Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors. Blindness can be total, meaning that there is no light perception whatsoever, or it can be partial, meaning that some light may be perceived but forms and shapes cannot be distinguished. In scientific literature, the term “blind” generally refers to those individuals who have little or no sight. The term “visually impaired” (or “VI”) is used more broadly to refer to people who have some degree of sight loss.
There are many causes of blindness, but the most common are congenital conditions that affect the development of the eye or optic nerve. These conditions can be present at birth or develop later in life. Some common causes of congenital blindness include: cataracts, glaucoma, retinal detachment, and diabetic retinopathy. There are also a number of rarer conditions that can lead to blindness such as: albinism, aniridia, and coloboma.
The vast majority of congenital blind children are born to parents with normal vision; only a small percentage inherit their condition from one or both parents. In most cases, there is no known cure for congenital blindness; however, early intervention and rehabilitation services can help affected individuals learn how to live independently and fully participate in society.