Who Should Use A White Cane? - Coping + Getting Started + Finding Training

#blind #whitecane #lowvision #blindness
How To Use A White Cane - Basics
• How To Use A White Can...
Deciding you need to use a white cane can be a nerve-wracking, anxiety-provoking experience. At least it was for me! I'm hoping this video can share a few pearls of wisdom about my experience starting to use a white cane, how to answer questions, find training near you, and find the perfect white cane. I always want to hear your experiences and thoughts! Share them below. :)
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Thumbnail Description: Tamara in a green dress and black sweater smiling holding a folded white cane. Text next to her reads: Who can use a white cane?
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Filmed on Lumix G7

[@alanv7251]

In the US, the NFB offers free white canes nfb.org/programs-services/free-white-cane-program

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

Thank you for sharing this resource!

[@tawnie9204]

Potential future cane user here. This video is helpful. It’s harder now to walk outside with curbs etc

[@JonathanLewis-gf1lu]

Hello friend I’ve been using my white cane amost a week it has made a huge difference for me I’m glad I did it boat my self esteem a lot I’m not going back. It took me a long to to embrace my blindness

[@marissasolaun3807]

Thanks for making the video. I really appreciate it. I had a lot of the same struggles as you did. Where I don’t want to stand out or wonder what people will think when I use a cane. But I am going to start trying to work on it a bit more as I know it’s a safety issue for me

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

That’s great news! I’m glad to hear you are working on it. Take it one step at a time no pun intended. It’ll be a challenge at first but you’ll get there! I’m rooting for you. :)

[@dennishadley9151]

Wow! Thanks for addressing this subject. I know that sighted people sometimes project their opinions and judgements onto us thinking that perhaps that some of us are not genuine and that we are faking blindness. . I don’t mind setting people straight but it gets a little old sometimes . You legitimize this point beautifully! Thanks!

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

Thanks Dennis. :)

[@houdini72]

Hey Tamara! This is Harley again. I sometimes use a white cane even though my sighted eye is largely capable. I find my white cane is useful for identification primarily, but it's been great at finding unexpected changes in elevation on my path. I really, really appreciate your perspective in this video because I, too, often feel extremely self conscious when I use it, even though I often only use it in unfamiliar places. Thanks for making this video, it made me feel much more confident in this particular accommodation.

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

Hi Harley! There are so many different ways a white cane can be useful! I’m so glad you are feeling more confident in your decision to use it in those unfamiliar areas! :)

[@JonathanLewis-gf1lu]

Hello friend it’s Jon I I had just started using a cane not long with my eyesight getting worse so I bought a awesome nice one and now I use it anywhere I go. It has given me more courage and made me more out going

[@JonathanLewis-gf1lu]

Hey friend I’ve been using my cane not long but I’m glad I’ve needed one with my eyesight is getting worse so I’m glad I did. 2. It has given me more courage to be more positive attitude and feel better more about myself.

[@ameliacoffman5206]

This was perfect Tamara! I fell and broke my foot a couple of weeks ago after I didn’t see something in my path, and the hospital OT just printed out the Amazon page for white canes and handed it to me without any other explanation or comment about this huge change or what to do with one if I had it. I just threw it away and moved on until this video. You did a much better job and made it a positive discussion! Considering it now.

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

Oh my goodness that’s terrible on so many levels! I’m so sorry for your poor foot. I hope you are on the mend. I cannot believe all the OT did was tell you to buy a white cane and not direct you to any training. I’m so glad you found it helpful! It always makes me happy to hear a video shares a new opinion or helps someone think about things in a new way. :)

[@ameliacoffman5206]

@@UnsightlyOpinions Thank you-it is healing and hurting less! And for whatever reason, I relate to you so very much, and you really are a beacon of light for this newest phase of my vision loss where I am officially legally blind and needing to change more about how I live. Speaking of that, I would love to hear more about how you handle traveling around town. I know you’ve mentioned using Lyft or Uber but would love the in-depth version!

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

I’m so glad to hear you are on the mend. I losing vision is a huge adjustment and it takes a lot of time and patience with yourself. I also broke my foot because I knocked something on it not seeing it was in the way so I can empathize. I will absolutely be doing some more navigation/travel videos in the near future so stay tuned!

[@waylee264]

Great video. I use a white cane for mobility reasons. It really helps me navigate safely. It's also useful for letting others know I am blind. For example, it's really useful when I order a coffee at Starbucks. I want to have the cane in that situation because it helps people understand why I can't read the menu.

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

Absolutely having a cane can make a huge difference how people treat you. :)

[@JanetHadson-po2zr]

Video helpful . I don’t need cane in a place I know either but sometimes I still do even though familiar place cause of lighting etc or possible obstacles. Buy someone saw me not using my cane and a week later my dr told me a story about someone pretending to be blind. I felt it was aimed at me though I have multiple dr reports and scan results about my vision loss

[@sherrythomas9601]

I just want to thank you for your videos. You got me through the Pandemic since that’s was my AH HA moment. You have motivated me with using a cane, getting O&M instruction, and color canes.

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

It’s my pleasure. This is why I like making videos. I hope your O&M is going well :)

[@kondomonster]

I personally was very excited when I first got my white king.. it had a metal tip so it got me in the stomach every time I hit a little crack. So when I got the one with the bigger than a marshmallow dip but it was a lot more smoother going around with it. Now me personally, I use the Walker a related and I just find it a lot easier than using just a cane and a walking cane. But I still do have them as my backup.

[@bethyoung3654]

Informative video, thank you!

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

I’m so glad you found it useful! :)

[@zy9512]

Hi, Tamara! First of all, let me start by saying I have the utmost respect for those who are blind or visually impaired. You're all amazing and strong people for being able to live independently despite being unable to rely on your sight. Now, there is something that I'm curious about your opinion on. What if a person who has high myopia (nearsightedness) wishes to own and learn to use a white cane as a backup tool for instances where they may, for whatever reason, lose access to their glasses and be stuck without them? I have high myopia (-10.00 diopters in one eye and -6.00 diopters in the other), and I feel utterly helpless without my glasses. I can't get chores done without creating a mess, and I can't navigate safely because I can't really see changes on the ground surface. Due to this, I have always been fascinated by how blind people are able to live fulfilling lives independently or with minimal assistance. Just like them, I see the white cane as a rod of independence that makes me feel safe if I ever end up losing my glasses. Even with my glasses on, navigating low-light areas can sometimes be challenging, and having a white cane to probe at the ground would help me avoid tripping hazards too. On top of that, I also wish to learn Braille and equip myself with the knowledge and skillset that blind people have even though I'm sighted. My reasoning for that is so I can at least manage myself better if I am, for whatever reason, unable to rely on my sight. I know this sounds a little ridiculous, but I would love to hear your honest opinion on this. Thanks! Looking forward to hear from you soon!

[@user-ng7ij5ri4f]

I currently use a white cane to get around. I am from Colombia and I work in an institute for the blind.

[@footynutguy]

I'm ok with others using different coloured canes as long as they don't clash with the ones that mean something else, but I prefer the white one. All that I ask is that you don't use darker ones at night as they blend in to the background and people are less likely to be looking where they are going at night depending on how much they e had to drink.

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

That is a very good point I’ll be sure to raise the next time I talk about coloured cane. I never use my black one at night if I’m out alone.

[@sajanagurung5869]

Thank you for sharing. I'm in the same phase you were before.I've trouble navigating around in unfamilier places, extreme daylight & night time. I'm gathering courage to start using with pink cane. Could you make video share your experience using coloured canes & how you edit videos for youtube?

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

That’s great! Good luck on your cane journey! It can make all the difference in the world and even though it does take a lot of courage at first it does get better I promise! :) Absolutely! Actually the how I film video and the how I edit videos have already been shot! It may be a little bit because I am working with another KZbinr to show multiple ways of doing it! So stay tuned that one is definitely on the way. As for my experience with a coloured cane. I would be happy to do that! I was thinking to order a couple of new colours anyways. Might be a month or two before I get that out, but I will absolutely do it!

[@Kovu1224]

I have Strabismus in my left eye and it's due to my CP, despite being mild. I might need an identification cane 🤔, I was having trouble walking down town, where the layout of the side walks were uneven, and the curbs were steep!

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

Definitely something to chat about with an O&M specialist if you can, but from my perspective if it keeps you safer, then go for it!

[@azzthund1500]

Got my first cane last week from the hospital. A guide cane I think it is, not the super short one but mainly for steps, curbs and signalling especially crossing the street. Im going through all these emotions now of not wanting to use it, standing out, feeling super self conscious about it. I struggle to force myself to outt it out. Makes me feel pretty useless I guess. I also feel like I'm not vision ally impaired enough for it, like I'm a fake or something. I don't know.

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

I can completely empathize! That's how I felt for a long time. I promise 90% of people who use white canes stile have remaining vision, so if it's going to help you stay safe, it's worth it. Don't let others or the belief that you need to be X% blind before you are allowed to use a tool to make your life better or safer deter you. :) Best of luck!

[@runesmom1]

I am only 52 but because I have chronic malabsorption issues over the last 20 years I’ve found that things that normally happen to most peoples health further along in life, happen to me starting at a much younger age than “normal”. Things like osteoporosis, arthritis, anemia, dentures, etc all brought on by chronic malabsorption of nutrients. Now it’s cataracts effecting me the most to the point that I’m terrified to drive at night because even with headlights, street lights, lit up parking lots, etc… I feel like I’m driving in the complete darkness of a black void. At home it’s like all of my lights in every room is only a nightlight, I can’t even match my shirt & pants because my color perception is so off. I fear walking over to my friendly neighbors house because it’s so dark to me that I’m always walking into trees, bushes or tripping over chairs & bumps in the edge of the grass & when I use the flashlight on my phone it’s so dim that it’s nearly useless. This has all happened gradually but it seems to have really accelerated over the last 9 months. I have a regular mobility cane from when I broke my leg 2 years ago & have considered starting to use it again but it doesn’t help with the “no light” situation so I ordered a cane from Amazon that has a light in the handle that points down to help see in the dark, I’m still waiting for it to arrive. Im so terrified that I often just start tearing up because I feel so useless. Im only 52 & an only parent to my son. I feel so bad that my son has to have a disabled mom who now is also losing so much sight that I can’t function like a regular person for him. This is all just so terrifying to me. I’m considering the “white cane” instead of my regular walking stick/ cane because I think it’ll be more useful for me but I’m afraid of the stigma that comes along with it & that people will think “jeeze, you overreact so much! You’re not blind!” & because I’m only 52 that cataracts are a ridiculous excuse, lots of people have cataracts & don’t need a cane”. I don’t know what to do but I DO think it might help me feel safer moving in the darkness that the world has bestowed upon me.

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

That sounds like a lot to be dealing with! Vision loss can be absolutely terrifying. However, cataracts are usually treatable if you are able to access medical care. If not, there are so many options to regain your mobility and independence with vision loss. Be sure to check out who's available in your area that may be able to help. And I know many many blind moms who are just fab! It's an adjustment but I promise it doesn't make you a bad parent. You are most definitely not useless! If the cane is the best option then go for it!

[@kimberlywest2262]

I had O& M when I was in school in 1989. I have used my cane, through our the years, when I felt like I needed it. But , now I feel like I need to improve my skills. I have decided to apply for an O & M Immersion Program at one of the guide dog schools, here in the U.S. it is supposed to help improve cane skills. But it also helps build the kind of skills needed to be able to apply for a guide dog. I have sent in the required paperwork. I am just waiting to find out if I have been accepted. I hope I do get accepted. At 52 years old, it will be a new learning experience for m.

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

Thats awesome! It’s never to late to learn new things and brush up on old skills. Good luck on your application! I’ll cross my fingers for you. :)

[@kimberlywest2262]

Thank you!

[@kimberlywest2262]

@@UnsightlyOpinions I have been accepted into the program. Now I am waiting to find out when.

[@sunnybee3882]

Thanks Tamara, do you have any idea on obstacle detector.

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

I’m not quite sure what you mean. Is that a device or are you looking for advice on something to detect objects?

[@alookinsideablindlife5143]

I was told with my white cane as long as the cane has red or white on the bottom people still notice it and know it’s for blind… also under law as long as it has some red or white .. so I have a orange cane with red on the bottom

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

There are so many options these days to customize how ever you like :) I know one guy who had a piano keyboard wrap on his cane so it looked like piano keys the whole length of the cane.

[@kaishawna3753]

I was always taught that you had to be completely blind to use it. I have two and I don't use them constantly. I just use them when I need to.

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

I always think it’s unfortunate when we think that mobility tools are only for people who have complete or total disability. It’s not fair that society seems to echo that belief so even when we would benefit from using that tool sometimes or all the time we are told not to. I’m glad to hear you use them when you need them :)

[@kaishawna3753]

@@UnsightlyOpinions Update. I now favor the longer NFB canes because they give more feedback. I would love to see a review of you trying it out! You definitely do not have to do this. I just thought it would be something to try. I now have a new updated braille display which is now used strictly for music braille. I still try to keep up with braille literacy, but I mainly use braille for music because I can still use print. I use taller canes because I walk pretty quickly. Hope things are well for you! ☺️🫂👩🏾‍🦯

[@cscott50]

I purchased my first cane and am a little nervous using it. My left is vision is 20/400. I get so upset with being surprised when people or things show up. The falls and falling off things because there is no depth perception is something I would love to put behind me. I can’t drive due to no peripheral vision. I am hoping to get over the anger of losing my independence.

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

Hey there! Buying your first cane is a huge first step. I went without using one for years when I needed one. While it'll feel weird at first, it will change your life. The number of bruises, falls, accidents my cane has saved me from are countless and I wouldn't trade it for anything. While you may not be able to drive, it doesn't mean you won't find your independence again. Wishing you safe travels on your journey back to independent travel :)

[@campevergreen777]

Legally you have to be legally blind, at least in some states and in Canada. I have wanted to get one because my strabismus is bad enough that I have near contest double vision, or almost no vision in that one eye. I have no depth perception any more.

[@harlows.journey]

Could you use it if you don't have bad vision loss but frequently run into things? I can still see a lot but I struggle in the light and don't navigate my environment well

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

If you have vision loss then I say use a white cane. You don’t need to use it all the time, just in situations where you are having issues with your vision. :)

[@monicaperez2843]

Don't wait until you get hurt by a car. Was almost hit several several times (to the point of the car brushing up against my clothing). Be aware sight loss can be so gradual that you don't realize it.

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

Very true! Our brains can fool us into thinking we see more than we can by "filling in" missing information with made up nonsense. It's gotten me hurt many times too.

[@user-fc9zf4er1u]

How do you start preparing yourself for losing your site. IAM in Stage 2 Glucoma. It's progressing very fast.

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

I would suggest making a list and prioritizing the things you will need to know to survive first, basic cooking, basic cleaning, etc. Then find hobbies, or activities that you enjoy and fill you up. These will help you get through the tough times when you are adapting. The biggest thing I can suggest is that it's a marathon not a sprint. You can absolutely adapt, but it won't happen overnight. Give yourself the grace to mess up and try again tomorrow. I promise it gets better with time. :)

[@momsarasunar9288]

Iam albinism but i don't use white can because no idiea haw to use i think it's need use thank you for information

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

I’m glad you found the video helpful! A white cane cane be a big help. I’m so glad I use mine. I have another video showing how to use it called how to use a white cane if you want to watch that for some basic instructions. :)

[@momsarasunar9288]

@@UnsightlyOpinionsok thank you so much mam

[@special5513]

6:29 Try red

[@UnsightlyOpinions]

That would be a bold choice. I sure should do that next time I’m in the market. :)