Blindness

Blindness can be defined physiologically as the condition of lacking visual perception. The definition as it applies to people thus legally classified is, however, more complex.

Adaptive techniques

Visually impaired and blind people have devised a number of techniques that allow them to complete daily activities using their remaining senses. These might include the following:

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• Adaptations of banknotes so that the value can be determined by touch. For example:
• In some currencies, such as the euro and pound sterling, the physical size of a note increases with value.
• A lot of banknotes from around the world have a tactile feature to indicate denomination in the upper right corner. This tactile feature is a series of raised dots, but it is not standard Braille http://www.bankofcanada.ca/en/banknotes/accessibility.html.
• It is also possible to fold notes in different ways to assist recognition.
• Labeling and tagging clothing and other personal items
• Placing different types of food at different positions on a dinner plate
• Marking oven, dishwasher, and dryer dials for ease of use

Most people, once they have been visually impaired for long enough, devise their own adaptive strategies in all areas of personal and professional management.

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