How Blind People Can Easily Use ATMs
The U.S. has over 100,000 ATMs that are accessible to the blind and visually impaired, plus many more internationally. This is required by law - the ADA to be specific. There are two primary ways to use the accessibility features of these ATMs:- Voice: You can listen to voice commands by using your own headphones or ones provided by the bank. The ATM can recognize your voice commands as well.
- Braille or raised keys: The buttons om the ATM have Braille and/or are raised for easy access. For example, the #5 key is raised so the user can easily use the rest of the number keypad.
ATMs for the Visually Impaired
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According to the CDC, 1 million Americans are blind and 7 million have vision loss. Additionally, 93 million are at risk of significant vision loss. Of course, blindness and vision loss affect ones sight, physical health, and quality of life. But they also can have a big impact on these mental health issues:
Almost everyone loves to swim. But swimming as a blind or visually impaired person can carry an added measure of anxiety. How do I swim straight? How to I know when I'm reaching the end of the pool? How do I not drown?!
Last season, David Mermelstein was seated in the outfield bleachers. When the inning ended, Angels outfielder Juan Lagares threw the ball into the stands, intending it as a souvenir for a lucky fan. However, he threw the ball hard, and it hit Mermelstein in the eye socket while he was eating peanuts. As a result, he was blinded.
Here are 5 tips from the Cleveland Clinic that can help explain vision loss to a loved one:
If you suspect your baby or toddler might have vision issues or even be blind, of course the most important thing to do is to get them an eye exam. Here are the most important early signs to look for which might indicate vision impairment or blindness:
A study (in Iran) analyzed the impact that blindness (80% of study participants) and visual impairment (20%) have on one's quality of life (QOL). Here is a summary of the findings:
38 million people globally are blind. A further 110 million are visually impaired, with many of those at great risk for becoming blind. Here are the main causes of blindness:
May, this month, is Healthy Vision Month. So, if you haven't had an eye exam in a while, this would be an excellent time to schedule one.
Here are the 5 diseases which most often lead to vision loss or blindness:
More than half of vision impairment cases can be prevented. Here are seven things you can do to prevent blindness:
Traditional cataract surgery replaces your cataract with synthetic lenses which are monofocal or bifocal. More recently, trifocal lenses have been introduced. However, there are issues with these lenses, including insufficient light and image quality.
The best thing you can do for the health of your eyes is to get a dilated eye exam. When done early, this exam can detect eye issues and diseases early on, while treatment is easier and more effective, and before you start to lose your vision.
Going to a museum is typically rewarding and educational. But it can be a bit frustrating if you are visually impaired. Here are 9 tips to make the most of your museum experiences:
Yes, blind people can play golf. In fact, the rules are almost identical to regular golf. Here are some of the key differences. A blind golfer can:
If you are blind or visually impaired, travel can be a challenge. Here are five choices for you:
These are the 3 main types of surgery for cataracts:
Yes, there are definitely a bunch of good things about being blind or having low vision. Here are the top 10:
Being a parent is never easy, but doing so with a child who is blind can be especially challenging - and rewarding. Here are five tips to help in raising a blind child:
Keep your eyes safe and vision intact with these helpful hints:
If you want some ideas to add to your reading list, here are eight fiction and nonfiction books about blindness which make for great reading:
Mississippi State University's Navigate Rehabilitation and Transition to Careers offers a number of useful webinars to help those who are blind or visually impaired find meaningful employment.
Losing one's sight doesn't mean losing the ability to have fun. Here are some recreational options for those with blindness or low vision. Some incorporate large print, Braille or audio.
Here are some excellent toys for blind children:
Back in 1980 Dr. John Bongiovanni was in a car accident. Unfortunately, he lost his eyesight. Six months later, he returned to work at A. Barton Hepburn Hospital in Ogdensburg, NY. Even though he was blind, Dr. Bongiovanni did bladder, prostate, and urinary operations on eight patients. During the operations, he was advised by other doctors and nurses on decisions requiring eyesight.
Here are some African-American leaders who happen to be blind or visually impaired:
People who are blind or visually impaired can do almost any job, but here are some of the best choices:
Research has shown that when someone loses some or all of their vision, there are seven distinct phases of emotional adjustment that they typically go through:
New research shows that your eyes can aide doctors in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease, even before other symptoms appear. By looking into the optic nerve and retina, doctors can potentially identify Alzheimer's years before they might otherwise, permitting early intervention and treatment that could forestall the onset of serious symptoms involving memory and behavior. It also gives the patient time to opt for healthier lifestyle choices, particularly diet, which can affect the course of the disease.
If you have monocular vision -- in only one eye -- perhaps from an injury or illness, here are some of the ways you can cope:
Permanent cortical visual impairment (CVI) causes visual impairment. According to a study in Development Medicine & Child Neurology, children with CVI typically display these behavioral characteristics:
Here are the most common vision problems in adults:
From elementary school through university, here are some of the accommodations schools can -- and in some cases do -- make for students who are blind or visually impaired:
Here are some of the conferences in California in the next 12 months which deal with blindness and visual impairment:
Scientists in at least 7 companies, including 2 in the U.S., have begun implanting retinal prostheses in individuals with eye disorders like retinitis pigmentosa or age-related macular degeneration, but only when the optic nerve and visual cortex are unaffected.
If you are blind or visually impaired, here are several options for how to travel by plane or other means:
Read profiles of these 7 amazing, inspirational blind people:
Marla Runyan contracted Stargardt's Disease at 9 years old. This type of macular degeneration caused her to become legally blind. Nevertheless, she became a standout track and field athlete, first at San Diego State University in 1987, later in the1992 Summer Paralympics in Barcelona, and then at the 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta where she earned silver in the shot put and gold in the pentathlon.
Derek Rabelo was born with congenital glaucoma. Despite that, when Derek was only three he got his first taste of surfing. He became hooked, and now the Brazilian is an avid surfer.
John Bramblitt became completely blind at age 30 in 2001. His vision loss stemmed from epilepsy. However, John found an outlet for his pain through, of all things, painting! He actually paints using his sense of touch. He can feel the difference between different colors. Among his artistic accolades is YouTube's "Most Inspirational Video of 2008", as well as three Presidential Service Awards.
Mark Anthony Riccobono is blind. At 5 years old he had only 1% of normal vision, and it continued to deteriorate.
Chef Christine Hà got a diagnosis of neuromyelitis optica in 2004. She then began losing her sight, and was legally blind 3 years later.
Pete Eckert became blind as an adult with retinitis pigmentosa. He didn't let that interfere with his passion for photography, sculpture, and industrial design. After losing his sight he actually expanded his art, shooting ethereal double exposures and vivid light paintings with his Mamiyaflex TLR. camera. Since he was once sighted, h can visualize the image he wants to create in his mind and uses his other senses of sound, touch, and memory to make a photograph. "I am a visual person. I just can't see," he says.
If you own or work for a company (or nonprofit), it's probably important to you to provide excellent customer service to all of your prospects and customers. If you don't have a plan for how to provide great service to blind and visually impaired customers, You should.
Contrary to popular perception, there is a spectrum of different types of blindness. Some people are completely blind, while others may be able to see some lights, shapes, or nearby objects. The cause of blindness could stem from the eye or the brain.
Well-meaning sighted people sometimes will spend time blindfolded, simulating what it's like to be blind, in an effort to better understand blindness. Sometimes these initiatives are personal, other times they are suggested by a teacher, trainer, speaker, etc.
