[nabs-l] curing blindness

Sophie Trist sweetpeareader at gmail.com
Mon Oct 1 11:40:06 UTC 2012 

Can=20a=20Macbook=20laptop=20scan=20documents?=20I=20have=20the=20Saytext=20=
app=20on=20my=20
phone=20and=20am=20still=20figuring=20it=20out,=20but=20it=20doesn't=20seem=
=20all=20that=20
accurate.

=20-----=20Original=20Message=20-----
From:=20"Ashley=20Bramlett"=20<bookwormahb at earthlink.net
To:=20"National=20Association=20of=20Blind=20Students=20mailing=20list"=20
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date=20sent:=20Mon,=201=20Oct=202012=2000:14:33=20-0400
Subject:=20Re:=20[nabs-l]=20curing=20blindness

Gerado,
Yes=20the=20I=20phone=20can=20OCR=20documents,=20but=20there=20are=20some=20=
limits=20on=20
it=20and=20I
heard=20its=20not=20as=20accurate=20as=20a=20desk=20top=20scanner.

-----Original=20Message-----
From:=20Gerardo=20Corripio
Sent:=20Sunday,=20September=2030,=202012=2011:12=20PM
To:=20National=20Association=20of=20Blind=20Students=20mailing=20list
Subject:=20Re:=20[nabs-l]=20curing=20blindness

Hey=20Ashlee=20and=20list
Can't=20those=20of=20us=20with=20IPhone=20already=20Ocr=20pamphlets?=20Sorr=
y=20for=20my=20
ignorance,
but=20I've=20had=20IPhone=20alnost=202=20months;=20some=20things=20I=20stil=
l=20don't=20
know.
Thanks=20for=20info.

Enviado=20desde=20mi=20iPhone

El=2030/09/2012,=20a=20las=2021:44,=20"Ashley=20Bramlett"=20
<bookwormahb at earthlink.net
escribi=C3=B3:

=20Desiree,
=20Thanks=20for=20the=20info.=20So=20when=20is=20the=20braille=20plus=20com=
ing=20out?=20
Then,=20how
=20much=20will=20this=20cost?
=20I=20hope=20less=20than=20human=20ware=20and=20freedom=20scientific=20cha=
rge.

=20You're=20right=20it=20will=20be=20able=20to=20scan=20documents.=20But=20=
you=20still=20
would=20have
=20to=20have=20this=20thing=20in=20a=20paper=20form=20to=20scan=20it.=20Man=
y=20information=20
literacy
=20things=20I=20speak=20of=20are=20not=20=20something=20you=20can=20handle,=
=20but=20are=20
things=20you
=20simply=20look=20at=20as=20a=20pedestrian=20or=20traveler=20traveling=20b=
y.=20But,=20
still,=20I
=20think=20this=20is=20a=20big=20step=20in=20bringing=20us=20=20information=
=20literacy=20
the=20sighted
=20people=20have;=20many=20things=20are=20able=20to=20be=20handled=20after=
=20all.=20=20
Restaurants
=20have=20paper=20menus=20for=20people=20to=20look=20at=20for=20take=20out=
=20food.=20Most=20
brochures
=20and=20tourbooks=20you=20can=20grab=20and=20would=20be=20scannable.=20I'l=
l=20research=20
the
=20braille=20plus.=20I=20did=20not=20know=20APH=20was=20remaking=20that=20p=
roduct=20and=20
coming=20out
=20with=20a=20new=20version.

=20Ashley
=20-----Original=20Message-----=20From:=20Desiree=20Oudinot
=20Sent:=20Sunday,=20September=2030,=202012=2010:32=20PM
=20To:=20National=20Association=20of=20Blind=20Students=20mailing=20list
=20Subject:=20Re:=20[nabs-l]=20curing=20blindness

=20Hi=20Ashley,
=20That's=20a=20good=20point=20about=20restaurant=20menus=20and=20brochures=
,=20but
=20technology=20is=20improving=20in=20regards=20to=20that.=20I=20was=20just=
=20reading=20
about
=20the=20new=20Braille=20Plus=20which=20is=20made=20by=20APH,=20and=20how=20=
it's=20going=20to=20
be
=20running=20Android,=20so=20will=20be=20an=20extremely=20powerful=20note=20=
taker.=20I=20
bring
=20this=20up=20because=20it=20also=20includes=20a=20camera,=20and=20it=20sa=
id=20that=20
something
=20like=20that=20could=20be=20used=20for=20scanning=20menus=20and=20other=20=
things=20like=20
you
=20described.=20I'm=20not=20sure=20if=20it's=20going=20to=20be=20able=20to=
=20do=20bar=20code
=20scanning.=20Perhaps=20so,=20considering=20that=20you're=20supposed=20to=
=20be=20
able=20to
=20download=20Android=20aps,=20but=20since=20I'm=20pretty=20unfamiliar=20wi=
th=20the=20
Android
=20OS,=20I'm=20not=20sure=20if=20there=20is=20one=20for=20bar=20code=20scan=
ning=20yet.=20
Anyway,
=20this=20is=20a=20big=20step=20up=20for=20people=20who=20don't=20want=20to=
=20use=20touch=20
screens
=20but=20desire=20some=20of=20the=20things=20you=20describe,=20since=20I=20=
know=20the=20
IPhone
=20can=20do=20this=20stuff=20too,=20but=20some=20people=20have=20their=20re=
asons=20for=20
not
=20wanting=20to=20use=20touch=20screens.

=20On=209/30/12,=20Ashley=20Bramlett=20<bookwormahb at earthlink.net>=20wrote:=

=20Arielle,
=20That=20is=20my=20reaction=20too.=20It=20made=20Mr.=20Lloyd=20able=20to=20=
pass=20as=20
sighted,=20but
=20his

=20vision=20was=20so=20fuzzy=20that=20it=20really=20did=20not=20help=20him=
=20act=20like=20a=20
sighted
=20person.=20Want=20to=20bet=20that=20when=20he=20got=20to=20work,=20he=20h=
ad=20to=20use=20jaws=20
or=20other
=20adaptive=20tools=20to=20do=20his=20work?=20His=20vision=20simply=20was=20=
not=20at=20that=20
point=20to
=20read=20print=20and=20use=20a=20computer=20to=20function=20as=20sighted=20=
at=20work.
=20I=20share=20your=20concern=20that=20those=20getting=20=20treatment=20to=
=20restore=20
some=20vision
=20would=20give=20up=20proven=20blindness=20techniques=20in=20favor=20of=20=
the=20
rudimentary
=20vision

=20and=20therefore=20they=20would=20struggle=20more=20than=20they=20were=20=
as=20a=20blind=20
person.

=20I=20am=20not=20sure=20if=20I'd=20take=20treatment=20to=20get=20all=20vis=
ion.=20I=20think=20
it=20would
=20be
=20such=20a=20psychological=20and=20physical=20adjustment.=20I'd=20have=20t=
o=20really=20
weigh
=20the
=20pros=20and=20cons=20if=20such=20=20a=20thing=20were=20avaiable;=20I'd=20=
also=20consider=20
any=20side
=20effects=20such=20treatment=20had.=20One=20benefit=20to=20having=20more=20=
vision=20is=20
the
=20ability

=20to=20read;=20if=20my=20vision=20were=20say=2020/100=20I=20might=20be=20a=
ble=20to=20read=20
more=20easily
=20without=20fatigue.=20I'd=20only=20need=20some=20magnification=20and=20I'=
d=20be=20
able=20to=20read
=20pretty=20well.=20I=20often=20wondered=20what=20it=20would=20be=20like=20=
to=20walk=20into=20
a=20hotel
=20and

=20be=20able=20to=20pick=20up=20those=20brochures=20about=20local=20events,=
=20read=20the
=20restaurant
=20menu=20as=20I=20pass=20by,=20pick=20up=20a=20local=20newspaper=20from=20=
the=20concierge,=20
and=20then
=20go

=20up=20to=20my=20room=20and=20read=20the=20tv=20listings=20on=20screen.
=20I=20would=20have=20a=20very=20different=20experience.=20Oh,=20and=20I'd=
=20be=20able=20to=20
read=20the
=20labels=20on=20the=20shampoo=20and=20lotion,=20and=20not=20have=20to=20as=
k=20someone.=20I=20
can=20see
=20the

=20colors,=20but=20they=20are=20often=20the=20same=20color,=20so=20still=20=
have=20to=20ask.=20
I=20do=20not
=20want=20to=20put=20cream=20in=20my=20hair!

=20Anyway,=20it=E2=80=99s=20a=20complex=20topic=20and=20I=20suspect=20that=
=20as=20treatment=20
comes
=20available,=20some=20will=20take=20it=20while=20others=20will=20not.=20Th=
ose=20that=20
do=20not
=20will
=20opt=20out=20for=20many=20of=20the=20reasons=20articulated=20here.
=20Ashley
=20-----Original=20Message-----
=20From:=20Arielle=20Silverman
=20Sent:=20Sunday,=20September=2030,=202012=206:01=20PM
=20To:=20National=20Association=20of=20Blind=20Students=20mailing=20list
=20Subject:=20Re:=20[nabs-l]=20curing=20blindness

=20Hi=20all,
=20I=20have=20studied=20this=20topic=20a=20bit=20because=20it=20was=20the=20=
subject=20of=20my
=20honors=20thesis=20when=20I=20was=20an=20undergraduate=20student.=20I=20d=
id=20a=20
survey
=20about=20six=20years=20ago=20(a=20few=20of=20you=20may=20have=20participa=
ted)=20to=20
assess=20how
=20blind=20people=20felt=20about=20the=20prospect=20of=20having=20their=20s=
ight=20
restored.
=20One=20of=20the=20most=20interesting=20findings=20was=20that=20when=20ask=
ed=20whether=20
or
=20not=20one=20would=20take=20a=20magic=20pill=20that=20would=20restore=20f=
ull=20vision
=20immediately=20with=20no=20risks=20or=20side=20effects,=20only=2072%=20of=
=20the=20
sample=20said
=20they=20would=20do=20it.=20While=20most=20of=20the=20participants=20said=
=20they=20would=20
do
=20it,=20a=20substantial=20minority=20(about=2020%)=20said=20no.=20Some=20o=
f=20the=20
people=20who
=20said=20no=20cited=20concerns=20about=20losing=20their=20identity=20as=20=
blind=20
people,
=20or=20having=20=20to=20adjust=20to=20a=20new=20sense=20=20and=20that=20po=
ssibly=20taking=20
away
=20from=20their=20quality=20of=20life.
=20Another=20finding=20from=20the=20survey=20was=20that=20most=20people=20s=
aid=20in=20
order=20for
=20a=20sight-restoring=20technology=20to=20be=20worthwhile,=20it=20would=20=
have=20to=20
give
=20them=20most=20or=20all=20functional=20vision.=20I=20personally=20don't=20=
have=20any
=20objection=20to=20the=20technology=20like=20the=20Argus=20II=20being=20de=
veloped.=20I=20
do
=20think=20it=20could=20be=20a=20problem,=20though,=20if=20technologies=20t=
hat=20only=20
give
=20very=20rudimentary=20vision=20become=20popularized.=20They=20could=20per=
haps=20
lead
=20people=20like=20the=20man=20in=20the=20article=20to=20forego=20using=20a=
=20proven=20
travel=20aid
=20like=20a=20cane=20in=20favor=20of=20using=20very=20rudimentary=20vision.=
=20As=20a=20
result,
=20people=20who=20have=20these=20procedures=20could=20actually=20end=20up=20=

struggling=20more
=20than=20they=20were=20before.=20Based=20on=20the=20article,=20I=20am=20no=
t=20convinced=20
that
=20Lloyd=20has=20actually=20gained=20any=20independence=20from=20the=20arti=
ficial=20
vision,
=20beyond=20what=20he=20would=20have=20gotten=20with=20a=20cane.=20Instead,=
=20it=20makes=20
him
=20better=20at=20passing=20as=20a=20sighted=20guy,=20but=20possibly=20worse=
=20at=20
navigating
=20his=20environment=20because=20he=20is=20no=20longer=20using=20a=20cane.=
=20I=20think=20
the
=20challenges=20and=20self-esteem=20issues=20associated=20with=20"passing"=
=20
without
=20actually=20having=20good=20skills=20are=20evident=20to=20many=20of=20us.=

=20I=20don't=20think=20I=20would=20undergo=20a=20procedure=20to=20improve=20=
my=20vision,=20
for
=20several=20reasons.=20I=20wouldn't=20even=20consider=20it=20until=20the=20=

technology=20was
=20extensively=20tested=20and=20perfected,=20and=20then,=20only=20if=20it=20=
could=20
actually
=20give=20me=20full=20functionality=20(driving=20etc.)=20Even=20then,=20I'm=
=20not=20
sure=20I
=20would=20do=20it=20because=20I=20am=20terrified=20of=20surgery=20and=20on=
ly=20want=20to=20
go
=20through=20that=20if=20it=20is=20absolutely=20medically=20necessary,=20an=
d=20I=20do=20
not
=20want=20to=20put=20the=20rest=20of=20my=20life=20on=20hold=20to=20learn=20=
how=20to=20see.=20I=20
have
=20more=20ambivalent=20feelings=20about=20how=20much=20I=20want=20to=20supp=
ort=20
research=20on
=20curing=20blindness,=20and=20I'm=20curious=20to=20know=20others'=20though=
ts=20about=20
this.
=20I=20have=20a=20genetic=20eye=20condition=20and=20have=20been=20told=20I=
=20should=20send=20
my
=20blood=20to=20a=20lab=20to=20have=20my=20gene=20identified=20because=20th=
is=20will=20aid
=20research=20on=20genetic=20treatments.=20I've=20debated=20whether=20or=20=
not=20to=20
do=20it
=20and=20at=20this=20point=20I=20am=20mostly=20indifferent.=20On=20one=20ha=
nd,=20I=20do=20
think
=20that=20treatments=20could=20legitimately=20help=20some=20people=20who=20=
don't=20
have
=20access=20to=20technology=20or=20who=20=20live=20in=20communities=20where=
=20blindness=20
is
=20viewed=20very=20poorly.=20On=20the=20other=20hand,=20I=20am=20bothered=20=
by=20the=20
negative
=20press=20about=20blindness=20that=20is=20often=20propagated=20by=20cure-o=
riented=20
groups
=20like=20Prevent=20Blindness=20America=20or=20Foundation=20Fighting=20Blin=
dness,
=20making=20me=20not=20want=20to=20support=20these=20causes.=20Furthermore,=
=20I=20
believe
=20that=20no=20matter=20how=20good=20treatments=20get,=20some=20people=20wi=
ll=20
continue=20to
=20be=20blind.=20So=20I=20would=20rather=20direct=20my=20limited=20energy=20=
toward=20
finding
=20ways=20to=20make=20life=20better=20for=20those=20who=20are=20blind=20rat=
her=20than=20
wiping
=20out=20blindness.=20=20What=20do=20you=20think?
=20Arielle

=20On=209/30/12,=20Ashley=20Bramlett=20<bookwormahb at earthlink.net>=20wrote:=

=20Hi=20all,

=20I=20know=20NFB=20doesn=E2=80=99t=20focus=20on=20treatment=20of=20blindne=
ss=20or=20low=20
vision;=20they
=20focus
=20on=20living=20with=20it=20and=20adapting=20to=20the=20world=20with=20tra=
ining=20and=20
equipment.
=20But=20many=20organizations=20do=20focus=20on=20this=20such=20as=20Founda=
tion=20
Fighting
=20Blindness=20and=20the=20organization=20mentioned=20in=20this=20article.
=20The=20link=20is=20below=20to=20the=20article.=20=20I=20think=20this=20gu=
y=20in=20the=20
article=20was
=20sure
=20taking=20a=20gamble=20with=20his=20life=20to=20walk=20to=20work=20withou=
t=20a=20cane=20and=20
only
=20relying=20on=20unclear=20vision.=20At=20least=20the=20quote=20from=20him=
=20indicates=20
its
=20hard

=20to
=20focus=20and=20learn=20to=20see=20with=20this=20artificial=20vision;=20no=
t=20as=20if=20he=20
claims
=20its
=20perfect.=20Still=20he=20is=20happy=20with=20the=20artificial=20vision=20=
he=20does=20
have
=20through
=20the=20camera.

=20I=E2=80=99ve=20had=20very=20limited=20vision=20all=20my=20life=20and=20I=
=20was=20fortunate=20
to=20be
=20taught
=20braille=20after=20they=20taught=20me=20large=20print,=20but=20realized=20=
its=20
shortcomings;
=20so
=20I=20learned=20braille=20and=20I=20had=20a=20cane=20in=20mid=20elementary=
=20school.=20
Training=20in
=20O&M
=20was=20a=20lot=20to=20be=20desired,=20but=20I=20did=20learn=20how=20to=20=
use=20it=20as=20well=20
as=20other
=20alternative=20techniques=20from=20my=20teacher=20of=20the=20vision=20imp=
aired.
=20Therefore,=20I=E2=80=99m=20adapting=20and=20still=20learning=20with=20wh=
at=20I=20have.=20
Techniques
=20will
=20also=20change=20with=20technology;=20for=20instance,=20when=20I=20was=20=
young,=20=20we=20
had=20no
=20digital=20recorders,=20digital=20NLS=20players,=20no=20book=20share=20or=
=20any=20way=20
to
=20download
=20books=20in=20braille,=20no=20bar=20code=20readers,=20and=20scanners=20we=
re=20around=20
although
=20not
=20to=20the=20efficient=20degree=20we=20have=20today.=20So,=20with=20all=20=
that=20said,=20
I=E2=80=99m=20not
=20sure
=20I=E2=80=99d=20want=20more=20vision.=20But=20this=20article=20paints=20a=
=20picture=20of=20
getting=20some
=20vision=20back=20as=20a=20good=20thing.=20I=20certainly=20would=20not=20w=
ant=20to=20enter=20
the
=20sighted
=20world=20as=20I=20would=20not=20know=20how=20to=20function.


=20If=20you=20read=20the=20article,=20what=20do=20you=20think?=20Would=20yo=
u=20take=20
artificial
=20vision?=20This=20is=20becoming=20a=20reality=20and=20they=20are=20going=
=20to=20improve=20
the
=20technology.=20The=20chip=20sends=20signals=20to=20the=20camera=20which=20=
sends=20
signals=20to
=20the
=20eyes=20so=20the=20person=20can=20see=20some=20images.

=20Here=20it=20is.
=20
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57522740/new-technology-may
-bring-sight-back-to-blind/
=20_______________________________________________
=20nabs-l=20mailing=20list
=20nabs-l at nfbnet.org
=20http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
=20To=20unsubscribe,=20change=20your=20list=20options=20or=20get=20your=20a=
ccount=20
info=20for
=20nabs-l:
=20
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mail.com


=20_______________________________________________
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ccount=20
info=20for
=20nabs-l:
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=20nabs-l at nfbnet.org
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ccount=20
info=20for
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ail.com

_______________________________________________
nabs-l=20mailing=20list
nabs-l at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
To=20unsubscribe,=20change=20your=20list=20options=20or=20get=20your=20acco=
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