Reply #14: Only about 10% of the legally blind can't see...so define "blind."

[benEzra]

Contrary to popular belief, "legally blind" is not necessarily synonymous with being unable to see clearly. Having clear central vision but little peripheral vision can put you in the "blind" category, while still leaving you able to see (and shoot) very well. Only about 10% of the legally blind can't see.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blindness

In 1934, the American Medical Association adopted the following definition of blindness:

"Central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with corrective glasses or central visual acuity of more than 20/200 if there is a visual field defect in which the peripheral field is contracted to such an extent that the widest diameter of the visual field subtends an angular distance no greater than 20 degrees in the better eye."

In the U.S., a person with full-field vision of 20/200 corrected is considered legally blind, as is a person with 20/20 vision in a 20-degree visual field. Either of those individuals could safely carry a gun, visually identify an attacker, and shoot the gun competently. So IMHO, it greatly depends on the individual, and you have to go on a case-by-case basis rather than saying legally blind = no guns.

My vision is better than 20/20 corrected, but is worse than 20/400 uncorrected. Without my glasses, I can still see clearly enough to identify an attacker and defend myself by whatever means (and I can shoot damn well without my glasses), and my uncorrected vision is much worse than the corrected vision of many legally blind people.

I think there are a lot of stereotypes about the legally blind on display in this thread...FWIW, my grandmother is legally blind.