Often, we do not realize the immense value of sight until it is no longer available to us. However, the concept of blindness is much more intricate than it initially seems (excuse the intended pun). Take the example of notable figures like Helen Keller, whose impact on society was considerably amplified due to her blindness. Surprisingly, some blind individuals resist the label of ‘disabled’, instead viewing their condition as a distinctive boon. This perspective might sound unexpected, but it is scientifically supported. When one sense is diminished or lost, the remaining senses are slightly heightened to make up for the loss. Hence, a person who lacks sight might have a stronger sense of hearing compared to someone with normal vision. Intriguingly, some blind persons use echolocation as a method to position themselves. If this makes you think of how bats get around, you’re exactly right! Learn more with these 25 lesser-known facts about blindness!
Featured Image: Ken Teegardin via Flickr
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Guide dogs (for blind or visually impaired people) learn to poop on command. This is so that the owner can clean it up
Source: pets4homes.co.uk, Image: wikipedia 24
The US military once used colorblind people to identify camouflaged colors that would have been hard for people with regular vision to identify.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia 23
Some blind people have learned to navigate using echolocation by clicking their tongues.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia 22
The WHO estimates that that are about 280 million visually impaired people in the world. Roughly 40 million of them are blind.
Source: who, Image: pixabay 21
President Theodore Roosevelt went blind in one eye from a boxing injury while he was still serving as president.
Source: history.com, Image: wikipedia 20
In the United Kingdom, blind people get a 50% discount on TV licenses (for non Europeans - in Europe you often have to pay an extra fee in order to own a television that funds public broadcasting).
Source: wikipedia, Image: pixabay 19
Originally, braille was a technique used by Napoleon's spies so that they could read messages in the dark.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia 18
According to the WHO, 80% of visual impairment cases worldwide are treatable, but 90% of people with impaired vision live in low-income countries with limited medical care access.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia 17
The reason that the popular Redwall series of books for children is known for its descriptive imagery is that the author, Brian Jacques, originally wrote the books for blind children.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia 16
Monkeys have actually had their colorblindness cured when doctors injected cones into their eyes. One day, this could potentially be done in humans as well.
Source: livescience.com, Image: wikipedia 15
During one of the first nuclear weapon tests in New Mexico (trinity) a blind woman named Georgia Green saw a bright flash...from 50 miles away.
Source: abqjournal.com, Image: wikipedia Those who are blind overcome difficult obstacles every single day. Check out who else have overcome incredible obstacles due to their handicap in these 25 Amazing Photographic Depictions Of The Human Spirit.
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Since JD Salinger died without giving up the rights to audiobook version of The Catcher in the Rye, the only way to get a legal audiobook version is to receive confirmation from a doctor saying that you are visually impaired and then taking that to the Library of Congress. This is because US copyright law allows the Library of Congress to make copies of any work available for the visually impaired.
Source: usatoday.com, Image: wikipedia 13
It was only after having made nearly 2 billion crayons that the chief crayon maker at Crayola, Emerson Moser, admitted to being colorblind.
Source: The Telegraph, December 8th 1990, Image: wikipedia 12
Blind people have more night mares than people with regular vision...up to 4 times more!
Source: sciencenordic.com, Image: pixabay 11
If a blind person is afraid of dogs, or allergic to them, then he or she can be issued a guide horse!
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia 10
Guide dogs can't actually tell if the walk signal is red or green so visually impaired people have to rely on auditory cues to cross the road. If a car is coming, however, their guide dog will refuse to move
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia 9
Salty and Roselle were two guide dogs that received medals for leading their blind owners out of the World Trade Centers on 9/11
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia 8
Matthew Weigman was a blind 19 year old who was arrested for hacking. He had used his ultra sensitive hearing to hack phones and make calls to the SWAT team whom he would direct to the houses of people he didn't like.
Source: dailyobserver, Image: wikipedia 7
All pens bought by the US government are Skilcraft pens assembled by blind people.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia 6
Statistically speaking, blind people are more likely to find love than people with normal vision. 65% of blind Americans are married or live with a partner and their divorce rate is only 16.5 percent.
Source: afb.org, Image: wikipedia 5
Mr Rogers once received a letter from a blind girl asking him to say out loud on his show whenever he was feeding his fish. So he did!
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia 4
People who are born blind do not develop schizophrenia but they are at risk for autism.
Source: psychologytoday.com, Image: wikipedia 3
In some countries there are specific textures (tactile pavements) in the sidewalks that blind people can sense with their canes and use for guidance. These are especially useful near crosswalks and metros.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia 2
When they take LSD, blind people can still experience hallucinations.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia 1
The fact that blind people display the same facial expressions as people with sight (smiling, frowning, etc), implies that facial expressions are innate. That is to say, we don't learn them...we're born just knowing them.
Source: psychcentral.com, Image: wikipedia 
