What's Inside
- A movement to move NFB 2024 convention from Florida over LGBTIA+ discrimination.
- Sharing the history of Colorado's blind.
- Lego to start producing bricks with braille.
- Women in prison making braille books for kids.
- US EEOC releases new rules for blind in workplace.
- An RP clinical trial gets go ahead.
- An action packed sports section.
- And, about 60 articles about blind people and blindness from the entire world.
Editorial By Chris Hofstader
I'm happy to report that we are nearly caught up on the back editions of Blindness Briefs after my extended absence caused by my broken shoulder.
I spend my summers in our home in Cambridge, MA and the rest of the year in St. Petersburg, FL. I love Cambridge, it's the intellectual capital of North America if not the entire world. Cambridge is a lovely community whose largest businesses are Harvard University and MIT. Unfortunately, this means the city tends to think more about young people than an old man like me (63).
Cambridge is very liberal and open to all people and we enjoy the diversity of the population and the incredible ethnic restaurants that pop up providing cuisines from nearly everywhere on Earth. At the same time, this city is not terribly welcoming to disabled people. The sidewalks are very poorly maintained which led to my tripping and breaking my shoulder. Since my accident, I've spoken to a number of middle aged and older people and nearly every one of them had a story of falling and breaking something, a knee, a wrist and a nose and cheek. I don't have specific data on this but I'd be willing to wager that Cambridge has a higher rate of pedestrian accidents than does the much larger Boston across the Charles River from here.
If blind people are to live independent lives, we need to ensure that all things related to pedestrian travel are safe. Cambridge is a very affluent city with an incredibly large tax base. Cambridge can afford to do whatever it wants but pedestrian safety seems to be a very low priority.
I hope you enjoy Edition 87 of blindness Briefs. We have one more in the can and next week we'll be releasing our first totally current one again.
How It's Organized
WBH Weekly Blind News Digest is a very simple page to read. The categories are at heading level 2 and the stories are links at heading level 3. So, navigation to the sections and stories you find interesting is quite simple.
Technology
Restoring sight to the blind with cutting-edge brain implants
European researchers are striving to improve the technology that could one day help blind people see again. This story comes to us from: Horizon Magazine Blog.
Blindness Organizations
Riding in tandem: Cyclists help out Bloomfield cycling club founder who is legally blind
Tony Drakes of Bloomfield is legally blind and an avid cyclist. This story comes to us from: Hartford Courant.
Drishti Foundation's 5K/1K Run/Walk: Running for the Blind and Visually Impaired
On September 10, 2023, Drishti Foundation is holding a 5K or 1K run/walk at Wilson Farm Park in Wayne, Pennsylvania, to support blind and visually impaired children in collaboration with Royer-Greaves School for Blind, Paoli, and the American Council of the Blind (ACB). This story comes to us from: MyChesCo.
HelpMeSee Announces Dr. Bonnie Henderson as Interim President and CEO
… training using its innovative simulation-based training system to vastly increase access to treatment and eradicate cataract blindness. This story comes to us from: InvisionMag.com.
Support grows to pull National Federation of the Blind conference from Florida
National Federation of the Blind members and allies ask organization to pull 2024 conference from Florida due to LGBTQ+ safety concerns. This story comes to us from: The 19th News.
Nothing Better Than Thankful Thursday's At The Beacon Club
By the time 2023 ends, twenty two 501c3 organizations from across the region will have benefitted from Thankful Thursday. This story comes to us from: – K2 Radio.
Education and Health
Support Casual Day : I feel free – life without sight
Elija Ngwenya shows off a chair he made at the KwaZulu-Natal Blind and Deaf Society where he works as a facilitator. This story comes to us from: Berea Mail.
Interview: This blind historian has set out to share the history of Colorado's visually impaired
Blind people have been politicians and business professionals, artisans and community activists throughout Colorado’s history, but their stories have gone largely untold. This story comes to us from: Colorado Public Radio.
This 19th-Century Atlas Has Raised Maps for Blind Readers
This atlas was created for students at the New England Institution for Education of the Blind in Boston Line Type. This story comes to us from: My Modern Met.
English-BM braille dictionary in the works
PETALING JAYA: The country’s first ever English-Bahasa Malaysia braille dictionary is in the pipeline. This story comes to us from: The Star.
Anton Syndrome: How to Manage the Symptoms
Anton syndrome is characterized by profound visual impairments, ranging from partial to complete blindness, often accompanied by vivid visual hallucinations. This story comes to us from: HealthNews.
Joy Of Hope Holds First Press Conference – Ksst Radio
A new facility because the live-in facility in Austin was not enough according to this organization. This story comes to us from: Ksst Radio.
Crush Digital Eye Strain And Blindness With This Simple Trick
Living in a world where screens rule the roost, concerns about eye health have taken center stage. This story comes to us from: Opera News.
Lego to sell bricks coded with braille to help vision-impaired children read – The Guardian
The European Blind Union (EBU) says knowledge of braille leads to improved spelling, reading and writing, contributing to higher levels of education … This story comes to us from: The Guardian.
Incarcerated women get certified to create braille books for visually impaired kids
The women's state prison has developed a program to certify inmates in… … it is one way braille illuminates the world for blind children. This story comes to us from: NBC Connecticut.
Transportation
Robo-Taxis Are Legal Now
People wearing yellow shirts that read “safer roads for all” were congregating behind Tim Elder, the president of the California chapter of the National Federation of the Blind, as he addressed a row of cameras, touting the benefits of autonomous vehicles, or A.V.s, for blind passengers. This story comes to us from: The New Yorker
Pioneering technology bridges blind transport divide – University of Birmingham
Navigating transport hubs can be difficult for blind and visually impaired … Data Analysis – Birmingham. This story comes to us from: University of Birmingham.
Discrimination and Inaccessibility
Sight Loss Councils set to amplify voices of blind people in Scotland
BLIND and partially-sighted people are set to have more say in accessibility issues across Scotland with the launch of Sight Loss Councils (SLCs) This story comes to us from: The National.
Bombas class action alleges website not fully accessible to blind, visually impaired visitors
• Why: Yan Luis claims Bombas failed to make its website fully accessible to and independently usable by individuals who are blind or visually impaired. This story comes to us from: Top Class Actions.
Safety
Blind dog rescued from Lakewood storm drain
A blind Shih-Tzu that fell into a storm drain while out on a morning walk near West 15th Place and Quail Street in Lakewood was rescued Wednesday. This story comes to us from: Denver 9News.
Crime
Rhode Island woman charged with abandoning dog in Attleboro gets probation
ATTLEBORO — A 28-year-old Pawtucket woman charged with abandoning her blind pet Shih Tzu dog on Park Street last year has been sentenced to 18 months' probation. This story comes to us from: The Sun Chronicle.
Forsyth man charged with vehicular homicide after striking blind man
A Forsyth man has been charged with vehicular homicide after a blind, 58-year-old Forsyth man he struck on MLK Drive in July died Friday, Aug. 18. This story comes to us from: Monroe County Reporter.
Suspect arrested in random NYC bat attacks that left one victim blind
"He is going to be blind." This story comes to us from: The New York Post.
Hampstead: Blind rock climber calls for pavement ad clampdown
Red Szell, the first blind person to scale the 449ft (137m) sea stack Old Man of Hoy, in Orkney, called on Camden Council to clamp down on A-boards which can be a hazard to blind and other disabled pedistrians. This story comes to us from: BBC News.
Guide Dogs and Service Animals
Ian Wright called out over 'mistake' with blind man on ITV1's Moneyball
Viewers pointed out Ian Wright's apparent mistake: that people should never touch guide dogs for the blind without asking. This story comes to us from: Yorkshire Live.
Pittsburgh-area man who is deaf and blind receives service dog
Rich McGann was born deaf and slowly lost his vision over the years and recently received a replacement service dog, Bella. This story comes to us from: WTAE.
Legal
United States: EEOC Issues Updated Guidance In Visual Disabilities In The Workplace And The ADA
The phrase "vision impairments" refers to various vision-related conditions, including blindness, low vision, limited visual fields. This story comes to us from: Mondaq.
'I brought a judicial review against the DWP and won £7,000'
Dr Osman has obliged the DWP to meet its responsibilities to blind people. This story comes to us from: BBC News.
Business
Newborn Eye Imaging Systems Market to Hit USD 441.42 Million By 2032
Most of the vision problems that cause adolescent blindness can be … of ROP are crucial for preventing severe visual impairment and blindness. This story comes to us from: GlobeNewswire.
North America Ophthalmology Market is Expected to Reach USD 34,946.97 Million by 2030
Ophthalmology is a branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, … the treatment of various eye-related disorders, including color blindness, This story comes to us from: Digital Journal.
Local fund supporting blindness research participates in $26M round for startup
It's also hiring; the website shows openings for a VP of Development, Chief of Staff, and a number of science and research roles. This story comes to us from: WRAL TechWire.
Night Blindness Treatment Market Set to Scale New Heights, Poised for a Significant Growth …
This Night Blindness Treatment market research report is the product of cutting-edge technology and integrated methodologies, ensuring optimal … This story comes to us from: PharmiWeb.com.
Preventing Blindness
Senior Citizen's Eye Health: Vision Loss is not an inevitable part of aging
Mumbai, 23rd August 2023: Age-related vision impairment and blindness are … obscuring the eye's innate lens and yielding effects like visual … This story comes to us from: Newspatrolling.com.
Apellis Provides Updates on Injection Kits and Rare Safety Events with SYFOVRE® (pegcetacoplan
We believe SYFOVRE is an important medicine for patients living with this … macular degeneration and a leading cause of blindness worldwide, … This story comes to us from: The Bakersfield Californian.
ViGeneron Gets EMA Go-Ahead for Retinitis Pigmentosa Gene Therapy Trial
NEW YORK – ViGeneron on Tuesday said the European Medicines Agency has granted permission to begin a clinical trial of its investigational gene … This story comes to us from: Precision Medicine Online.
Hope rises over use of gene therapy to reverse blindness
The eye drops use the same liquid as the skin version, just without the added gel. This story comes to us from: Punch Newspapers.
Glaucoma, Myopia And Diabetic Retinopathy Are The Main Ophthalmological Problems In Mexico
The specialist explained that glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. This story comes to us from: Nation World News.
[ The World Is Going Blind][105]
Taiwan Offers a Warning, and a Cure for myopia. This story comes to us from: Longreads
NSW swim alert as blindness-causing organism found in water
An ocean-dwelling microorganism linked to blindness-inducing infections in … Results published in Science of The Total Environment on Thursday … This story comes to us from: 7NEWS.
Over one million Nigerians blind
A public health expert and Programme Officer with Sightsavers Nigeria, Dr Joshua Ibenu said 1.1 million Nigerians are blind but there are not enough ophthalmologists to take care of eye and vision conditions in the country. This story comes to us from: Punch Newspapers.
Senior Citizen's Eye Health: Vision Loss is not an inevitable part of aging
Rather than succumbing to these adversities, seniors can proactively safeguard their ocular well-being by embracing progressive eye care strategies, capitalizing on cutting-edge medical interventions, and demonstrating unwavering dedication to nurturing their eye health. This story comes to us from: APN News.
Give someone the eye
Corneal diseases, injuries, infections, and genetic conditions can lead to corneal damage, resulting in vision impairment or blindness. This story comes to us from: The New Indian Express.
USC-supported startup receives major grant for clinical trial of a promising eye treatment
A stem cell patch developed by USC researchers for patients with macular degeneration will soon be tested in a phase 2b clinical trial. This story comes to us from: EurekAlert!
Updated imaging recommendations for the management of large vessel vasculitis]111
… is key to preventing damage to the artery walls leading to blindness or aneurysm. … but imaging should not delay treatment being started. This story comes to us from: Medical Xpress.
Our Grief, Burden, Hope: Four blind men who move around in Lagos unaccompanied
We all decided to stay together so that we can work; we produce liquid soap and cosmetics and we engage in other different handwork. This story comes to us from: Vanguard News.
Europe Micro Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) Devices Market to Observe Prominent CAGR Growth of 33.3% by 2029
Micro invasive glaucoma surgery is used to treat open-angle glaucoma. This story comes to us from: Digital Journal.
Lifestyle
My Story: Life is an Adventure as a Blind Parent
I fell in love with braille when I learnt it in 2001 says Woods, a world traveler. This story comes to us from: MiNDFOOD.
'I was determined not to let this stop me': Newfoundland woman's inspiring effort to …
Kylie Matthews wants to remind people that no matter what they face, they can overcome it, stating, "There's always light at the end of the tunnel, even though sometimes you can't see it." This story comes to us from: SaltWire.
Art and Artists
Blink-182 member Travis Barker plays drums with blind fan at lemonade stand
Travis Barker knows small things can have big impacts — which is why he had a pitch-perfect surprise for a young fan and fellow drummer, who is blind. This story comes to us from: The New York Daily News.
Blind musician gives the most BEAUTIFUL performance! | Unforgettable Audition | Britain's Got Talent
Your videos are like a ray of sunshine! This story comes to us rom: YouTube.
'That Was Beautiful': Watch Fitchburg Woman Wow Judges Again On 'America's Got Talent'
The 27-year-old blind woman from Fitchburg in Worcester County belted out a beautiful rendition of Foreigner's "I Wanna Know What Love Is." This story comes to us from: The Daily Voice.
Sports and Athletes
Visually impaired archer Rauben Tumusiime relishing Birmingham test
Rauben Tumusiime will make his debut at the World Archery VI Championships in England. This story comes to us from: New Vision.
Pakistan Blind Cricket Team Defeats India in Nail-biting Encounter
In a nail-biting encounter at the IBSA World Blind Games hosted in Birmingham on Sunday, Pakistan showcased their dominance. This story comes to us from: Hamariweb News.
Argentina and Japan in the Women's Blind Football World Championship final
Day 7 of the 2023 IBSA World Games with Blind Football, Chess and Goalball competing. This story comes to us from: International Blind Sports Federation.
Argentina is the first women's blind football world champion in history
The women's blind football national team of Argentina is the first world champion in history, defeating Japan in the final 2-1. This story comes to us from: The International Blind Sports Federation.
USA Hockey Brings Blind Hockey Development Camp to Nashville
Men and women from across the country with varying visual impairments gathered at Ford Ice Center Antioch last week for USA Hockey's Blind Hockey development camp. This story comes to us from: The Rutherford Source.
[IBSA World Games 2023: Indian Men's Blind Cricket Team Defeat England by 7 Wickets …
In the end, India chased down the target with 30 balls to spare, displaying a dominating performance over the hosts. This story comes to us from: LatestLY.
Blind sports broadcaster offers color commentary at Ogden Raptors game
OGDEN — Give a disabled person a chance and that can make all the difference.
IBSA World Games: 'I went blind overnight, 20 years on I play tennis for Ireland'
For a B1 player at least, our ears are our eyes. This story comes to us from: – BBC Sport.
Sam Gough reflects on England Blind Women's first World Championship
Sam Gough of the England Blind Women team has spoken of her pride in taking part in the inaugural IBSA Women's World Championship. This story comes to us from: England Football.
Men's and women's blind teams make India proud at World Games
In a momentous display of strength, perseverance, and sheer skill, the Indian blind cricket teams (both men's and women's) have made the nation proud by qualifying for the finals of the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) World Games 2023 on the back of their scintillating show in Birmingham, being the only country to have both the men's and women's teams competing at this level, helping to put cricket on the world map. This story comes to us from: Mathrubhumi English.
Argentina wins the world title in Men's Blind Football
… the math for the South American country, which already had the women's national team celebrating the first world title of blind football. This story comes to us from: International Blind Sports Federation.
In Memoriam
Carol Jean Sims Mosser Remembered for Her Dedication to Education and Service
Carol also devoted her time to organizations such as the National Federation of the Blind and the Lions Club. This story comes to us from: Game Is Hard.
Thomas Edward "Ed" Ghrigsby, 1939-2023
He enjoyed Bee Keeping, and was an active member of the National Federation of the Blind where he received training in reading and writing braille. This story comes to us from: Vicksburg Daily News.
Weirdness
Popeye the blind Mablethorpe seal dies 27 years after beach rescue
Chloe Drew, co-owner of Mablethorpe Seal Sanctuary & Wildlife Centre, where the seal, known as Popeye, had been cared for since 1996, said his death was "a punch to the heart". This story comes to us from: BBC News.