Wouldn’t it be interesting to understand what people with vision impairment actually see? Dr Paul Hart, Head of Research and Practice, talks about how Sense Scotland approach this area of work…

We acknowledge and are so grateful for all the fantastic work that is done by opticians, ophthalmologists, optometrists, families, support workers, teachers, everyone, in maximising the use of people’s vision. It is hugely important sense for most of us and we should do whatever we can to keep it functioning as a reliable source of information.  

But what happens if that is not an option for you or somebody you know? Do we just imagine that this means living in a dark world? One without the delights of looking at the face of someone we love, at a favourite landscape, marvelling at a magnificent painting, spotting geese flying overhead or simply enjoying the colours all around us? Is it dark in a world without sight? Or do you simply experience the world in a different way, no less rich and meaningful, and still full of people you love, landscapes, natural wonders and simple pleasures? We’d argue it’s the latter. 

At Sense Scotland, we’re always trying to learn from the experiences of people we support. People who might never have had vision and some without vision or hearing. How does the world feel from their perspective? 

Our recent contribution to the book, Revealing Hidden Potentials, gives a great example of our approach. Although the main focus is on people who are deafblind, the principles and the approaches apply across many groups, including those with sensory impairments and learning difficulties.

My colleague Jacky looked at the part humour plays in communication and recounts sessions she had with Kate*, which involved pretending to bite an apple – then each other – in order to ‘have a laugh.’

This exchange showed Kate’s understanding of the situation and subsequent joining in on the fun. As Jacky said: “People with congenital deafblindness often have hidden potential that those around them fail to detect.”

Pieces of work like this help challenge general views about what people can and can’t do and encourages practitioners to see the person in front of them – regardless of diagnoses.

That’s pretty much our approach, and this World Sight Day what we want you to think about next time you encounter someone with sight impairment. Maybe their world is a lot more interesting than yours!

We are guided by this quote: 

“The brain is an eternal prisoner in the solitary confinement of the skull and relies on information smuggled into it from the senses” (Coren et al in Brown D, 2006, The Forgotten Sense – Proprioception, DbI Review, July-December 2006, pages 20-24) 

And for us that transforms into this idea: 

‘Sacks (1995) suggests ‘when we open our eyes each morning, it is upon a world we have spent a lifetime learning to see’. For congenitally deafblind people, in contrast, when they stretch out their hands each morning, it is upon a world they have spent a lifetime learning to feel’ ​(Hart, 2008) 

We have created training resources, films, presentations and written papers, to help people better understand the power of touch as a vital source of information.

For example, around a decade ago we collaborated with colleagues in Norway and USA, to produce a film entitled ‘The Landscape of Touch’ which showed the richness of the world when perceived entirely through touch. In this short video clip, I start by talking about some of the learning from that film:  

It is no surprise then that we have called our Head Office ‘Touch’Base and this has also inspired a network of centres across Scotland where our focus is always on maximising the amount of information that can be ‘smuggled in’.  

If you want to learn more about touch and other senses, then please get in touch with us.  

*Not her real name.