What is “Blindness?”

Blindness is a spectrum

[@Jessamineann]

The thing we all need to remember is, if we’re lucky to live long enough, we’ll all probably be disabled in some way. So, we should respect the way people who are currently disabled want to be treated because the compassion, accommodations, laws and culture we build to support them now are what will be present to support us when we need it.

[@DGlaucomflecken]

Well said

[@route2070]

Even when we're not, extending wheel chair accessibility makes a parent's life easier with their kids and a stroller.

[@stargrace420]

A phrase I've grown fond of, as a disabled person myself: "Being abled is a temporary condition." You either live long enough to suffer some physical and/or psychological impairment that impacts your life, or you die before it happens. Compassion towards disabled people is compassion for your future self, as well.

[@madil2259]

Well said my friend.

[@IHaveAVeryCommonName]

@route2070 this is known as the kerb cut effect, because kerb cuts (those little dips for wheelchairs) also help parents with strollers, kids on skateboards, delivery people with furniture carts for heavy packages..... Not all accommodations are kerb cuts, and some things that help Group A will be a barrier for Group B, but we should help when we can in any event and we should absolutely beat in mind that making things possible for some is very often making it easier for all.

[@savethepeacenow]

You should interview Paul from Matthew and Paul. He has had people say he wasn’t blind because he has a pinhole of vision. He even had a place recently not let him eat because they didn’t believe his service dog was a real service dog.

[@ryanratcliff2726]

I'd watch that collab in a heartbeat.

[@avantika_singh]

Yes!

[@AccidentallyOnPurpose]

This, we need this collab. Paul is a good example of people not understanding different types of blindness and sometimes passing judgement without even attempting to understand.

[@nicolegreen3317]

My first thought was that Paul's video about the restaurant might have been the inspiration for this topic.

[@ferretyluv]

Pretty sure that’s why he made this video. He’s from Portland and Paul made the news in Seattle.

[@T3hXinro]

Thanks, eye bro. Genuinely.

[@imonkeybee]

Ah, spot the ortho bro!

[@beauxshwa4030]

@@imonkeybee but, like, bro, aren't we're all ortho bro (comparatively)?

[@roecocoa]

Got a friend who has severe diabetic retinopathy, a prosthetic eye, and a great sense of humor. She describes her own condition as "blind in one eye and can't see out the other."

[@jewelhome1]

My dad used to describe a guy he knew who was extremely cross eyed as “One eye looking at you, the other looking for you.”

[@blackjack2win]

One thing that I remember from primary education, was a morning where a 'blind' woman came to show off her guiding dog and she explained that she can see perfect in a small 10% circle in the left of her vision. That left such an impression on 6 year old me. The dog was there to make walking and traveling safer for everybody.

[@melissaconnellyjones2622]

As someone losing my vision to advanced Axenfeld Glaucoma I appreciate this explanation.

[@heyoitsollie]

Definitely something most people don’t realize. Still lots of “you don’t *look* blind” if you’re able to tell where a person is speaking from or don’t fit the perfect vision loss ideal.

[@tamaramartin4015]

Thank you for saying that. My granddaughter has retinitis pigmentosa and uses a cane because peripheral vision is so poor. She's been accused several times, by adults as well as kids, of faking being blind. She sure wishes she was just faking and not living the real thing.

[@grmpEqweer]

Why do people question that anyway?

[@tamaramartin4015]

@@grmpEqweer Maybe some people just have to have someone to judge.But really, what's it to them?

[@smithsmith6402]

@@grmpEqweer There are, sadly, lots of people who take advantage of courtesies meant for other people. People do pretend their dog is a service dog, make fake handicapped parking permits, fake various disabilities to make people help them or get out of work. Frankly I think people that abuse society in this way should face harsher punishments, as they're not just gaining some minor benefit, but often making people suspicious of people that genuinely deserve those benefits. I'm 38 and had no idea that permanent loss if visual field was a thing. And I've experienced it before as a kid from a concussion! It seems obvious in retrospect, but it's just not the sort of thing most people encounter or think about, so when you see someone can read the menu on the wall behind you but brought a dog in, it seems likely it's not an actual service dog. The last part of it is a quirk of the math, something called Bayesian statistics. If you get a test with a 1% false positive rate for a disease that occurs in 1 in a million people, and it's positive; your chance of having the disease is not 99%, but something like 00.01%. There's a similar effect when you see a rare form of disability; it's less common than people abusing the system, so the odds are that it's someone faking it. It's responsible for things like racial profiling too.

[@duckymomo7935]

@@grmpEqweerwell disability services and benefits require evidence

[@benwest5293]

My grandfather lost his sight in his early childhood due to a bad case of scarlet fever which completely destroyed both his optic nerves. He's got the "full" blindness, as in literally zero sight of any kind whatsoever. Ironically, because I've grown up being so exposed to his form of blindness, complete and total blindness, I was never really exposed too much to other forms, like shown in the video. Thank you for this. It's good to learn of other kinds of blindness, and to better understand the spectrum of human experience. It's funny how overexposure to the most rare degree of blindness made largely me blind to the others (no pun intended).

[@JamesonCycz]

I thought 2080 vision was the ability to see into the future.

[@greensteve9307]

I remember when that joke was made about "2020".

[@samanthascott1271]

I have the exact same vision as someone who’s had a stroke, but mine was caused by brain surgery and a tumor (right homonymous hemianopia). I confirm that it’s a massive limitation. But I am stronger than my pain. It upended my life, but it gave me new purpose and meaning. My vision may be limited, but my perspective and power has grown.

[@Madamchief]

That's deep. More power to you ❤️‍🔥

[@faithfitness6434]

Powerful!

[@itsraining6449]

Thank you for your PSA as most people ignorant of how blind must someone be to qualify as being blind.

[@voicingsomeopinions7006]

It's the case with other disabilities too. So many people don't understand that deafness is a spectrum and that many people who use wheelchairs are able to walk.

[@VideosofIan]

Thank you! It's so sad to hear stories of people 'gatekeeping' blindness. There was a recent story about a visually impaired man who had very minimal pinhole vision so at a glance didn't 'look' like a stereotypical blind person might (that is portrayed in the media) and was given a hostile attitiude about his seeing-eye dog and refused entry to a restaurant. They accused him of not being blind because his eyes looked normal and could track motion etc.

[@minajones8341]

He and his husband make such good videos! I’m glad that the manager and owner apologized.

[@imonkeybee]

@@minajones8341 Matthew and Paul! (And the lovely Mr Maple doggo too!)

[@voicingsomeopinions7006]

It's also important to remember that, if someone wasn't born blind, they often retain some visual habits and mannerisms such as making eye contact, looking at their phone when they get a phone call, etc. Christine Ha and Molly Burke get accused of faking their blindness a lot because they used to be fully sighted and legally blind respectfully and still do things like maintain eye contact and instinctively look in the direction of things even when they can't see them.

[@KrishnaWashburn]

@@voicingsomeopinions7006 Former sighted here -- yes! I have never forgotten how to connect to another person with my facial expression, and why would I? I love Paul, Molly, and Christine, they're all amazing, they all have personalities that really shine.

[@princessaome]

This should be heard by governmental agencies. When I lost my vision completely on my left side, lost my job due to my lack of depth perception, I did not qualify to receive a little financial help because I wasn’t blind enough (since I still have one eye that can see well). I am not blind enough for them, but I was blind enough to not be able to perform my job anymore so I had to spend years before I could find a remote work position that could work with my current limitations, yet I am still struggling financially because I cannot work full time like an abled body can.

[@llareia]

Too true. It's the same for hearing.

[@lightanddarklove]

If I didn’t have glasses, I’d be in such a bad state for daily function. My issue is poor acuity. The other day my husband and I were laying down and he was talking about a figurine on the bookshelf next to the bed (on his side of the bed) and he was shocked that I was completely unable to read the large text on the figurine box. But he did the typical “how many fingers am I holding up” near the shelf, and could tell perfectly fine. I told him what I’ve told other friends before “If I lost my glasses and got separated from you in an airport or train station, I’d have to hope you cam find me. I would not be able to pick you out of a crowd since I can’t see the details of your face until you get pretty close.” Color range is normal (I do graphic design stuff so I’d notice if gradients don’t look right), my peripheral vision is decent (though since glasses only go so wide everything beyond them is blurry and without glasses I can still have a good idea if something is coming at me, so I can so far live a normal life in my 30s, but if I ever have to downsize my house, I’d be unwilling to not have 1 or two spare pairs of glasses since I rely on them a lot

[@TheVivi13]

Yeah needing glasses for a little farther stuff is pretty common. I can't read my phone screen at arm's length without my glasses lol

[@loverlyredhead]

This is me, too. Of course, my eyes have gotten worse as I've aged. So when I was in middle and high school, I'd take my glasses off at the water park and be able to wander around with my friends fairly well (I could identify which blurry people they were based on swimsuits, hair color/style, and skin tone). Pretty sure if I tried that now, I'd be a lost, scared mess. I can navigate my own home without glasses just fine but reading anything a few inches past my nose is near-impossible.

[@ciani2396]

I’m also blind without my glasses and can literally not function at all without my glasses. Last year, I broke them and was out of a job for a couple days til I could get new ones and my manager didn’t understand why I couldn’t just take the bus or work without them… I had to explain to her later that week that I can’t see things clearly past my hand without my glasses and in order to just read things on my phone without them I have to have my phone practically touching my face. When I got my eyes checked my prescription was almost -10 in both eyes plus astigmatism and I’m sure they’ve just gotten worse since then..

[@ithilpalladium]

My vision is pretty bad without contacts or glasses, but not terrible. When I don't have either on I often think about how in the world people got by before the invention of corrective lenses, like it would hinder me so much.

[@venomousspecifics45]

I can only see about 20 cm clearly (-6 D). And I’ve noticed my near vision is starting to go, so i’ll be in bifocals within a decade. I save my old glasses in case i break my current pair. Since I live alone, I need to be able to drive to get my glasses fixed! I’m so glad to live in a time and place with glasses readily available!

[@avantika_singh]

Definite yes to you having a conversation with Paul from Paul and Matthew regarding blindness. Also, thanks for such an informative video!

[@kbates8149]

Thanks for the overview of blindness! It reminded me a lot of the things I've experienced as well as taught me things I didn't know. My visual acuity was severely limited and not correctable due to an autoimmune disorder several years ago. As my eyesight returned over the course of several months, I experienced all the different stages from light perception-only (couldn't even see movement on the very worst days) to 20/20 vision. I will say that when I reached 20/40 vision and was told I could drive again, I did not feel comfortable driving. I waited to get behind the wheel of a car until I was at 20/30. I wasn't aware of all the different peripheral vision issues that can come up in disorders different from mine. Your example of the stroke patient was especially enlightening, it didn't even occur to me that the peripheral vision would be lost in that kind of pattern, but it makes sense.

[@1234cheerful]

Thanks for explaining this. Pete Gustin Blind Surfer has explained numerous times how his blindness happened over time and what he actually sees (I believe he can see bright lights but cannot focus on objects). It was frustrating for him when "Mr Beast cured blindness for 1000 people" but what Jimmy really did was pay for a specific operation that fixes one condition that causes blindness. Which is not a condition Pete has and people drove him nuts saying confidently, "Mr Beast cured blindness you should talk to him!" like Pete did not have his own medical and opthalmological advisors, and an understanding of his own condition.They meant well but that only goes so far.

[@airflea]

l love this! Thank you for making this. I went to a school that was In a area famous for its education for the deaf and blind. I had a friend in high school a decade back who was legally blind but could make out light. I was so baffled by this and got to talking and learning about him. He was also interested in a paperclip chain I had made and was surprised how weird it felt and looked. I started walking a quarter mile down the road in the morning before school just so I can get on his bus and ride with him just so we could hang out longer as the only time we could was on the way to school most days. Well one day I stopped seeing him on the bus or around school and got worried. he suffered from depression which was also something we bonded through. Weeks went by and I slowly started to only show up every few days just to check if he'd come back. That's when suddenly he was back like nothing ever happened. The first thing I noticed after seeing his was actually there and sat with him though that there was this large ball of duct tape holding together a droopy walking stick that had been snapped down the middle. I was shocked and heart broken to see that and asked him to tell me exactly where he been and if he was ok. This is where he told me he had been suspended along with the most epic story I heard from a high school. Apparently one of the guys from the football team decided he was a good target to bully. This football player make three mistakes though. Firstly bullying is wrong. Secondly my friend had a reeeeally bad temper with few outlets. And three that being blind doesn't mean he couldn't see him. That's when my friend turned and jumped him with his cane and took him to the ground till people could pull him off of him. He. Was. Out. For. Blood. Friend became the reason no one messed with "The Blind Kid". The Jock lost all his rep in every clip whether it was for bullying someone or for getting his butt kicked by "someone blind". I haven't seen him since high school so I think I'll try look him up and get in contact to see how he's been. I remember he has in a death metal band. I wooonder....

[@janee9169]

I was diagnosed with RP several years ago. It's been extremely slow-progressing for which I'm grateful. This week I'll be going to my 3rd ophthalmologist, hoping, not for a cure (there is none), but a willingness to help me explore possible options as it does progress. I've never even been genetically tested to see which kind it is. This particular Dr. has done lots of research so who knows. Thank you for expanding on this subject. Going to share with my family who have zero idea of my limitations or abilities. 🙄 Also, I work in GME and your videos about residency are absolutely spot on. I share with my co-workers all the time. Please never stop. 🤣😂

[@user-yc4fz7vv6u]

good luck with the new doctor

[@jessicamar1425]

My dad and uncle have/had RP. Wishing you the best with the new doctor.

[@janee9169]

@@user-yc4fz7vv6u Thanks! 💙

[@janee9169]

@@jessicamar1425 I wish the best for both of them and thanks! 💙

[@meganofsherwood3665]

As a newly-minted Resident-to-be, thank you for your work in GME, and best of luck with your new ophthalmologist!!

[@tamaramartin4015]

My 15yo granddaughter was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa in kindergarten. She uses a cane because her peripheral vision is so poor; she doesn't use it to navigate but to build room around her so she's not crashing into things and people, or them into her. She's been accused several times of faking being blind, to the point that she doesn't want to use her cane at all or even go to school.

[@jessicamar1425]

My dad and uncle presented with RP when they were young, and sadly immigrant families in the Midwest did not think anything was different other than abnormal clumsiness ('did you not see that there??'). Things got better for them and they grew to be independent and were able to navigate the busy sidewalks of San Francisco on their own. Science has improved and there's more awareness now but society still needs to catch up. I'm sending my best to both of you.

[@tamaramartin4015]

@@jessicamar1425 Thank you, i appreciate your kindness. i'm glad things got better for your dad and uncle. 🙂

[@iyar220]

That's terrible. Kids are awful sometimes.

[@tamaramartin4015]

@@iyar220 Thank you. They sure can be, but i also think they just don't have a lot of familiarity with these things. She's also been accused of it by adults, which bothers me more than when the kids do it. A couple questions instead of immediate judgment would be very helpful.

[@KD-vf6yq]

I thought RP could only affect males?

[@tigdamch.6321]

Yes this! I can't drive, a lot of what I see of peoples faces is a blur any lightsource stretches and duplicates. With glasses I can function well enough but I certainly miss things and some jobs or tasks just aren't safe for me to try. Things can get better or worse so if there's a change in your vision see your DR about it, they maybe able to catch and manage something to prevent things from getting worse! Good info DR ^^

[@mortarfo7910]

Had a buddy of mine, many years ago getting his motorcycle endorsement added to his D, had to do the eye test at DMV. That’s when he learned he lost almost all his vision in his left eye. He hadn’t taken an eye test for years. Happens so gradually, he had no idea.

[@llareia]

It's a shame that most primary care providers don't do vision screenings anymore. I mean, I see the eye doctor regularly so it wouldn't do anything for me, but for people like your friend, a simple screening at a checkup might have really changed his story.

[@KxNOxUTA]

Thank you! That was long overdue education for general public for sure. And will definitely help ppl with any degree of blindness to be better understood and supported by anyone who's here to learn this AND teach it to ppl around us, too.

[@FirebreathXIII]

As someone who's a caregiver to an elderly-ish "blind" person with Retina Pigmentosa (my mom), thanks for explaining this! More people need to be made aware of this... And I also have the feeling that this video was caused to exist due to a certain adorable couple being refused access, and making the news here on KZbin... Which, while very angering, is good that more people are now aware.

[@louiesmom7394]

My dad had macular degeneration and could sometimes see a little, but mostly shadows and a narrow bit of limited vision. I felt so bad for him.

[@KxNOxUTA]

The last bit is problematic. What you expressed, was "I felt bad about it". Or in best case it would be "I always felt with him and his struggles". The reason this is problematic, is because if you say it like this, then it reads like "A person - who has their hands full with their own struggle - is responsible for my negative emotions" intead of "I had a negative response and I own my own feelings, it's not their responsibility". I assume you do not want to be the person to re-enforce the often already constantly pre-existing guilt in people who suffer with illnesses or disabilities, correct? Just like you hopefully wouldn't want your dad to "feel bad about pre-existing negative emotions activating in you, with the result of him developing a counter response of masking his struggles and support needs". None of that is helpful to anyone. People who struggle are not responsible for our emotions. When we express emotions as co-survivors to another person's struggle- a valid AND important thing to do - we OWN our emotions still and always frame them as our responsibility. Because it's not about them but ourselves. Supporting ourselves and owning our feelings about the struggle of others IS a form of general mature emotion management but also an active form of support towards ppl who struggle. They cannot rely on us is they cannot trust us to self-care and self-manage properly, while they share their burdens with us.

[@Swanke]

@@KxNOxUTA homie he felt bad that his dad had poor vision, it isn't that deep. it's basic empathy. if someone is suffering from something and it makes them feel bad sometimes, then yeah, a typical human feels bad especially with and for those they care about.. like a dad. chill yo

[@DangerSquiggles]

@@KxNOxUTA For someone who typed a short novel on how this guy failed to be empathetic towards his dad, you are very unempathetic yourself. Shameful.

[@DeathnoteBB]

@@KxNOxUTAI get what you’re trying to say, but I think that usually applies to strangers. You’re allowed to pity your own father

[@TyrantLives]

Personally I feel like the fact that I'm not a functioning human being without my glasses on and cannot learn to be able to be one due to other neurological problems that "blindness" should subjectively apply to me, but that doesn't matter if my glasses "fix" the surface level issue being my nearsightedness. It's a huge spectrum and sometimes it's more of a legal problem like you've mentioned which is its own WONDERFUL spectrum.

[@xedden2]

Have you looked into neurooptometric rehabilitation? Might be able to help with whatever neurological problems you have.

[@TyrantLives]

@@xedden2 I have some in my regimen but I have Stiff Person Syndrome so a lot of my problems come from muscle spasms (including in those related to my eyes) and occasional migraines that impact my vision from extreme stiffness in my neck (I forget the technical term my neurologist gave me for why this one happens).

[@LibraryAce]

Glasses are a disability support as much as a wheelchair or hearing aid. They just happen to be very commonly needed, so they are also "normal" and even a cool fashion statement. Hopefully one day, any support someone needs will be equally respected and normalized.

[@kts8900]

I would be completely incapable of doing my job without corrective lenses. I don't even think about my contacts, most people don't know I have them, but there is literally no safe accomodation that could be made for me if I didn't have them. I didn't even think of that.

[@LeviFiction]

Very good info. Once went to a school for the blind for a college course on teaching exceptional children. Got to wear headgear to simulate common types of blindness and the various tools and considerations. I am only blind in the sense that my high index lenses still look thick.

[@sarahmacintosh6449]

I did a class where we used those once. One of them was actually better than my normal vision (without glasses). With glasses I'm fine, fortunately. Having worn glasses since I was 18 months old, I never fully realised how astounding that was to my classmates.

[@HolyKhaaaaan]

What do they look like? Charts are nice, but does blindness look like seeing black, or something else? Does it look like seeing something really there, but it's like looking at a pixel of it at a time? What's it like?

[@dacisky]

@@HolyKhaaaaan Oliver Sacks has a lecture on this on line. People can hace Charles Bonea syndrome where the brain replaces no vision with random images.

[@almightyk11]

I had a blind friend in a class. They described their blindness as "Imagine being in a room with the light off at night. If somebody moves you can see the shadow changing, but you don't know what it is or what else is there." Meanwhile I have had higher than 20/20 vision and while that is still the case I have a degrading Astigmatism meaning I need to get glasses now to deal with the glare. I can still see how many letters are on a sign, but have trouble reading what those letters say.

[@IrisGlowingBlue]

That's a solid description!

[@TheNylter]

As someone who has cataract surgery scheduled in June 2024, I thank you for this primer.

[@miragegrey4177]

It's life-changing surgery. I'm sure to the docs it's like performing an oil change, but the difference to the patient is immediate and wonderful!

[@peterbaker6827]

Genuinely nice to see you as your actual doctor self, the level of knowledge you have a care is evident in your delivery. Don’t very me wrong I love your skits they’re great. Really nicely presented and gave me even further understanding on the subject.

[@mikew1332]

I discovered your channel only a few days ago via the topic of our favorite EHR behemoth/system. I assumed all of your shorter videos were the funny ones but now you surprise me with this. Nice explanation - I learned something today. Thanks!

[@jonbob2]

As much as I've come to love your characters, this is your best video yet.

[@AndreaHernandez-zt6cx]

I am going to bed incredibly grateful this evening. ....and more understanding of the importance of helping the visually impaired early on in life (i work in Early Intervention ). Thank you for that educating us on that.

[@Ole_Rasmussen]

I've seen a lot of comments lately that make this kind of video necessary, thank you doc

[@voicingsomeopinions7006]

It's been an issue for a very long time sadly. When Christine Ha won MasterChef in 2012, she got so much hate from people who claimed she wasn't really blind because she could see some shapes and some colors.

[@Sean-fw1oo]

Loving the eyeball videos. Learning so much.

[@EthanNakuma]

I was always told that if I can get corrective lens (no matter how strong or coke bottle like) and still see somewhat clearly I can't be considered blind. However, without corrective lens I'd be sol.

[@ciani2396]

Yeah I’m in a similar boat, my vision is still correctable.. but without my glasses I’m not functional. I almost lost a job once because my pos manager wouldn’t believe me when I told her I couldn’t just “take the bus” and work without them because I wouldn’t be able to make it to the bus stop, let alone do my job without my glasses. -10 in both eye woot 😅

[@EthanNakuma]

@@ciani2396 It's to the point where I always keep an extra at work and in my car just in case. Because I literally cannot do anything without them. I feel like Velma when my cats knock my glasses off the nightstand during the night and I need them in the morning.

[@ciani2396]

@@EthanNakuma same lol I have to have my husband help me find them if they fall on the floor

[@EthanNakuma]

@@ciani2396 I use my phone camera on full brightness and mega zoom to help atm. Works out well when I'm alone.

[@voicingsomeopinions7006]

In terms of getting low vision services, someone is considered legally blind based on their vision with maximal possible correction. However, it is definitely important to acknowledge that someone with significant vision loss that is correctable will still have a very hard time without their glasses.

[@moodrider]

Thank you that explains a lot. I am having cataract surgery soon and I cant wait! One eye is like someone put a layer of petroleum jelly on it. I can see shapes but no detail. What surprised me is how much my depth perception is affected. I dont see bumps or height on footpaths etc so I need to be careful when out walking. It gets tiring I must say

[@CaptainR3110]

This is a great insight into an often overlooked area. I would love more videos like these

[@princessbride42]

Thank you for this video. I have a friend who qualifies to drive but has limited vision, and she asked me to teach her how to drive. I had to tell her I don't feel qualified, but I hope she can find someone who can help. This video helps me understand some of the difficulties

[@Nurse.Maia.A.G]

I have severe myopia, which not only affects my acuity, but has caused me to develop A lot of issues including glaucoma and cataracts - in my 30s. My acuity is so bad, doctors can't tell me what my "number" is, but to put it in perspective, without corrective lenses my distance of visual clarity is about 3 inches. I'm lucky that with contact lenses I can get close to 20/30 (at best). Depending on many factors, I am at the ophthalmologist every 3 to 6 months for pressure and retina checks, and my yearly visual field test. My left eye is worse than my right eye, and I have lost trace peripheral vision. I'm lucky that I have a great team taking great care of me and maintaining my vision. I'm an RN and 44y/o now, and if things continue on the course they are, I will definitely make it to retirement before my vision becomes a real issue. Shout out to Dr. Christopher Holt for being my amazing provider since 2007!

[@b3tth0l3]

My heart breaks for my wife who began to lose her central vision (central scotoma) in both eyes at the age of 21 while in medical school. She's progressed to the point where she can barely count fingers in front of her face now. She's so intelligent and has such a bright future ahead of her and definitely does not deserve this at all. Life can be so unfair to some people sometimes. I want to care for her all her life and help her to achieve her full potential, or even just to get by if that's all she wants. Stargadt's disease and other related macular/retinal dystrophies are a real b**ch. Let's hope for a cure in the near future.

[@lisaaugust5935]

I like these educational shorts. Thank you for giving us this info in quick form.

[@rockyc245]

You make addictive videos, but this was excellent explanation of vision. You make a good surgeon too…as a cardiologist, you are fantastic. Thanks for the medical humor and education. This coming from an RN.

[@armedpotato3617]

Doctor G. Perfectly explaining the struggle in defining nearly everything academic here. There is wide variance in the defining of phrases such as blindness in all fields due to the difference based on who you ask and what you are doing. Different organizations define different things in different ways, which leaves individuals with a monumental task in sorting out the definition of those things.

[@robertgibbs6154]

Dr. G, thanks so much for explaining this. I've worn glasses since I was 6 (57 now) and no one has ever explained this to me. This was so informative. You're also a good teacher.

[@mousethefoo1230]

As some one with an invisible disability(Trigeminal Neuralgia) I can empathize with "You don't look blind" bullshit.

[@dcloud3791]

“Blindness is a spectrum”. Knowledge gained already!

[@KrishnaWashburn]

Thank you, Eye Bro, not only for these clear and helpful explanations, but also for just using the word "blind." I have only a very small residual visual field that is hard to utilize, but I am not a "total" as some of my friends in community would say. I might not be a "total," but I'm totally comfortable calling myself a blind woman. It's not something that should be considered embarrassing or shameful, because it's not. I've had well-meaning people act afraid to say the word, or they say, "I don't think of you that way," and I ask why. They might say, "Oh, because you're smart and you can do so many things." And to that, I have to say: there's lots of blind people who are smart and who can do so many things! Nobody should feel ashamed to say the name of their disability. Thanks for fighting stigma, Dr. G!

[@SuperDoNotWant]

The frightening thing about visual field loss like hemianopia is you can not know you have it, because our brains are just so good at adjusting for our vision. You might just think you've gotten clumsy or forgetful because you're bumping into stuff, or misplacing stuff.

[@AliasPhex]

I learned more here than working at an optometrist’s office (as a receptionist and phone center person). This was so helpful! I’m glad to understand what these charts mean, among other things.

[@reliablevariable1615]

Interesting video! My first job many many years ago was as an intern at the Lighthouse Guild. My boss has maculuar degeneration and had moved to NYC from Arkansas because there weren't accomodations for people with visual impairment like him. The textures of the corner of the sidewalk and even subway really helps to signal to a person using a cane where the danger lies. Even the colors of doors were taken into account. For example, the door and handle to the custodial storage room was painted white to prevent anyone from accidentally going in there on their way to the bathroom. I remember getting a bookmark and it would simulate the different conditions like maculuar degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. It was in the shape of an eye and parts of it was see-through so you can hold it up to your eye and see how a person with each condition would navigate life. I wish all opthalmologist offices would have it. It was really empathy-building.

[@user-yc4fz7vv6u]

Thank you for this. I have relatives with retinitis pigmentosis with varying amounts of vision but all considered blind from a social security point of view ( we are not in the US) Definitions of blind can also vary from country to country.

[@SanguineBanker]

I'm so excited and happy to read this. It's the tip of the iceberg and still less than what most people know. It's important that these basic concepts are communicated clearly by professionals and it is awesome to see you doing that. Just wish there were more of you out there. Sharing this!

[@kimborealis]

Ì spent 58 years legally blind. (20/300 in both eyes) Cataract surgery corrected me to 20/30 in 2016. It is life-changing to not have to wear incredibly thick heavy glasses any more! I wake up every day thankful for my cataract surgery! You and your specialty will always have a cherished place in my heart! ❤

[@jaytucker7873]

Wow, what a wonderful video! Thank you Dr. Glaucomflecken!

[@Jack-xj4jj]

This was very enlightening, thank you. I’m sitting at an AWESOME -4.50 and cannot function without my glasses or contacts. I’m always afraid of the idea of losing my insurance because if something were to happen to my glasses, and I run out of contacts, I’m functionally blind. It’s at the point now that I can’t read in bed without my glasses, because I can’t read a book if it’s as far as my lap. I would see my eye doctor way more often (as I’m only 30, so this is bound to get worse) but even with insurance I have to pay an arm and a leg. I probably am due for another eye exam though.

[@chillvibes9022]

This is so fascinating. More eye learning videos, please. Thanks for sharing this. Sooo cool to learn about.

[@Spindown8]

I adore the comedy of this channel, and I know that it is the primary content, but I would love to see more educational content like this! Thank you.

[@orchetect7415]

Great info and easy to understand 👏

[@mariahc6496]

I realize now that you've lured us all in to following your funny med skits to accomplish the actual goal - dropping the real ophthalmology knowledge on us! 😂 Thank you so much for this informative video!! I'd love to see more like it!

[@jmsa2760]

Love the explanation and the understanding and care you show for your patients (these are I suppose common patients to you). Thank you so much

[@teresasimms7801]

This post is extremely informative. I just learned a lot about vision and blindness.

[@seethlaemmert5175]

I really enjoy your straight informative pieces. Thank you!

[@bobbyfeet2240]

I'm married to an optometrist and I still learned stuff from this. Thank you!

[@droxina]

Your compassion surely comes through to all your patients. Thank you for sharing this insight.

[@jonatchley6045]

Absolutely yes! My husband has kerataconis and has had lammelar corneal transplants. On the one hand, he has never been able to drive, but he navigates the world fine and holds a good job in computer software development.

[@shawnycoffman]

This was a great PSA. Thanks for posting!

[@ellesaurus]

This is such an important video! Thank you for putting this kind of awareness out into the world

[@H.JudahMack]

Thank you for this. I appreciate it.❤

[@brendaframe9661]

Thank you for the sight education. I found it very interesting. Thank you!

[@VitaInDC]

This was easily understandable and so well done, Dr. G. Thank you.🤓

[@jamesburton1050]

Explaining definitions is always good!

[@CrowValley]

Timely video. I was diagnosed with glaucoma today and underwent the testing shown. This help a great deal.

[@Woodland_Adventures]

My uncle got in a motorcycle crash when he was in his 20's, and the resulting scar tissue crushed and severed the nerves that lead from the eyes to the brain. He is legally blind, to the point of only able to register a small amount of light in his eyes. It's important than people realize that blindness can happen to anyone, at anytime, but that it's not a life ending situation. My uncle still works as a musician, preforming gigs all over the state we live in.

[@odo324]

A much NEEDED video. Thank you! 👀

[@user-gx5lo6yu2i]

You’re such a good teacher. I didn’t even know I needed these answers. Thank you for telling me the questions! 😂 I absolutely love when an a topic peaks my interest just right and opens a rabbit hole of discovery in the form of a Google tab. I can’t go on another second not knowing everything about braille. Who it’s offered to who it’s not offered to …how hard is it to learn as an adult vs as a child. 🐰 🕳️ 👋

[@positivibeespreadingpositi6439]

Thank you for explaining! ❤

[@sarawillie5765]

Thank you so much for this! My daughter has large optic disc, retina, and iris colobomas in both eyes, this helped me understand her vision loss so much better, you explained everything so well.

[@raj-xh7bf]

Thanks for this simple clear explanation!

[@wcjerky]

Love the video. It is worth mentioning that this video didn't even have time to mention other types of impairments like diplopia et al or photophobia!

[@timontran4728]

Love this video. I learn so much from it.

[@Anna-rs4mx]

This helps me explain my blindness to my family. And how I look normal to them.

[@Kait2478]

This was very enlightening to learn about. Thank you!

[@socpancake]

thank you for this thoughtful, informative, and considerate explanation!

[@oliviareames1500]

Thank you for this! Deafness is similar! I’ve had entire verbal conversations with a Deaf person who still uses ASL and vibrations to navigate the world. And most visually impaired individuals do not read braille 😂 this is mostly because vision loss tends to happen later in life and by that point most people can’t be bothered to learn

[@teri2466]

Wow, interesting. Thanks, doc! 😊

[@DOHMO]

Really good on point video. Thank you.

[@WrenStanchen]

Thank you for teaching us!

[@jenleigh4212]

Thanks for the informative content! It's very interesting and good to think about.

[@elumbra]

0_0 I have those pieces of art too! Lol. Makes a lot of sense to see that you have them given your specialty. They are a great series of pieces.

[@lauralake7430]

This is really important. Thank you.

[@AlphaFemmeXtine]

I loved this! So interesting.

[@queenbunnyfoofoo6112]

Thank you for an excellent educational video.

[@fine2dreamw618]

Thank you for this information. Very helpful.

[@mjustjeanette7026]

Thank you for such an informative video.

[@colie563]

Great explanation s for the lay person. Thank you.

[@meghan253]

Personally, I love the fact that this is the third popular video I've seen around in the past week or so about the *range* and *variation* in blindness and deafness. There is a lot of misinformation out there, and I don't like seeing comments like, "how can you speak 'normally' if you're really deaf??" on some of my favorite creators videos. I appreciate how larger platforms are taking the time to help educate the public!

[@candicehuggins]

This was so very informative and helpful! I have never really considered this topic before, and there’s a lot to learn!

[@wrensview171]

This is super interesting to see the different field of vision charts and causes. I have completely missing vision in the bottom of my left eye, but never learned the cause for it

[@colinmceldowney7539]

Thank you! I really enjoyed this video!