Visual Impairments Activity

One cannot anticipate how difficult it would be without sight until you are blindfolded and told to walk around and/or shoot a basketball. Those that attempt this still have the luxury of taking the blindfold off, whereas someone that is blind does not have that choice. Visual impairments were the focus of this class and it was interesting to say the least. Being blindfolded was not the only task, but also mimicking other visual disorders by drawing objects by viewing them thru a mirror.

My group started off with the blindfolds and in a way it felt like cheating. The building we were in is one on campus that I am in on a daily basis. Having some familiarity gave me an advantage, but I still noticed that I picked my feet up more than usual. We also had a guide person (classmate) that would give verbal queues which stressed the importance of communication. There were obstacles such as tables, chairs, trash cans, and stairs, but having someone with vision by your side made it comforting.

Then we made our way down to the basketball court. Having played basketball since I was a little kid, I felt comfortable in this arena. The challenge was to shoot a free throw and hope you came close. Again, we had a helper to line us up and give verbal directions as to our aim. I was fortunate enough to make one on the second try (two guys made it on their first, damn them), but others provided more entertainment with their not near misses. This activity portrayed the importance of muscle memory for those that have a basketball background. It definitely gives you a greater appreciation for those that can succeed in an environment like this without their sight.

Would you think that drawing a circle, square, triangle, straight lines, or even writing your own name while looking through a mirror could present you with any problems? I can tell you firsthand that it is not easy! You would think that since you look in a mirror to get dressed, comb your hair, or brush your teeth, that writing/drawing would not be any more difficult. Drawing a circle gave me the most trouble. I believe it took about five attempts to get a figure that was somewhat circle/oval shaped. On a daily basis there are people with visual impairment that struggle with these so called simple tasks.

Unfortunately our night was cut short due to a wonderful snow storm coming through the Midwest, but it was a great lesson none the less. Although you get a feel for the difficulties others go through everyday, that’s all it is, a feel. You can never really know what someone with any visual impairment goes through unless you yourself suffer from a visual disorder. Any time you try to plan an activity or sport you must take into consideration everyone’s needs to ensure a good time is had by all. I know I enjoyed my experience and look forward to what the rest of the semester brings.