Dictionary of Sight Loss

An insight (pun intended) into the terminology used in my corner of the disability world

The world of disability is shrouded in terminology. This new terminology was created to banish older words that are no longer helpful.

But how helpful are the new words?

I don’t know how much light I can shed. I can simply tell you about the words used in my corner of the disability world, the visually impaired community. I’ll give you a run-through of the words commonly used to describe visual impairment, and leave it to you to decide which words fit for you.

Photo Description This is me in an orange vest, which carries the international symbol for blindness, an eye with a line running through the centre of it. I’m in poser stance with my ski guide, with snow beneath me and blue skies above.

Visually impaired – this is still the most commonly used term and is understood by most people. I do use it, even though it is a tad unwieldy.

Vision impaired – this is the term you see on the website for Vision Ireland (formerly National Council for the Blind.) It annoys me for reasons I can’t quite define, possibly because it sounds too official. Or possibly because it doesn’t quite roll off the tongue.

People with sight loss – this is a good, simple term. Most visually impaired people have lost sight at some point in their lives. But I don’t feel I can use it because I have never lost any sight. To quote Lady Gaga, I was born this way.

No term – there are many in the disability world who would argue that no term is needed, that disability defines who you are. But you still need words to describe your condition. Besides, that condition is part of you. Why deny it?

Disabled – disability activists use this term to show that society has disabled them. There’s a heap of ideology behind this word, but I’ll just say that I don’t use it because no amount of legislation will rub out the damage to my optic nerve. I just say I have a disability instead. Nice and simple.

Blindy/specker – visually impaired people use these terms affectionately in their communities to describe each other. Specker is the term beloved of the people on my ski trip. But it’s more of an in-house term. Sighted people have to earn the right to use it.

Partially sighted – this is the term I most want to use, because I feel it most accurately describes my condition. I’m closer to sighted than blind. I don’t need to use a cane and I can read print without the aid of a magnifier. Sadly, the term is falling out of favour, so if I use it, people don’t quite know what I mean.

In the end, I just say I don’t see very well, and that does the trick.

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