What can customers with sight problems see?

Being blind does not always mean that a person is living in total darkness. Many blind people and the majority of partially sighted people can recognise a friend at arm's length.

People can be affected by eye conditions in different ways: some will have no central vision or no vision to the sides; others may see a patchwork of blank and defined areas, or else everything may be seen as a vague blur.

• Glaucoma can result in tunnel vision, where all side vision is lost and only central vision remains.
• Diabetic retinopathy can cause blurred or patchy vision.
• Macular degeneration can lead to a loss of central vision whilst side vision remains.

A person who is blind has a high degree of vision loss. About 18 per cent of blind people are totally blind – most can distinguish between light and dark.

People who are partially sighted have a less severe loss of vision. It is important to be aware that not all people with sight loss carry a white cane or use a guide dog, and not all deaf-blind people carry a white cane with red bands.