The Blind as “Ordinary People”

Abstract

Seventy legally blind people in Wyoming were personally interviewed and asked a series of questions that had been asked of sighted populations in National Opinion Research Center surveys. In addition, several questions focused on the “special” nature of blind persons. The study revealed that, in comparison with their sighted counterparts, blind persons are older, poorer, less educated, and less often married. It was also found that blind persons are slightly higher in reported happiness than are sighted people, mainly because of differences in age and work status.