people are treated in society? What can people do to make the life of blind people on society more comfortable?

Often we're treated like we are less capable, almost like children. I've even been in a situation where a child is given more responsibility than me. The biggest thing is to respect that we are adults, we have skills and can contribute.

Is it true you can recognize faces by feeling them?

I've never tried. It would be very creepy and invasive to touch someones face, and would make me very uncomfortable. It's just a trope you see on tv.

What are your dreams like?

I dream very much as I live. My dreams consist of sound, smell, taste and touch.

How do you think your life would be different if you developed blindness later on in life rather than being born with it?

Quite a few of my students, and also friends have lost their sight. I think you go through a different adjustment, because you're grieving a loss. I was born blind, I didn't lose anything and so I don't feel the loss in the same way. You'd have to relearn many skills that you had before, such as learning how to cook and travel as a blind person. But you'd also have visual memory and a visual understanding of the world that I don't have.

What is your primary form of entertainment? Of course I know that blind people still have television with descriptive audio, but do you enjoy this? Or are you more for music? Thank you for this chance to ask these questions!

Primary would be books. I love music and tv, but there's nothing like a book for me.

Does it suck having to touch things to read braille during a pandemic?

Kind of. I'm not really enthusiastic about having to read the braille on the buttons of lifts. But then that's the same for anyone pressing the button. I just make sure to wash my hands a lot.

Are you a fan of roller coasters?

They're pretty fun.

What do you imagine seeing is like?

I don't. It's a totally unknown concept so it's impossible for me to imagine it.

What's one thing you wish people would stop asking you about?

On or offline. Online, how are you even blind if you're using a computer. Offline, so when are you getting a guide dog?

What is your hardest daily task?

Mostly visual content creation. I create YouTube videos and write a blog, but part of that is knowing the angle of my camera, and where to place images in a post. It's a headache.

How do you know when to stop wiping? I know it’s a popular question but I’ve never gotten a real answer

It's just something you learn when you're a really small child? Honestly I'm baffled, do sighted people need to look? That seems...like an over-reliance on vision.

I am curious how do you navigate outside? I get frequently lost in my home city even with a perfect eyesight (and no innate bump of direction) 😄

I travel using a long white cane, which I use to detect things like steps and different surfaces. I use the information around me, such as listening to traffic patterns and other environmental sounds. I might also use gps technology and apps that will show me things like the bus schedule.

DO YOU FIND THAT PEOPLE TEND TO YELL WHEN TALKING TO YOU EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE BLIND AND NOT DEAF?

Sometimes, or they speak really slowly. Or put on a tone of voice like they might with a baby or puppy.

How you know if you look presentable before you leave for the morning?

Mostly by learning strategies like what colours go together, and how my hair feels when it's neat and tidy. If I'm unsure, I might use a service like Aira which provides visual interpreting through the camera on my phone to check.

How do you perceive colours when reading or hearing about them?

I don't. They're an abstract concept and don't really interest me. I have to know about them for the sake of others.

As someone who makes websites, what can I do to make it easier for a blind person to use websites I make? What are common issues that annoy you?

Comprehensive accessibility testing is important and complying with web accessibility guidelines. But a big problem for me is images that aren't tagged with alt text.

What is your career of choice? and what other careers are there for people who are blind/visually impaired?

I just qualified as a rehabilitation teacher, working with blind people who have lost their vision. But I'm going back to university to get a masters degree in social and public policy. I'd like to get a PHD and work in academia, but we'll see. Almost any career is open to people who are blind. I know blind lawyers, accountants, teachers, artists, software developers, physiotherapists...

If you could pick one thing to see, what would it be?

I'm not sure. Because I've always been blind, I'm not sure my brain would even be able to interpret that visual information.

Is it true that if you lose one sense, your other 4 are enhanced? If so, can you feel a higher sense of smell, sound, etc?

It's not true. I pay attention to my other senses more, so I may notice sounds you don't, but my hearing is technically no better.

There are a few clinical trials assessing the efficacy of new treatments for LCA. Are you part of any or considered any?

If you were aware and chose not to, any reason why not in particular?

This is such a great question. I personally don't want to be part of a trial, or even accept a cure if it becomes available. By this point I'm hard wired to be a blind person. The brains of congenitally blind people develop differently, and the thought of adding in all the sensory input from sight is quite disturbing. I'm in favour of treatments being developed to give people a choice, but it must be that, a choice. My concern is that in the future we will live in a society where if someone doesn't take the treatment, access to things like disabled student support services will then be removed, because the government will put the financial responsibility on the person for continuing to choose to be blind.

​

Of course, none of us know if this will happen or not but it is a worry. It's one of the many reasons why I focus so heavily on the need for universal design. If we build systems that are accessible to everyone, disabled people won't have to rely so heavily on aditional support in order to access things like university.

Can you picture shapes after feeling them? Like if you picked up a bottle or something and felt where the edges on it are and the overall shape could you picture it in your mind? Kinda like drawing it out in your brain? Idk

No, I have no concept of vision so this isn't possible. I would imagine what it felt like in my hands.

This might sound stupid, but: How did you find out that other people could see? And when/how did you started to conceptually understand a little bit what that meant? I mean as a small child you just live as you know it, but at some point life forces you to become aware that others around you read the world really differently.

I think I realised very early on, because I learnt that I could demand information from others. But the implications of what that meant for me and my future probably took a while to sink in. There wasn't a moment in which I realised, in my mind I've always known, but throughout the years different experiences taught me what impact it had. Particularly in relation to how other people responded to me.

I am slowly losing my sight due to two inherited conditions. I'm trying to adjust my life and thinking now for the eventuality. It's really silly, but my greatest fear about not being able to see is not knowing if I am about to touch a spider. Do you feel hesitant about reaching out because of similar fears?

Sometimes at night, or if I'm searching in the garage for something. But in general no.

Are there any TV shows or movies you like to listen to?

Have you listened to the tv show, Avatar The Last Airbender on netflix? One of the main characters is blind and in the show her blindness is shown as a strength, as she is one of the best of her fighting styles in the world because of her blindness.

I do watch tv, but I haven't seen that one. I'll have to check it out.

Have you dated much? Do you think you would prefer or avoid dating another blind person?

I have dated. I've actually never dated a sighted person. Like most people I can say I've had both good and bad experiences. I would be open to dating either a blind or sighted person, who they are is more important than whether they can see or not.

Whats the question you're most tired of hearing?

So many. How can you even use a computer? When are you getting a guide dog? How many fingers am I holding up? I get that one less often now I'm older but it happened a lot in school.

Do you have any kind of visual sensations when you're dreaming? Have you ever taken a psychedelic drug and "seen" any hallucinations? This topic fascinates me. Also, what sort of entertainment do you enjoy? Most forms of entertainment that I enjoy rely on visual stimulation. Are you into music? Who are some of your favorite artists?

I dream as I live, so with my other senses. I didn't experience anything visual, just auditory and also I felt like time had a physical manifestation. Was a weird experience. I like watching films and tv and also reading a lot. For visual media like films I use audio description, which is an aditional audio track that describes visual actions.

What's the correct way to approach a blind individual without scaring them?

I think if you just walk up and say hi and identify yourself it's fine. I'm only startled if someone creeps up, or I'm not expecting anyone to be in a room.

what's your earliest childhood memory? Appropriately how old were you at the time?

Walking across the stage in a Christmas production at my pre-school. I remember running my hand along the curtain. I must have been around 3.

What makes you the most scared?

Spiders maybe? I'm a wimp.

Are there jokes about sighted people? If so, can you share some of your favourites?

I'm not sure if there are, but there should be.

Does being blind sometimes helps in a daily life?

I think it's made my life more interesting. I know people all over the world because I met other blind people online. Sure, sighted people meet people online too, but there's no way of knowing if I would have if I could see. I travelled abroad alone for the first time to meet blind friends, which made me love travelling so then led to all the other things I've done. In daily life I'm not sure it makes a huge difference to me, but I do think it's resulted in me having some cool experiences.

Can you still enjoy movies or tv shows?

Sure, using audio description.

Do you prefer to keep your eyelids open when you're awake?

I do, though it's not really a preference, just something I naturally do.

Have you ever tried psychedelics? Or any kind of drug? If so how would you describe your experience? I’ve read some psychedelic experiences of blind people but almost all of them were people who became blind in life so they had a concept of vision. It would be interesting hearing from someone who has never seen anything in their life.

Yeah, it was all auditory and physical sensations. I really enjoyed talking to and petting my dog, and music was very intense.

Which country is the best for a blind person to live in? It said you travel a lot so I thought you would know more about the procedures other countries have.

I don't think there's one country that's best. Honestly I think a blind person should live where they want, and not base it around blindness. However, I do think living in a country with anti-discrimination laws, where you know you have a legal right to access education and employment, can help.

Idk if this is too much to ask, but how do you know/confirm when your period comes?

I track them in the health app on my phone. But I've also learnt to pick up on signs that tend to come before a period, like changes in mood etc. And then I might start wearing a pad a few days before just in case.

How did you type all this?

I can touch type. It's an essential skill.

What is your concept of large objects? For example, are able to imagine an entire car at once like someone with sight can? I saw a video of a blind youtuber and he was unable to recognize what a toy car was by feeling it because he only ever touches a small portion of cars he comes in contact with, so he is unable to get an idea of what the whole thing looks like, so to speak.

I grew up playing with toys, so I'd recognise something like a car because I've touched the real thing, but also the toys. But if you showed me a model of a famous landmark I'd probably have no idea what it was.

What do you like to do for fun?

It depends. Go out with friends to restaurants or bars, read, watch films, go hiking, ice skate.

What do you think of when you "picture" someone? Their voice? Do you have people describe themselves?

Sometimes. If i'm interested in a person I might ask others what they look like. But often it's not something that I think about.

Sorry Reddit gave you a hard time about providing proof. My mom is legally blind, but she can still see light and dark and can get close to decent vision with the help of some specially made contacts and the thickest glasses I've ever seen. Do you have any vision at all? Is there any sort of contention between "legally blind" people who can still see and totally blind people?

Thank you for doing this AMA, I think that awareness is super important and it can really only come from a firsthand source.

It's ok, they accepted another method of proof. And I think there can be but there shouldn't be. Ultimately we belong to the same community and should be there to support one another. I do have light perception, but I'm unable to see colours or shapes, so it really is just light and dark.

If you could see for a day, would you do it? Is there any special place in your mind which you are curious about how it looks? Thanks for doing this!

I imagine seeing would be very stressful and overwhelming, as my brain has adapted to being blind. Maybe for a day, but I wouldn't take a cure.

I'm a dental hygiene student and I have to take dental x-rays of a blind patient tomorrow. Its only my second time taking x-rays and first time ever working with( or meeting) a blind patient. What are some things I should do to make the appointment most comfortable for them?

Honestly the best thing you can do is to ask them if there's anything specific they'd like you to do. My needs may not be the same as there's. For example some blind people would want to receive human guide around the room, but I would be happy to follow someone and use my cane.

What is one thing you’d like to know about seeing or sight?

I'm not sure of one thing. I just love learning new things. So it's always interesting when someone gives me information I would never have known otherwise.

What's the most common thing sighted people do for you that they don't necessarily have to?

Rush to grab and help me. Which is really not helpful!

Serious question:

What do you think about children learning Braille? Personally I am for it because it helps develop their literacy skills in a way that speak to text technology does not.

Your writing skills are excellent. Did you learn to read/ write Braille? What is your opinion for the next generation of blind people? If you did not learn how to read/ write through Braille, how did you develop your skills?

It's vital if a child is born blind or loses their vision early on. It's critical if they are going to develop really strong literacy skills. I understand blind people who choose not to use it in the workplace, but it should always be a choice, rather than them not being able to use it because nobody taught them.

​

I've noticed that there's a cutoff point where my spelling gets worse. Usually it's when I haven't read about a topic in braille, so I'm missing the spellings of area-specific language. This is why I use refreshable braille as well so that I can access electronic text in braille and still develop those skills.

How do you form mental images of people?

Do you ever ask to touch a coworker/friend's face like portrayed in popculture?

I tend to gather information. You can tell how tall someone is by where there voice is, for example. But honestly unless I'm interested in the person I don't tend to think about it. And I don't know of any blind people who actually touch faces.

What technology has helped or hindered you the most as you’ve grown up?

I think having access to a smartphone. I can read books, scan the packaging on food, read my mail, easily communicate with friends by text, use gps etc. And I can use a product out of the box, without having to buy aditional software. The economic cost of having a disability is huge, so when technology includes built in accessibility features it helps remove some of those economic barriers. We must invest in accessible tech, rather than specialised devices which cost thousands and have a small market.

Does Reddit have a feature that tells you how many upvotes you’re getting?

It does, yeah.

What was it like living in Spain and Colombia?

It was great. Spain was hard because it was my first time living in another country and I wasn't very outgoing. But living in Colombia was one of the best years of my life. I made a lot of friends and was able to travel a lot. It changed my perspective on many things, and made me realise that if I push myself, I can actually have great experiences.

I didn't see this asked yet, but what are your dreams like?

Very much the same as my general life. I dream with sound, touch, smell and taste.

Do you like puppies?

I do.

How are you going to know what I've asked in this question?

The same way I wrote my original post.....

How did you feel when your parents told you you were blind?

I was diagnosed when I was 8 months old, so I grew up knowing I was blind. It was something we've always been very open about. My understanding of what it meant to be a blind person definitely developed over the years, but there wasn't a specific moment when someone told me I was blind.

Whats is it like walking to where you need to go, like how do you go about efficiently while using things such as a mobility cane, or any other method to make sure you are not bumping into things?

I use a long white cane so that I can travel safely.

What words are the worst/most often mispronounced for computers to dictate back to you?

Usually just bad spelling. I can't think of any specific words.

Do you experience any visuals in your mind? For example, like when you dream?

I don't. I've never been able to see so this is impossible for me.

What is something you wish everyone understood about what it’s like to go through the world without sight?

That really, my life isn't all that different. I may approach tasks in a different way and I require things to be accessible to me. But I am capable of employment, of starting a family, of working towards my goals.

What is it like being sexually intimate with someone? Do you think it's less appealing to you if it's impossible to see the person or the actions?

I've never been able to see, so I can't make a comparrison. But I feel like my sex life can be pretty great, like anyone I've had good and bad experiences.

Would you consider trying psychedelics and reporting back your experiences?

I've tried them before. Really weird, honestly. Mostly auditory but also some physical sensations.

Is sex more intense for you? And do you have sex with other blind people, if not how does it feel when you cant see the other person but he can see you naked?

It honestly depends who I'm having sex with. I don't really worry if they can see me and I can't. I've had good and bad experiences, with both blind nad sighted people.

I'm actually curious about how Blind People can use computers and how you can read our questions. I'm guessing a special machine is involved, but how does it work ?

I use a screenreader, a piece of software that uses synthesised speech to read out what's on the screen. I also touch type and navigate using a keyboard instead of the mouse.

Have you ever fired a firearm or played with a sword?

I haven't. I considered going to a shooting range when I lived in the US but never did.

How do you perceive colours when you haven't seen them? When someone says "I have a red car", what do you imagine?

I don't, I just accept it as a fact and file it away.

Do you use a smartphone? These days image processing is getting more and more powerful, so you can point your phone at something and it will tell you what its looking at. Do you use something like that?

Also, when I see a blind person in the street, or the sidewalk more accurately, I always want to offer to help them. What's the best way to do so? "Hey blind man, do you need help" ?

I do, but usually for reading printed text like my mail.

​

If you want to offer help you can just approach and say something like "excuse me, do you need any help?" or "can I give you some assistance?" But always accept the answer you are given. If we say no, we're good and we really don't need the help.

If you could tell the world one thing what would it be?

About blindness? Treat me like any other adult.

Not about blindness. Use your vote.

What is it like to move around. Is it hard and do you feel out a room as you walk through it?

It's not hard because I've always been blind so know how to navigate as a blind person. When outside I travel using a white cane, this is also true if I'm inside buildings like shops etc. But if I'm at my house or friends houses I just walk around and learn where things are.

Why did the moderators remove this? u/mmm_toasty could you perchance let us know?

Because I can't hold up a sign with my username...because obviously I can't write. Unless they want it in braille?

Looks like the mods want proof. How do you plan to do this blind?

I'm not sure how to submit proof to them? I have all my documentation if they want it!

how do blind people use computers? Do you have a special auditory interface?

We use a piece of software called a screen-reader.