What does a blind person actually see?
The answer, of course, is nothing. Just as blind people do not sense the color black, we do not sense anything at all in place of our lack of sensations for magnetic fields or ultraviolet light. We don't know what we're missing.
Seeing the different sources of light, called light perception, is another form of blindness, alongside tunnel vision and many more. Though, one point to consider is the fact that individuals who were born blind cannot tell whether they see total black or not because, simply, they can't really tell.
What do people with total blindness see? People who have lost their vision have a wide range of reactions. Some people have described experiencing pure darkness as if they were in a cave. Some see flashes or have strong visual illusions, for example, familiar forms, shapes, and colors, or lights.
One of the most common questions blind people get asked about their blindness is “What do you see?” Unless the blind person formerly had sight, there's no frame of reference to describe the experience. A person blind from birth typically doesn't see anything… not black, not gray, not white.
Some blind people see full visual scenes while they dream, like sighted people do. Others see some visual images but not robust scenes. Others yet do not have a visual component to their dreams at all, although some researchers debate the degree to which this is true.
Questioning the belief that dates back to philosopher John Locke that people born blind could never truly understand color, the team of cognitive neuroscientists demonstrated that congenitally blind and sighted individuals actually understand it quite similarly.
When you are newly blind, in the beginning, it can feel frustrating or scary. This is because you have not learned how to do things for yourself as a blind person. But once you learn the skills that blind people use, you no longer feel that way. Blind people do the same things as sighted people.
Cards, chess and other games
Braille versions – some of the games available in Braille versions include chess, playing cards, Monopoly, Ludo and Bingo. Tactile versions – some games equipment, such as dominoes or dice, have raised numbers that are easily distinguishable by touch.
It is a common misconception that blind people do not experience sexual attraction because of their inability to see, but this could not be further from the truth. In reality, blind people have happy and successful sexual relationships just like everyone else.
Acquired blindness was associated with relatively preserved vestibulo-ocular responses and the ability to initiate voluntary saccades and smoothly track self-moved targets. Certain features of the eye movements of the blind are similar to those due to cerebellar dysfunction.
Do blind eyes react to light?
A recent study has unexpectedly shown that even individuals who are completely blind are influenced by the presence of light.
The colorblind don't see the world in black and white, they can see color, but they a narrowed color perception. Colors lie closer to each other and are not as vibrant or bright as someone who isn't color blind would see it.
What this means is that people blind since birth probably do not experience detailed visual images of actual objects such as apples or chairs while dreaming. Rather, they probably see spots or blobs of color floating around or flashing. The spots may even correlate meaningfully to the other senses.
Most people see splashes of colors and flashes of light on a not-quite-jet-black background when their eyes are closed. It's a phenomenon called phosphene, and it boils down to this: Our visual system — eyes and brains — don't shut off when denied light.
