Drawn by Peter Spells. © T.G. Campbell
To many, October is spooky season, but it’s also Black History Month and Blind Awareness Month. I’ll be focusing on the latter. It’s no coincidence that Thaddeus Dorsey, the client at the centre of the first Bow Street Society Mystery, The Case of the Curious Client, is partially sighed. I was born with a hereditary, degenerative eye condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa. Thus, in this month’s blog, I’m going to challenge some commonly held misconceptions which can make life just that little bit more difficult for people with sight loss. This blog is written based upon my own observations and experiences living with sigh loss for 40+ years.
- People with sight loss are 100% blind
Let’s address this one straight off the bat. Most people living with sight loss have some vision remaining. It might not be the highest quality, but it’s there. Personally, I’ve no peripheral vision, suffer from night blindness, and have difficulty seeing in bright and low light, but I can see. It’s simple human nature to want to have clear-cut definitions, but this can often lead to incorrect assumptions being made about someone carrying a white stick and using their mobile phone, for example. That person could have their photograph taken without their knowledge and the photograph shared on social media as an example of someone who is “lying” about their disability. Often technology, particularly a smartphone, is a vital tool in allowing a person with sight loss to live an independent life.
- People with sight loss don’t / can’t work
I have a job and I’ve had several jobs previously in a variety of different sectors from charity to corporate to local government. My eye condition limits the type of job I can do. For example, I can’t do a job that involves driving or being in a busy, hazardous environment like a warehouse. However, I do work and will continue to work as long as there is assistive technology out there to allow me to do so.
- People with sight loss are helpless
As mentioned above, I have difficulty seeing in certain lights, etc, but that doesn’t mean I’m utterly incapable. I might walk into furniture, and it might take me longer to navigate around an unfamiliar room, but I’ll get there eventually. If I need assistance, I’ll ask for it. In the meantime, please don’t presume I’m helpless and pull me along by the arm without my permission. Be respectful and patient.
- People with sight loss are easy to identify
Personally, the only time I’ll use a white stick is when I’m in a busy train station / busy environment. Even then, it’s a stick I carry to allow others to know I have a visual impairment, rather than a stick I use as a navigational aid. It’s not uncommon for people with sight loss to hide their disability. Personally, I don’t use a guiding cane or guide dog because I’m determined to manage on my own for as long as possible. Due to the often-hidden nature of sight loss, others should be forgiven for not being aware of someone’s limitations as soon as they meet them. Therefore, I’m more than happy to answer questions about my eye condition and how it affects me. I’d rather someone ask and be told the reality, than for them to make incorrect assumptions based upon misconceptions.
- Everyone with sight loss can read braille
According to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) around 7% of people who are registered blind or partially sighted use braille. That’s around 93% of registered blind or partially sighted people who don’t. I certainly don’t. I did try to find a braille course but couldn’t as the demand was simply too low to warrant the expense of holding one. I’m usually obliged to rely on my reading glasses and magnifying glass (at the same time) to read printed text on food packaging, in books, and on ovens, etc. eReaders have allowed me to continue reading for pleasure, but I know I might have to move onto audiobooks in the future once my eyesight degenerates further.
I hope this blog has challenged some of the commonly held misconceptions about sight loss and given you some insight (no pun intended) into the challenges faced by people living with sight loss. If you or someone you know is facing or living with sight loss, I’d love to read about your experiences in the comments below. If you’d like to support Blind Awareness Month by making a small, charitable donation, I’d like to politely request it be made to Retina UK, a charity supporting people affected by inherited sight loss that is also investing in medical research to help make their challenges a thing of the past.
~ T.G. Campbell, October 2026