[nabs-l] curing blindness

Mon Oct 1 04:43:09 UTC 2012

Hi all,

This is a very interesting topic.  I am also torn on the issue, but I
think in the end, I would decide not to undergo such a procedure,
especially if it would only restore a bit of my sight.  I am studying
vocal performance, and in the "performance" part of my major, I run
into difficulties because I cannot see (and have never seen) gestures,
facial expressions, and other nonverbal things.  While I do have some
vision, it is not usable when watching a performer or looking at
facial expressions.  It's extremely taxing to explain to people that
with a little extra work, and a willing teacher, I can aquire the
similar knowledge in these areas as the other students.  The
restoration of my vision would make all this go away, and sometimes
that seems fabulous.

But then I think of all the time I'd spend relearning everything: how
to interpret visual cues, how to read music, not to mention how to
read print in the first place.  There are also things I enjoy about
what I do.  I enjoy working a dog, and I like some of the technology I
have.  I'm not at all saying that being blind is wonderful because I
get to have a dog with me everywhere and get cool devices.  I am
saying that there are things that I have grown used to that I would
have to give up and do without if I had my sight restored.  That would
be strange to me.

On 9/30/12, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
> Gerado,
> Yes the I phone can OCR documents, but there are some limits on it and I
> heard its not as accurate as a desk top scanner.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gerardo Corripio
> Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2012 11:12 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] curing blindness
>
> Hey Ashlee and list
> Can't those of us with IPhone already Ocr pamphlets? Sorry for my ignorance,
> but I've had IPhone alnost 2 months; some things I still don't know.
> Thanks for info.
>
> Enviado desde mi iPhone
>
> El 30/09/2012, a las 21:44, "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
> escribió:
>
>> Desiree,
>> Thanks for the info. So when is the braille plus coming out? Then, how
>> much will this cost?
>> I hope less than human ware and freedom scientific charge.
>>
>> You're right it will be able to scan documents. But you still would have
>> to have this thing in a paper form to scan it. Many information literacy
>> things I speak of are not  something you can handle, but are things you
>> simply look at as a pedestrian or traveler traveling by. But, still, I
>> think this is a big step in bringing us  information literacy the sighted
>> people have; many things are able to be handled after all.  Restaurants
>> have paper menus for people to look at for take out food. Most brochures
>> and tourbooks you can grab and would be scannable. I'll research the
>> braille plus. I did not know APH was remaking that product and coming out
>> with a new version.
>>
>> Ashley
>> -----Original Message----- From: Desiree Oudinot
>> Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2012 10:32 PM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] curing blindness
>>
>> Hi Ashley,
>> That's a good point about restaurant menus and brochures, but
>> technology is improving in regards to that. I was just reading about
>> the new Braille Plus which is made by APH, and how it's going to be
>> running Android, so will be an extremely powerful note taker. I bring
>> this up because it also includes a camera, and it said that something
>> like that could be used for scanning menus and other things like you
>> described. I'm not sure if it's going to be able to do bar code
>> scanning. Perhaps so, considering that you're supposed to be able to
>> download Android aps, but since I'm pretty unfamiliar with the Android
>> OS, I'm not sure if there is one for bar code scanning yet. Anyway,
>> this is a big step up for people who don't want to use touch screens
>> but desire some of the things you describe, since I know the IPhone
>> can do this stuff too, but some people have their reasons for not
>> wanting to use touch screens.
>>
>> On 9/30/12, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>> Arielle,
>>> That is my reaction too. It made Mr. Lloyd able to pass as sighted, but
>>> his
>>>
>>> vision was so fuzzy that it really did not help him act like a sighted
>>> person. Want to bet that when he got to work, he had to use jaws or other
>>> adaptive tools to do his work? His vision simply was not at that point to
>>> read print and use a computer to function as sighted at work.
>>> I share your concern that those getting  treatment to restore some vision
>>> would give up proven blindness techniques in favor of the rudimentary
>>> vision
>>>
>>> and therefore they would struggle more than they were as a blind person.
>>>
>>> I am not sure if I'd take treatment to get all vision. I think it would
>>> be
>>> such a psychological and physical adjustment. I'd have to really weigh
>>> the
>>> pros and cons if such  a thing were avaiable; I'd also consider any side
>>> effects such treatment had. One benefit to having more vision is the
>>> ability
>>>
>>> to read; if my vision were say 20/100 I might be able to read more easily
>>> without fatigue. I'd only need some magnification and I'd be able to read
>>> pretty well. I often wondered what it would be like to walk into a hotel
>>> and
>>>
>>> be able to pick up those brochures about local events, read the
>>> restaurant
>>> menu as I pass by, pick up a local newspaper from the concierge, and then
>>>
>>> go
>>>
>>> up to my room and read the tv listings on screen.
>>> I would have a very different experience. Oh, and I'd be able to read the
>>> labels on the shampoo and lotion, and not have to ask someone. I can see
>>> the
>>>
>>> colors, but they are often the same color, so still have to ask. I do not
>>> want to put cream in my hair!
>>>
>>> Anyway, it’s a complex topic and I suspect that as treatment comes
>>> available, some will take it while others will not. Those that do not
>>> will
>>> opt out for many of the reasons articulated here.
>>> Ashley
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Arielle Silverman
>>> Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2012 6:01 PM
>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] curing blindness
>>>
>>> Hi all,
>>> I have studied this topic a bit because it was the subject of my
>>> honors thesis when I was an undergraduate student. I did a survey
>>> about six years ago (a few of you may have participated) to assess how
>>> blind people felt about the prospect of having their sight restored.
>>> One of the most interesting findings was that when asked whether or
>>> not one would take a magic pill that would restore full vision
>>> immediately with no risks or side effects, only 72% of the sample said
>>> they would do it. While most of the participants said they would do
>>> it, a substantial minority (about 20%) said no. Some of the people who
>>> said no cited concerns about losing their identity as blind people,
>>> or having  to adjust to a new sense  and that possibly taking away
>>> from their quality of life.
>>> Another finding from the survey was that most people said in order for
>>> a sight-restoring technology to be worthwhile, it would have to give
>>> them most or all functional vision. I personally don't have any
>>> objection to the technology like the Argus II being developed. I do
>>> think it could be a problem, though, if technologies that only give
>>> very rudimentary vision become popularized. They could perhaps lead
>>> people like the man in the article to forego using a proven travel aid
>>> like a cane in favor of using very rudimentary vision. As a result,
>>> people who have these procedures could actually end up struggling more
>>> than they were before. Based on the article, I am not convinced that
>>> Lloyd has actually gained any independence from the artificial vision,
>>> beyond what he would have gotten with a cane. Instead, it makes him
>>> better at passing as a sighted guy, but possibly worse at navigating
>>> his environment because he is no longer using a cane. I think the
>>> challenges and self-esteem issues associated with "passing" without
>>> actually having good skills are evident to many of us.
>>> I don't think I would undergo a procedure to improve my vision, for
>>> several reasons. I wouldn't even consider it until the technology was
>>> extensively tested and perfected, and then, only if it could actually
>>> give me full functionality (driving etc.) Even then, I'm not sure I
>>> would do it because I am terrified of surgery and only want to go
>>> through that if it is absolutely medically necessary, and I do not
>>> want to put the rest of my life on hold to learn how to see. I have
>>> more ambivalent feelings about how much I want to support research on
>>> curing blindness, and I'm curious to know others' thoughts about this.
>>> I have a genetic eye condition and have been told I should send my
>>> blood to a lab to have my gene identified because this will aid
>>> research on genetic treatments. I've debated whether or not to do it
>>> and at this point I am mostly indifferent. On one hand, I do think
>>> that treatments could legitimately help some people who don't have
>>> access to technology or who  live in communities where blindness is
>>> viewed very poorly. On the other hand, I am bothered by the negative
>>> press about blindness that is often propagated by cure-oriented groups
>>> like Prevent Blindness America or Foundation Fighting Blindness,
>>> making me not want to support these causes. Furthermore, I believe
>>> that no matter how good treatments get, some people will continue to
>>> be blind. So I would rather direct my limited energy toward finding
>>> ways to make life better for those who are blind rather than wiping
>>> out blindness.  What do you think?
>>> Arielle
>>>
>>> On 9/30/12, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>>> Hi all,
>>>>
>>>> I know NFB doesn’t focus on treatment of blindness or low vision; they
>>>> focus
>>>> on living with it and adapting to the world with training and equipment.
>>>> But many organizations do focus on this such as Foundation Fighting
>>>> Blindness and the organization mentioned in this article.
>>>> The link is below to the article.  I think this guy in the article was
>>>> sure
>>>> taking a gamble with his life to walk to work without a cane and only
>>>> relying on unclear vision. At least the quote from him indicates its
>>>> hard
>>>>
>>>> to
>>>> focus and learn to see with this artificial vision; not as if he claims
>>>> its
>>>> perfect. Still he is happy with the artificial vision he does have
>>>> through
>>>> the camera.
>>>>
>>>> I’ve had very limited vision all my life and I was fortunate to be
>>>> taught
>>>> braille after they taught me large print, but realized its shortcomings;
>>>> so
>>>> I learned braille and I had a cane in mid elementary school. Training in
>>>> O&M
>>>> was a lot to be desired, but I did learn how to use it as well as other
>>>> alternative techniques from my teacher of the vision impaired.
>>>> Therefore, I’m adapting and still learning with what I have. Techniques
>>>> will
>>>> also change with technology; for instance, when I was young,  we had no
>>>> digital recorders, digital NLS players, no book share or any way to
>>>> download
>>>> books in braille, no bar code readers, and scanners were around although
>>>> not
>>>> to the efficient degree we have today. So, with all that said, I’m not
>>>> sure
>>>> I’d want more vision. But this article paints a picture of getting some
>>>> vision back as a good thing. I certainly would not want to enter the
>>>> sighted
>>>> world as I would not know how to function.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> If you read the article, what do you think? Would you take artificial
>>>> vision? This is becoming a reality and they are going to improve the
>>>> technology. The chip sends signals to the camera which sends signals to
>>>> the
>>>> eyes so the person can see some images.
>>>>
>>>> Here it is.
>>>> http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57522740/new-technology-may-bring-sight-back-to-blind/
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-- 
Julie McG
 Lindbergh High School class of 2009, National Federation of the Blind
of Missouri recording secretary,
Missouri Association of Guide dog Users President,
and proud graduate of Guiding Eyes for the Blind

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal
life."
John 3:16