Moneo writes: Take eye care to the streets

Over the past few weeks, there have been two disturbing articles in the press that have caught my attention. The first, a case of a sight-impaired driver involved in an incident with a cyclist that resulted in the tragic death of the cyclist. The second, an article about banning the parking of cars partly on pavements. I will not comment on either case specifically as I do not have anywhere near the full information on either case, but I do wish to look at the ramifications of incidents such as these in the light of disability.

There can be no denying that in this modern, fast-moving world, life for sight-impaired people can be confusing and intimidating. Sight impairment can manifest itself in many ways, from the loss of peripheral vision, with conditions such as glaucoma or retinitis pigmentosa, to the loss of central vision, with conditions such as age-related macular degeneration or cataract. With peripheral vision loss, the brain is very clever in filling in the lost areas with ‘grey’ infill, which gives the person a false sense that they can see fully. No wonder that they trip, fall, or react suddenly to obstacles or things approaching them at speed. Altered depth perception or spatial awareness may well only enhance the feeling of insecurity that these incidents may bring.