When You Meet Someone With Vision Loss

Please treat a person with vision loss the same as you would anyone else, but keep these ten points in mind:

• Ask first, if you think someone may need assistance.

• Offer your elbow to escort a person to their destination.  Never pull someone’s arm or grab their clothing.

• Let the person know about any potential danger in a calm voice. 

• Give specific directions such as “to the right” and not “over there.”

• Use audible cues such as tapping on a chair to show where it is or describing obstacles being passed.

• Speak in a normal tone of voice.

• Talk to the person, not to their companion.

• Tell the person when you enter or leave the room.

• Use words like "look" and "see" just as you would with a sighted person.

• Ask before you move any personal items.