Living with Low Vision
by Tom Squire
Large print is helpful to
low vision people. However, certain guidelines should be observed.
First, NEVER use all capital letters to make print larger. In most
fonts, the lines that make up capital letters are more complex. Printing
in “all caps” makes reading harder, not
easier. Second, use a font that uses strong lines to make up each letter or character.
Avoid those whose lines are thin or indistinct. Third, avoid fancy or “artistic” fonts,
especially script or “handwritten” typefaces. Their complexity makes
reading more difficult. For general usefulness, fonts from the Helvetica family,
such as Arial, work very well. Fourth, employ maximum contrast between the print
(black) and the background (white). Avoid brown print on a badge background,
dark blue on light blue, or dark backgrounds such as bright red or bright green.
Restaurants: please take notice! Avoid paper that has a glossy finish. In certain
lights, such a finish produces a glare effect. Finally, create a little extra
blank space between lines, such as 1.25 or 1.50. Single spaced type sometimes
produces too little space between lines, but double spacing creates too much.
Low vision readers will thank you for adopting these simple strategies.
Low Vision and Human Relationships
Consider
this formula: 10% of a visual impairment is the impairment itself;
40% is how the low vision person adjusts to the impairment; and 50%
is how the impairment affects relationships with other people. Many
people suffer embarrassment because they don’t
remember an acquaint-ance’s name upon meeting. Often, low
vision people can’t identify the person at all. If I meet
someone on the street who greets me, my only recourse, no matter
how embarrassing, is to request identification. Identify yourself
first! This ends the awkwardness quickly. If a low vision person
doesn’t respond to your greeting, it is probably because
he or she is trying to figure out who you are—it is not a
snub. Low vision people usually do not perceive facial expressions,
body language or other visual cues about how the relationship is
going. Such people rely almost exclusively on verbal communication.
If I say something that causes you to frown, you are sending a
message of displeasure. Since I don’t get that message, I
proceed as if you hadn’t reacted at all. You may then think
I didn’t care how you felt. Things can quickly go downhill
from there. In a low vision relationship, remember that when you
send visual messages, there’s nobody home at that number.
Low vision people are constantly endangered by isolation and loneliness
because the world around them is full of secret messages that they
know exist but can’t receive. Finally, many “normal” people
are afraid of low vision people, because they don’t know
what the rules of contact are. If in doubt, ask. Always! ![]()
According to the Graphic
Artists Guild Web site, the symbol for large print is “Large
Print” printed
in 18 pt. or larger text. In addition to indicating that large
print versions of books, pamphlets, museum guides and theater programs
are available, you may use the symbol on conference or membership
forms to indicate that print materials may be provided in large
print. (www.gag.org/resources/das.php)
