How to Interact with People Who Are Blind

People who are blind are just like people who are not in every way but one. Here are ways for people who are sighted to manage that one difference.

Instructions

1. Remember that good manners and respect are part of every civil interaction. Treat people who are blind with the same thoughtful courtesy you would anyone else.

2. Speak in a normal tone of voice. People who can see sometimes shout or speak loudly when they are talking to people who are blind, often without realizing it. Be aware of this tendency, and remember that a person's hearing is unrelated to his vision.

3. Respect the equipment of people who are blind. Seeing-eye dogs are working when they are with their master. Do not pet or otherwise distract any service dog unless invited to do so. Also, do not touch a blind person's equipment, including his cane, unless asked.

4. Allow people who are blind to be independent. Most can do everyday tasks for themselves. You can, however, gracefully help in understated ways. For example, if a person who is blind needs to know where to sit, place her hand on the appropriate chair. Usually that spatial orientation is all the help that is required.

5. Be honest. If a person who is blind asks for your opinion of the way something looks, the white lies you might otherwise tell may be out of place. For example, if the person's clothing is mismatched, you should say so; she can then avoid making the same error next time.

6. Describe the environment when you are out with a person who is blind. For example, alert him to upcoming changes in the terrain, such as a big crack in the walkway. More broadly, describing the things you are seeing supplies otherwise unavailable information to the person who is blind and increases his sense of inclusion.