For this interview, I spoke with a woman who has been blind since she was sixteen years old.  Today she is in her sixties.  She has had an interesting life and has learned to deal with her disability in remarkable ways. 

Q: Have you always been blind?
A: No

Q: How old were you when you became blind?
A: I was sixteen.

Q: What happened?
A: I had a weakness in the back of my eye.

Q: What are the advantages of being blind?
A: You learn to trust people.

Q: What was the biggest obstacle you have faced?
A: I had to learn things all over again. I also went to a special school for the blind.

Q: Do you have a guide dog?
A: Not anymore, I did when I was little. I use a cane instead.

Q: How old were you when you learned Braille?
A: I was seventeen.

Q: What was difficult about learning Braille? 
A: I had to learn the sense of touch.

Q: Can you remember seeing anything?
A: Yes.

Q: What?
A: I remember landscapes and people. Mostly I remember everything.

Q: What do you miss most about seeing?
A: The color.

Q: How is your house different than someone else's that isn't blind?
A: Um, it's pretty much the same as anyone else's. There's not any clutter, or anything for me to knock into. I do label things with Braille though.