Seeing Beyond Assumptions
When we think about blindness or vision impairment, we may picture someone who cannot see at all. But vision loss is not one experience, and the ways people navigate the world can vary greatly.
Some people may have little or no vision. Others may have limited peripheral vision, difficulty seeing in low light, sensitivity to bright light, or clear vision in some situations but not others. Some people use magnifiers or other technology, while others may use a white cane, a guide dog, or another tool to help them navigate.
There is no single way to experience vision loss.
That is why one of the most helpful things we can do is let go of assumptions and pay attention to what each person needs.
We can ask ourselves:
- Do we assume someone needs help simply because they are vision impaired?
- When offering assistance, do we ask first rather than taking over?
- Would our directions be clear if someone could not see what we were pointing toward?
- Do we describe what is happening visually when it is important to understanding a conversation, presentation, or worship service?
- Are the printed and digital materials we provide easy to access in different ways?
- How might we make someone feel more comfortable asking for what they need?
Small changes can make a meaningful difference. Introducing yourself by name when greeting someone, using specific directions such as “left” or “right” instead of “over there,” and giving someone time to navigate without rushing them are simple ways to communicate respect. We can also be mindful about moving someone’s belongings or guide tools without permission.
At Church of the Apostles, we continue looking for ways to make worship, fellowship, and community events accessible to people with different needs. That means thinking not only about physical access, but also about how information is shared, how spaces are arranged, and how we communicate with one another.
Accessibility isn’t about assuming what someone needs. It is about creating a culture where people can tell us what they need and know they will be respected.
We may not always know what someone can see, what they need to navigate a space, or what tools help them participate. We don’t have to know all of those answers.
We simply need to be willing to ask, listen, and adapt.