How visually impaired individuals manage disclosure of their visual impairment

Abstract

This study qualitatively examined visually impaired individuals’ motivations to reveal or conceal their low vision. Interviews revealed that participants (n = 24), who had the ability to pass as sighted, weighed the risks and rewards of disclosure. They concealed to minimize stigma and avoid undesired attention and revealed because the benefits (procuring tangible assistance, building intimacy, educating others, and not incurring worse stigma) outweighed the risks. In some cases, participants found that instead of resulting in stigma, disclosing their visual impairment was useful in contesting marginalization. As individuals with low vision are provided with few communication tools and most sighted individuals have little exposure to people with low vision, knowledge of these disclosure strategies may help empower visually impaired individuals while spreading awareness and combating misperceptions about this community.

Keywords

Communication privacy management disclosure low vision stigma visual impairment

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