Born Blind vs. Becoming Blind - What Are The Differences?

Summary

In this insightful video, Tommy, known as the Blind Film Critic, interviews Christine Ha, the first blind contestant and winner of MasterChef Season 3. The conversation delves into the unique experiences of those who lost their vision later in life compared to those born blind. Christine, who lost her sight due to an autoimmune condition, describes her remaining vision as foggy shapes and light, while Tommy, who has been blind since birth, has no visual perception. They share their dreams, where Christine still sees in full vision, contrasting with Tommy's sensory dreams devoid of sight. They discuss the advantages of blindness, such as preferential treatment in travel and a reduced tendency to judge others based on appearance. Both express a longing for activities denied by their blindness, with Christine missing driving and Tommy wishing to catch a ball effortlessly. The dialogue candidly explores their feelings about their sight loss and the hypothetical scenario of regaining vision. The video concludes with a discussion on the challenges of shopping and personal style for visually impaired individuals, emphasizing the importance of clear and descriptive online content. It's an engaging exchange that fosters understanding and appreciation for the diverse experiences within the blind community.

Takeaways

• 🍳 Christine Ha, the first blind contestant and winner of Master Chef season 3, lost her vision due to an autoimmune condition called Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO).
• 👀 Christine's remaining vision is described as seeing light and shadows, similar to looking into a fogged-up mirror, while Tommy, who has been blind since birth, has no visual perception.
• 🌈 Christine still dreams in full vision, remembering colors and images from her past sighted life, whereas Tommy dreams without any visual component, relying on his other senses.
• 🚂 Perks of being blind for Tommy include not needing to buy train tickets often and pre-boarding on planes, while Christine enjoys the convenience of skipping lines at airports and not being judgmental based on appearances.
• 🚗 Christine misses driving and watching foreign films with subtitles, activities she enjoyed during her sighted life, while Tommy wishes he could catch a ball and use a computer without speech assistance.
• 👁️ Christine keeps her eyes open to maximize sensory input, whereas Tommy finds it tiring to keep his eyes open and prefers to keep them closed.
• 💭 Both Christine and Tommy have different perspectives on whether they would rather have been born blind or lost their sight later in life, with Christine valuing her past experiences of sight and Tommy appreciating not knowing what he's missing.
• 🏥 If given the chance for a surgery to regain sight, both would consider it, with Christine doing it for her husband's sake and Tommy out of curiosity, despite potential challenges in processing new visual information.
• 🎬 Tommy, known as the Blind Film Critic, enjoys movies like 'Goodfellas', 'Clerks', 'Hugo', 'Manchester by the Sea', and 'Moonlight', which are also appreciated by Christine.
• 👚 Christine relies on her friends and cousin to help her pick out clothing, as they understand her tastes and can describe items to her, although she finds online shopping challenging due to unhelpful product descriptions.
• 📺 The video concludes with an invitation for viewers to check out the collaboration between Tommy and Christine on Christine's channel, where they try Japanese snacks.

Q & A

Who is Christine Ha and what is her claim to fame?

Christine Ha is a Master Chef season 3 winner, notable for being the first blind contestant and winner on the show. She lost her vision due to an autoimmune condition called Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO).

What is the medical term for the level of Christine's remaining vision?

Christine's remaining vision is described as 'counting fingers' at about 10-12 inches, which means she can discern the number of fingers at that distance.

How does Christine describe her current visual experience?

Christine describes her visual experience as seeing some light and shadows, with a very foggy view, similar to looking into a steamy mirror after a hot shower.

How did Tommy, who is blind from birth, describe his perception of light?

Tommy mentions that he has a little bit of light perception, but with the development of cataracts, it has become fairly dark. He does not see any shadows or colors.

What is the difference between Christine and Tommy's dreams in terms of visual content?

Christine still dreams in full vision, remembering colors and images from her past sighted life. Tommy, on the other hand, does not see anything in his dreams, as he was born blind and his subconscious does not know how to process visual information.

What are some of the advantages Christine and Tommy mention about being blind?

Christine mentions the advantage of not being judgmental based on appearance and the convenience of pre-boarding on planes and skipping lines at security checks. Tommy enjoys not having to buy train tickets often and not witnessing people age.

What is something Christine misses doing because of her blindness?

Christine misses driving, which she used to enjoy as a symbol of independence and a personal pastime.

What is one activity Tommy wishes he could do despite his blindness?

Tommy wishes he could catch a ball without assistance and use a computer without speech assistance, like sighted people do.

How do Christine and Tommy differ in their preference for keeping their eyes open or closed?

Christine prefers to keep her eyes open to maximize sensory intake, while Tommy finds it tiring and prefers to keep his eyes closed, finding it more relaxed.

How does Christine feel about having had sight before losing it?

Christine expresses that she is glad she had vision before losing it as it allows her to have memories of colors and how people looked.

Would Christine and Tommy be willing to undergo surgery to regain sight if possible?

Both Christine and Tommy would consider surgery to regain sight, with Christine doing it for the sake of her husband and Tommy out of curiosity and willingness to try.

How does Christine choose her clothing, given the challenge of being blind?

Christine relies on her female friends and cousin who have knowledge of fashion and her tastes. They help describe items to her, and she tries them on to make a selection.