If you're blind what do you see when you dream? | Ask Us Anything Episode 2 | BBC Ideas

Summary

In this enlightening video, visually impaired individuals including Lucy Edwards and Dr. Amit Patel dispel common misconceptions about blindness. They affirm that blind people do care about their appearance and can lead fulfilling lives, including working and shopping. They clarify that heightened senses are a myth; instead, they adapt by utilizing their remaining senses more effectively. The video also addresses the role of guide dogs, how to assist visually impaired individuals without being intrusive, and the importance of treating them with respect and offering help when appropriate.

Takeaways

• 🧐 Blind people can have heightened senses due to compensating for the lack of sight, but they do not possess 'supersonic hearing'.
• 🌙 When blind people dream, they may not see images if they lost their sight, but they can have vivid thoughts and memories.
• 💼 Blind individuals are capable of working and leading fulfilling professional lives.
• 👗 Blind people care about their appearance and may rely on others to describe their looks or assist with shopping and makeup.
• 📖 Lucy Edwards wrote the first-ever blind beauty guide, emphasizing the importance of self-expression for the visually impaired.
• 🎖 Simon Brown, who lost his sight in Iraq, highlights the adaptability of the senses and the pride he takes in his appearance despite his injury.
• 🦮 Not all blind people have guide dogs, and guide dogs are trained to navigate from curb to curb, avoiding obstacles and waiting for directions.
• 🚶‍♂️ Guide dogs are not 'sat-navs' and require clear directions from their handlers to navigate unfamiliar locations.
• 🤝 It's important to offer help to those who may be struggling, including the visually impaired, but always ask for consent before assisting.
• 👋 A respectful way to get a blind person's attention is by gently touching the upper arm with the back of your hand.
• 🙏 Don't be afraid to ask questions about a blind person's experiences or condition; they are often willing to share and educate others.
• 😊 Engaging with the person behind the guide dog, rather than just the dog, can make a positive difference and foster a sense of community.

Q & A

Do blind people have heightened senses?

No, blind people do not have heightened senses. They become better at using their other senses, such as hearing and touch, to navigate their environment.

What do blind people see when they dream?

Blind people may have vivid dreams, but the content of their dreams can vary. Some may not see anything and just have thoughts, while others might hold onto visual memories from before they lost their sight.

Can blind people work?

Yes, blind people can work. They are capable of holding various jobs and can contribute to society in many ways, just like sighted individuals.

Why do blind people care about their appearance?

Blind people care about their appearance because they want to feel good and look good, even though they cannot see themselves in a mirror. They may rely on others to describe their appearance or to help them with shopping and makeup.

How did Lucy Edwards lose her sight?

Lucy Edwards lost her sight in 2006 when she was shot in the head by a sniper during operations in Iraq, which resulted in damage to her optic nerves and eyes.

At what age did Dr. Amit Patel lose his sight?

Dr. Amit Patel lost his sight at the age of 11, followed by the complete loss of his left eye's sight at age 17.

How do blind people improve their non-visual senses?

Blind people learn to tune into their hearing and focus on what they need to hear. They also become more aware of their sense of touch to navigate and interact with their environment.

What is the role of a guide dog for a blind person?

A guide dog helps a blind person navigate by going from kerb to kerb, avoiding obstacles, and waiting for directions from their handler. They are not a sat-nav and require directions from their owner.

How can you help a blind person when crossing the road?

If you see a blind person struggling, you can offer support by gently touching them on the upper arm with the back of your hand, introducing yourself, and asking if they need help. It's important to respect their decision if they decline assistance.

What is the best way to get a blind person's attention?

The best way to get a blind person's attention is by using the back of your hand on their upper arm, as it is a non-aggressive way to touch someone and get their attention.

How can sighted people support blind individuals in public spaces?

Sighted people can support blind individuals by offering assistance when needed, asking if they need support, and respecting their independence. It's also important to engage with the person, not just their guide dog, and to ask questions to better understand their experiences.

Outlines

00:00

👁️ Misconceptions About Blindness

This paragraph addresses common misconceptions about blindness, such as heightened senses, visual experiences during dreams, and the ability to work. The speakers, Lucy Edwards, Simon Brown, and Dr. Amit Patel, who have various levels of visual impairment, share their personal experiences and clarify that blind people can indeed work and care about their appearance. Lucy even wrote a blind beauty guide, emphasizing the importance of feeling and looking good despite not being able to see themselves in a mirror.

🎨 Embracing Identity and Independence

Lucy Edwards discusses her love for shopping and makeup, which are integral parts of her identity. Despite losing her sight, she maintains her independence by relying on shop assistants to describe items to her. The paragraph highlights the importance of personal pride in appearance and the challenges faced by visually impaired individuals in maintaining their identity and independence.

🔊 Enhancing Other Senses

The paragraph explores the myth of heightened senses in the blind. Dr. Amit Patel explains that senses do not improve but individuals learn to use their remaining senses more effectively. He shares his personal experience of tuning into his hearing and touch more after losing his sight, dispelling the myth of 'supersonic hearing' often associated with blindness.

🌙 Dreams and Memories

The speakers share their experiences with dreams, emphasizing that not all blind people see images when they dream. Simon Brown, who lost his sight overnight, holds onto his last memory of seeing his wife and often dreams of moments with her. The paragraph highlights the individual nature of dreams and the importance of memory for those who have lost their sight.

🐕 Guide Dogs and Public Perception

The paragraph discusses the role of guide dogs in the lives of the visually impaired. It clarifies misconceptions about guide dogs being akin to sat-navs and explains their training to navigate from kerb to kerb, avoiding obstacles. The paragraph also addresses the common question of whether guide dogs can recognize unfamiliar locations, emphasizing the need for directions from their handlers.

🤝 Offering and Accepting Help

This paragraph focuses on how to appropriately offer help to visually impaired individuals. It suggests using a non-aggressive touch on the upper arm to get their attention and offers tips on how to introduce oneself and ask if assistance is needed. The speakers encourage people not to be offended if their help is declined and to understand the importance of offering support without pressuring the individual.

🗣️ Communication and Curiosity

The final paragraph encourages open communication and curiosity about the experiences of visually impaired individuals. The speakers express their willingness to answer questions about their lives and conditions, emphasizing that asking questions can be a form of support. They also highlight the importance of seeing the person beyond their disability and engaging in personal interactions, such as greeting them by name.

Keywords

💡Heightened senses

Heightened senses refer to the phenomenon where individuals who have lost one of their primary senses, such as sight, may develop an increased sensitivity or acuity in their remaining senses. In the video, it is clarified that blind people do not have 'supersonic hearing,' but they do learn to use their other senses more effectively to navigate the world.

💡Dreams

Dreams are a natural part of sleep characterized by a series of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind. The script discusses how blind people experience dreams, with some having visual memories from before they lost their sight, while others may not have visual content in their dreams but still have vivid thoughts and emotions.

💡Visual impairment

Visual impairment is a reduced ability to see, which can vary from mild vision loss to complete blindness. The video features individuals with different levels of visual impairment, such as total blindness and severe sight impairment, and their experiences and capabilities in various aspects of life.

💡Appearance

Appearance refers to the way a person looks, including aspects such as clothing, grooming, and overall presentation. The video emphasizes that blind people care about their appearance and take pride in looking good, despite not being able to see themselves in a mirror.

💡Beauty guide

A beauty guide is a resource that provides advice and information on beauty and personal care. In the script, Lucy Edwards mentions writing the first-ever blind beauty guide, indicating that she provides guidance for blind individuals on how to maintain their personal appearance and style.

💡Shopping

Shopping is the activity of browsing and purchasing goods or services. The script describes how blind individuals, like Lucy, enjoy shopping and rely on others to describe items to them, highlighting the importance of assistance and communication in their shopping experience.

💡Make-up

Make-up refers to cosmetics used to enhance or alter the appearance of the face and, sometimes, other parts of the body. Lucy in the script is described as being 'obsessed with make-up,' which is an integral part of her identity and self-expression, even after losing her sight.

💡Injuries

Injuries are physical harm or damage to the body. The video includes personal stories of individuals who became blind due to injuries, such as Dr. Amit Patel, who was shot in the head during operations in Iraq, resulting in the loss of his sight.

💡Guide dogs

Guide dogs are specially trained dogs that assist visually impaired individuals in navigating their environment safely. The script mentions that not all blind people have guide dogs, but those who do rely on them to avoid obstacles and provide direction, correcting the misconception that they function as a 'sat-nav'.

💡Support

Support in this context refers to the assistance provided to individuals with visual impairments to help them navigate daily life. The video discusses the importance of offering help and asking if support is needed, as well as respecting the individual's autonomy and preferences.

💡Communication

Communication is the act of conveying information or ideas. The script highlights the importance of clear and respectful communication when interacting with visually impaired individuals, such as using the back of the hand to get their attention and asking if they need help.

Highlights

Blind people do care about their appearance and take pride in how they look despite not being able to see themselves in a mirror.

Lucy Edwards wrote the first-ever blind beauty guide, emphasizing the importance of feeling and looking good even without sight.

Blind individuals, like Lucy, enjoy shopping and rely on others to describe items to them, showcasing adaptability in daily activities.

Make-up is an integral part of Lucy's identity, and she continues to embrace it despite losing her sight.

Dr. Amit Patel lost his sight in 2006 due to a sniper attack in Iraq, which damaged his optic nerves.

Simon Brown gradually lost his sight due to a medical condition diagnosed at a young age, highlighting different causes of blindness.

Blind people do not have heightened senses; instead, they become better at using their existing senses more effectively.

Dr. Patel learned to focus on his hearing and touch to navigate the world after losing his sight.

Blind people can have vivid dreams, but the content may differ based on their experiences and memories.

Not all blind people use guide dogs, and guide dogs are trained to navigate from curb to curb, avoiding obstacles.

Guide dogs are not a substitute for a sat-nav and require directions from their handlers.

When helping a blind person, use the back of your hand on their upper arm to get their attention in a non-aggressive way.

It's important to offer support to those who may be struggling, whether blind or not, and to ask if they need help.

Blind people appreciate it when others take the time to ask about their experiences and are open to answering questions.

Sometimes, acknowledging the person behind the guide dog with a greeting can make a positive difference in their day.

The video encourages viewers to subscribe and engage with the content for more insights on blindness.

Transcripts

Do blind people have heightened senses?

What do blind people see when they dream?

Can blind people work?

Of course we can work.

I’m Lucy Edwards.

My name is Simon Brown.

My name is Dr Amit Patel.

And I’m totally blind.

And I’m registered severely visually impaired.

And I’m severely sight impaired.

There’s all sorts of questions floating around the internet…

So let’s clear the air.

[We put some of the most asked questions on the internet

to our guests…]

[The questions you’d love to know the answer to,

but might be too embarrassed to ask…]

Do blind people care about their appearance?

Yes, yes, yes! We do.

Just because we can’t see ourselves in a mirror

doesn’t mean we don’t want to feel good and look good.

I actually wrote the first ever blind beauty guide.

Absolutely. I love shopping.

I love going out and shopping for myself,

so I rely on people in the shops to tell me, and describe things to me.

I’m obsessed with make-up. It’s part of me. It’s part of Lucy.

Just because I went blind doesn’t mean I lost Lucy.

I definitely take pride in how I look.

I lost my sight in 2006.

I was in operations in Iraq and I was shot in the head by a sniper.

It ripped the optic nerves off my left eye

and there was catastrophic compression damage to the right eye.

Age eight, I went for a routine eye check with my parents

and they said, “Quick, rush her to the hospital.

Your little girl has something wrong with the back of her eye.”

Age 11, I lost my right eye,

and age 17 I lost my left eye,

and now I only have a bit of light perception.

No sense can actually improve.

What happens is you get better at using the other senses.

I learnt to tune into my hearing a little bit more -

focus on what I needed to hear. Same with touch.

I can understand why people might think we have supersonic hearing

but no, unfortunately. I wish.

Now personally, I don’t see anything. I just have thoughts when I dream.

I have vivid dreams. I lost my sight overnight,

so I saw my wife in the evening.

Next morning, I woke up I was completely blind,

so I kind of hold onto that memory.

I see my wife and myself having dinner a lot of the time.

Not all blind people have guide dogs, but this one does.

And how do you work, Olga?

If Kika my guide dog hasn’t ever been to a location,

she will never know where it is.

So guide dogs are taught to go from kerb to kerb.

That means avoiding obstacles -

be it lamp posts, bins, people on the streets -

and then they’ll wait for directions left, right, or cross the road.

I think the most common question for me is,

“Is your guide dog a sat-nav?” And my answer is “No.”

If you see someone struggling whether they’re blind or not,

then I think there’s an obligation for those of us who can,

to support, and ask if they need support.

There is a problem when it comes to crossing the road,

and just being taken.

A good way to get a blind person’s attention

is with the back of your hand on the upper arm,

because it’s a non-aggressive place to touch somebody.

Introduce yourself, ask them if they need support.

What I would also say is, don’t be offended if they say no.

And you never know, that tiny, that two minutes out of your life,

will make such a difference to someone like me.

“How do I help someone who’s visually impaired?”

That’s probably the question

that would probably make my life a lot easier.

Don’t be ashamed to ask, "What happened?"

Don’t be ashamed to ask, "What’s it like?"

There’s so many different questions that I would be happy to answer

if people were happy to ask.

Sometimes it would be nice to see the person behind the dog

and say, “Hi Lucy, how are you?”

It would make me smile.

Yeah.

Thanks for watching.

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