1	Design Considerations for the Blind
2	How Many? Although estimates vary, there are approximately 10 million blind and visually impaired people in the united states. Approximately 1.3 million Americans are legally blind. There are approximately 5.5 million elderly individuals who are blind or visually impaired.
3	Getting Around Approximately 109,000 visually impaired people in the united states use long canes to get around. Just over 7,000 Americans use dog guides. Annually, approximately 1,500 individuals graduate from dog-guide user program.
4	Marital Status and Ethnicity Currently, approximately 42% of blind and severely visually impaired Americans are married, 33% are widowed, 13% are separated or divorced, and 13% have never married. Of all blind and visually impaired Americans, approximately 80% are white, 18% are black, and 2% are from other races. Eight percent are of Hispanic origin and could be of any race.
5	Employment Approximately 46% of visually impaired adult Americans are employed. Approximately 32% of legally blind working-age Americans are employed.
6	Educational Attainment Approximately 45% of individuals with severe visual impairment or blindness have a high school diploma, compared to 80% among fully sighted individuals. Among high school graduates, those with severe visual impairment or blindness are about as likely to have taken some college courses as those who were sighted, but they are less likely to have graduated.
7	Legal Blindness Corrected vision less than 20/200. 20/200 vision means that a person can see at 20 feet what a person with normal vision can see at 200 feet.
8	Causes of Visual Impairment Macular degeneration (loss of central vision) Cataracts Glaucoma Peripheral vision affected first & then central Diabetic retinopathy Optic atrophy Dry eye
9	"Do not discern light or..." Do not discern light or vaguely see large objects Very little color discrimination
10	"Visual acuity of 20/70 or..." Visual acuity of 20/70 or less corrected or have a visual angle of 20 deg. Or less
11	Design Recommendations Avoid clutter Have wide traffic lanes Adequate storage to maintain order Uniformity in environment Light switches at same height Water controls consistent, hot/left, cold/right Kitchen controls have raised figures
12	Design Recommendations Sliding doors on kitchen cabinets (tunnel vision) All projections and obstructions should be removed
13	Design Recommendations Eliminate glare. Visually impaired must put things away. All corners and edges should be rounded. Straight traffic lanes are best. Include tactile and auditory cues when possible.
14	Design Recommendations All floors should be level. Floors should be non-skid. Glass doors should be clearly marked. Electric cords should not cross traffic lanes. No suspended light fixtures or planters. Use feature stripes and a lot of contrast.
15	Design Recommendations Illuminated light switches. Guide rails around stove burners. Hand rails should always extend beyond the top and bottom of stairs.
16	The Courtesy Rules Of Blindness When you meet me don't be ill at ease. It will help both of us if you remember these simple points of courtesy: I'm an ordinary person, just blind. You don't need to raise your voice or address me as if I were a child. Don't ask my spouse what I want--"cream in the coffee?"--Ask me.
17	Courtesy Rules I may use a long white cane or a guide dog to walk independently; Or I may ask to take your arm. Let me decide, and please don't grab my arm; Let me take yours. I'll keep a half-step behind to anticipate curbs and steps. I want to know who's in the room with me. Speak when you enter. Introduce me to the others including children, and tell me if there's a cat or dog.
18	Courtesy Rules The door to a room or cabinet or to a car that is left partially open is a hazard to me. At dinner I will not have trouble with ordinary table skills. Don't avoid words like "see." I use them too. I'm always glad to see you. I don't want pity, but don't talk about the "wonderful compensations" of blindness. My sense of smell, taste, touch or hearing did not improve when I became blind, I rely on them more and, therefore, may get more information through those senses than you do--that's all.
19	Courtesy Rules If I'm your houseguest, show me the bathroom, closet, dresser, window--the light switch too. I like to know whether the lights are on or off. I'll discuss blindness with you if you're curious, but it's an old story to me. I have as many other interests as you do. Don't think of me as just a blind person. I'm just a person who happens to be blind.
20	Courtesy Rules You don't need to remember some "politically correct" term, "visually impaired", "sight challenged" etc. Keep it simple and honest, just say blind. In all 50 states the law requires drivers to yield the right of way when they see my extended white cane. Only the blind may carry white canes. You see more blind persons today walking alone, not because there are more of us, but because we have learned to make our own way.
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