Serving Customers with Visual Impairments 

 General Guidance

1. Every person who is considered to be legally blind by an optometrist's examination can apply for all the benefits afforded to people who are "blind" even if they still see quite a bit and may even walk around without a cane.  For instance, someone with no peripheral bision but who still has bery clear central vision, may not want to use a white cane. Older adults who may not have central vision due to macular degeneration may prefer to deal with a support cane rather than a white vane because of their beliefs of how people will feel towards them if they use a white cane. Someone with mucaular degeneration may be able to walk in the front door of the center with no problem but not be able to recognize faces or use the computer without magnification. Glare and lighting can also be a major problem for people with partial vision.

2. People will be at all stages of acceptance. Those who were born blind may strut into the Center with their long white cane and clearly tell you their wants and needs. A person who is newly visually impaired may prefer to come with a friend or relative to guide them and only carry an identification cane (very thin, folding cane for identification purposes only) and not be sure of how you can help them.  Some people will have knowledge of adaptive aids and devices and others will have no knowledge at all.

Specific Tips

If a person discloses that they have a disability or you notice that they either have a white cane, identification cane, guide dog (generic term) or is having difficulty seeing:

1.  Offer to guide them verbally or by offering your elbow (most will use the cane in the right hand and hold a guide dog harness in the left hand. You will have to note which hand is occupied and offer the appropriate elbow.  Also note if both of their hands are full and either offer to verbally guide them by saying, "Come this way," or by offering to help carry parcels so they can take your elbow.  It is important that you never touch or offer t5o take their cane or guide dog.  Their mobility devices are a part of their person and it would make them feel very vulnerable to have it out of their reach or to have someone touching it while they are trying to use it.  Guide dogs are a mobility device and not pets or separate entities (the more you can ignore their presence, the better. Unless, of course, they are causing a disturbance).

2.  Verbally describing surroundins and lettin a person explore them briefly with a cane or their hands is also very useful so that they can picture it in the mind's eye.  Some people will have the ability to pick up the layout of their surroundins quickly and others will not (just like people who can see!). Howeber, the more you van assist them in utilizing landmarks around the facility, the more they will be able to do on their own.

3.  Offer all the accommodations the Center has to offer in an appropriate format (the one they prefer).  Many people with visual impairments may need a variety of the items due to their partivular vision loss or because of other disabling conditions they did not mention or you did not notice (i.e. hearing loss, mental health issues, brain injuries).

4.  You may provide them with resources such as the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation or ORegon Commission for the Blind; however, they are not obligated to use their services.

 Resources

American Council of the Blind of Oregon

You can connect to the following resources through the website below

http://www.chemeketa.edu/wso/blind.html

American Council of the Blind of Oregon

American Foundation for the Blind

Hadley School for the Blind

National Federation of the Blind of Oregon

Oregon Commission for the Blind

Oregon School for the Blind

Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic

Updated December, 2006 by Sheila Johnson