Cours 4 : Blindness & Visual Impairments

Question 1

Do you have to be totally blind to be considered as visually impaired?

Answer 1

No

Question 2

Do you have any experience with someone who basically a visual impairment?

Answer 2

Yes

Question 3

What is the difference between visual acuity vs visual field?

Answer 3

Visual acuity measures the morphoscopic sense, or the capacity if the eye to distinguish details through distance vision and near vision

Visual field measures te sense of space and the extent of the visual field

Question 4

What is being legally blind - legal blindness?

Answer 4

20/200 or less with the best correction (acuity ~ 10% or visual field less than 10degrees (tunnel vision)

Question 5

What is total blindness?

Answer 5

Inability to recognize a string light shown directly into the eye.

More than 80% have residual vision and less than 20% are totally blind

Question 6

What is the classification of B1 and it’s description?

Answer 6

From total blindness to very low residual vision

Description :
- No light perception in either eye up to light perception and inability to recognize the shape of a hand in any direction and at any distance

• Do sports like swimming, judo and wrestling independently. Track event with a guide

Question 7

What is the classification of B2 and it’s description?

Answer 7

Low residual vision

Description :
- Ability to recognize the shape of hand up to a visual acuity of 2/60 and/or a limitation of field of vision of 5 degrees

• Can do many activities independently with the sunlight / bright indoor light

Question 8

What is the classification of B3 and it’s description?

Answer 8

Better residual vision

Description :
- 2/60 to 6/60 (20/200) vision and/or field of vision between 5 to 20 degrees

• Do not use guides for most activities (except high-risk activities ; ex : rock climbing, downhill skiing, etc).

Question 9

Where is the blind when they do blind alpine skiing with a guide at the paralympics?

Answer 9

At the back

Question 10

Where is the blind at the recreational skiing?

Answer 10

99 % of blind people are guided from behind by their sighted guide

Question 11

Where is the blind at the ski racing ?

Answer 11

Almost 100% of skiers are guided from the front

Question 12

What is the incidence in QC for blindness?

Answer 12

8000 people in Quebec are legally blind
50% are over 65 years old
10% are under 20 years old

Question 13

What are the realities of vision loss?

Answer 13

Only 1/3 of adults with vision loss are employed
3X more likely to experience depression
Greater risk of social isolation
practice how to explain by being blind folded (internships in KCEP and AT)

Question 14

What are the causes of blindness?

Answer 14

A. Diabetic retinopathy
B. Cataracts
C. Glaucoma
D. Macular degeneration
E. Retinal detachment

Question 15

What is the macula for?

Answer 15

It’s for central vision

Question 16

What happens when light comes into the lens?

Answer 16

Light goes through and then hits the retina. Retina cells convert light into neural impulses (photoreceptors) - cônes + bâtonnets and its transmitted to the optic nerve.

Blood vessels supply nutrients to eye structures including retinal cells.

Diabetes can affect vision if the blood vessels burst! (Better control it!!)

Question 17

What is diabetic retinopathy?

Answer 17

Leading cause fo blindness between the ages of 20 and 65 years old

Complication of diabetes and leading cause of blindness. It occurs when diabetes damages the tiny blood vessels inside the retina (damages = not reversible)

Question 18

What are cataracts?

Answer 18

+++ in senior citizens

A cataract is a clouding of the natural lens, the part of the eye responsible for focusing light and producing clear, sharp images

Question 19

What is glaucoma?

Answer 19

This disease increases the fluid pressure inside the eye, leading to loss of side vision and eventually total blindness

The increased pressure destroys the optic nerve

Question 20

Why you should avoid isometric exercises?

Answer 20

The overall pressure of the body will be high, especially when there’s an older population

To release the pressure, you can drill into your eye ball and they can give you eye drops.

Question 21

What is macular degeneration?

Answer 21

Macular degeneration is the gradual loss of vision caused by the degeneration of the macula, which is small, circular membrane at the center of the retina (role = detailed central vision)

Occurs in +- 10% of individuals 66 to 74 years of age

Question 22

What is the role of macula?

Answer 22

Detailed central vision ex: reading

Question 23

What is retinal detachment?

Answer 23

Retinal detachment is associated with a tear or a hole in the retina of the eye

Can be caused by injuries or diabetic retinopathy

Question 24

What are things to remember?

Answer 24

People with vision problems are not deaf

When offering assistance, be direct

Never grab a blind person’s arm. Permit him/her to take your arm

When guiding, walk at a normal pace

When giving directions, dont point or say over there

If tou are not sure how much the person can see, ask

Describe the surroundings

Never distract or feed a dog guiding a blind or visually impaired person

Question 25

In walking and talking, what should you do?

Answer 25

Let the person set the pace

Question 26

How can a non-sighted person play bowling or dart throwing?

Answer 26

Pure perception

Question 27

What is VI vs Fitness level?

Answer 27

Results from 20 children with VI aged from 4 to 18 years

Location : Montreal Association for the Blind

Subjects were attending 2 30 min periods of physical education per week (callisthenics, yoga, l;locomotor activities

The body fat is very high because of other reasons : the parents can be overprotective for the blind child and there’s also lack of opportunity.

Question 28

What is the fitness level of the visually impaired?

Answer 28

Lack of regular vigorous activity = predisposes VI children and adolescents to future hypokinetic diseases (hypertension , coronary artery disease)

Question 29

What are the effects of exercise training?

Answer 29

Very limited information
Up cardiovascular fitness + less obesity
Up balance skills + up spatial orientation
Up self-image + Up confidence
Up spatial orientation
- Practice walking a straight line
- Practice walking different floor patterns
- Take a short walk and find Gathercole way back
Following instructions, try to make 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and full turns

Question 30

What is the goal ball?

Answer 30

Required equipment is a bell ball

Three players /team

Helmets, knee and elbow pads and blindfolds

Ball may bounce, but must be rolling before it reached the opponents throwing area or it becomes and infraction

Standing, kneelig or lying position to stop ball with any body part

Question 31

What is beep baseball?

Answer 31

Régulation softball with a battery sound device

Bases - 48 inches tall with an electronic buzzer in each

A team has 6 blindfolded players and 2 sighted players who act as pitcher and catcher and as spotter

Fair ball - umpire designates which one of the two buzzing bases shall be activated

Run is scored if the batter gets to the designated base before te ball is fielded.