Daily Challenges for a Visually Impaired Person

According to the American Foundation for the Blind, more than 10 million Americans are vision-impaired. Losing your ability to see presents many challenges in everyday life, but most can be overcome with some adaptations.

Personal Care and Grooming

• Applying makeup, shaving, and styling hair are difficult for those who lack sight. Choosing the proper clothing can also be difficult. Labeling clothing and products with labels written in Braille can help.

Meals

• Meals can be challenging when you are blind. During mealtimes, placing items on the plate and table in an organized and consistent manner can help a blind person feel comfortable.

Money

• Most sight-impaired people learn to identify coins by their size and texture. Paper money presents a challenge because it is all the same size. Folding each different denomination in a specific way can help a blind person identify the right bill.

Housekeeping

• Basic housekeeping chores are often more difficult when you are blind. Sorting laundry, ironing, and cleaning can all be challenging when you cannot see. The vision-impaired often need assistance with shopping for groceries as well, since most packaging is not written in Braille and store layouts can be confusing and change often.