People don’t always know how to interact with a visually impaired person. The most important thing to keep in mind is that they are simply looking to be treated with kindness and respect like everyone else.
An interaction between a person who is visually impaired and a person who is able to see normally might be fairly unpleasant due to inexperience, a lack of awareness, or false assumptions.
How Should I Interact with a Visually Impaired Person?
When it involves interacting with those who have a vision impairment, the following gestures may prove beneficial.
- Speak first: Do say who you are and talk directly to the person. Don’t talk through someone else. They can talk for themselves unless they are hard of hearing.
- Introduce yourself: Even if you are talking to them clearly, they might not be able to figure out who you are on their own. Just tell them who you are so they know what to ask of you.
- Be clear: People who can see don’t always realize how many visual elements they use every day. Since a person with low vision can’t understand what they see, people with good vision should be more detailed when talking to someone with low vision. So, make sure they know you are talking to them, and try to make it more clear.
- Verbalize your actions: Don’t nod, shake your head, or move your hands without saying something at the same time. No one will notice or respond to the way you move. It is very rude to use these gestures on purpose while knowing that no one can see them.
- Ask to navigate: Getting grabbed or pulled out of the blue is scary for anyone, but it is especially scary for someone who can’t see who is doing it. By asking, you give the individual the opportunity to accept or turn down your help.
- Notify people when you walk out: Even if you have to leave quickly or discover a person you really want to talk to on the other side of the room, it’s polite to let people know. A simple “NAME, thanks for the conversation; I have to go” or something similar will keep you from feeling uncomfortable and frustrated for no reason.
Whenever a conversation goes poorly, apologize and then ask the other person how you might improve in the future. Because of this diversity, no single universal solution exists. We appreciate the chance to share our experiences and insights with you and learn from yours as well regarding how to interact with a visually impaired person. We can make things easier for those who come after us if we work together.
For more related articles:
Blindness and Visual Impairment and their Causes in Nepal
6 Useful Apps for Blind and Partially Sighted Users