How Do Health Professionals View Their Sight Impaired Patients?

From where I sit, Health professionals in Toronto do not really think much of blind and sighted patients. As a matter of fact and based on the opinions of many, our feeling is that doctors in particular would rather not see us and deal with us as patients. Many would probably carry out their commitment and obligation to provide us with the best treatment that they could muster but we often have to wonder if given the choice, how interested are they really in helping us to receive the best treatment that this country has to offer.

Shocker or shaker? Most Canadians would probably say that it is no shocker given the many challenges that our health system continues to wrestle with. What is a shocker though is this! The way that so many health professionals treat their blind and visually impaired patients.

I am not going to bore you with facts and figures but rather: I am going to share with you a list of some of the most common pitfalls that I along with others have had to endure over the years but first I would like to draw a picture for you.

Most health professionals are really not aware of our abilities and capabilities as persons. They often view us at best as persons who are unable to look after ourselves. They frequently think of us as people who are unable to work for a living. We either exist on government assistance or are looked after by our families. We are unable to speak for ourselves and in short we do not have an opinion that is worth while listening to. They often think that we are hard of hearing and in so many cases it is just too much trouble to try and help us save our sight if it is failing or try to get us some if it is at all possible. Please allow me to expand.

First, many doctors assume that blind and visually impaired persons either do not work or are unable to work and when I tell them that I own my own company! Well, they are absolutely blown away but wait there is more! When I tell them that I attended McGill University and obtained an MBA, they become even more shocked. I guess that most of them feel that we are just unable to be contributing members to society and they assume that all of us are either on welfare or on some kind of financial assistance program.

Second, I along with many truly believe that if/when a doctor is faced with a difficult case with regard to trying to improve or preserve our vision; they somehow seem to prefer to give up hope rather than give it an extra try.

Third, many of my fellow blind and visually impaired kin folk have told me that they are often made to feel that blind and visually impaired persons are mot at the top of the priority list when it comes to receiving medical service.

Fourth, and this is a very humourous one, many doctors often give out a message that says that if you can't see then why bother to fix the problem. For example: If you have a scar on your face and wish to have it tended to, the doctor would probably say "Why would you want to fix this? You can't see it anyway!" This incident took place a few years ago and was reported to me by a friend.

I have some other typical incidents to report to you. A blind person goes to visit their doctor and as soon as their visit is over, the doctor hustles out of the office leaving the patient to find their own way out of the office. They do not even tell the patient that the appointment is over.

A blind person goes with a sighted friend to visit their doctor but the doctor prefers to speak to the sighted friend rather than the blind patient.

A blind person goes for tests and it requires them to get undressed. The technician asks the patient if anyone is accompanying them on this visit. If the patient says yes then the technician asks if the sighted escort can help them to get changed. About two years ago my sighted friend accompanied me to a lab to have some tests done. As soon as the technician saw me he asked my friend: "How is she going to manage getting unchanged? Could you help her?" When my friend told him that I was perfectly capable of helping myself and all that he had to do was to guide me to the cubicle, his response was: "That's not my job." I was neither shocked nor angry. Just sorry for that person and his unhealthy attitude.

Our Health system needs to become more aware of how to interact with blind and visually impaired persons. More times than not, the bedside manner towards the mainstream person leaves much to be desired and for blind and visually impaired persons it is twice as difficult. What many of us would like to see is our doctors become more understanding and compassionate towards their blind and visually impaired patients. I know! Any doctor reading this would probably scream that they do not have the time to spend being nice to anyone let alone a blind or visually impaired patient because they are overworked to the bone. This may be true but my appeal to Health professionals in Toronto is this: Blind and visually impaired persons are Human Beings. We think, we feel, we hear, we smell and taste, but we either do not see too well or see at all. Please remember this the next time you encounter a blind or visually impaired patient.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your freelance writer and reporter wishing you a terrific day.

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