When can I start using white cane?
O&M specialists teach white cane technique to people who are blind, but to become certified, you must spend at least 120 hours blindfolded, navigating with a white cane.
How do you qualify for a white cane?
To request a white cane, you can fill out our online application or mail a completed application to our office. Any blind individual in the fifty states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico can request a cane for their personal use. Requests can be made as often as every six months.
Do you need training to use a white cane?
For most first-time cane users, a white cane is often gifted to them when they participate in O&M training. However, white canes come in a variety of types, shapes, and sizes!
Can you use a white cane if you aren't blind?
While in pop culture the white cane is synonymous with total blindness, in reality most users are not completely blind. About 85 percent have some degree of vision. That vision may be light perception only or all the way to some usable vision. The cane gives us the ability to travel safely and independently.
What does a white cane with a red tip mean?
Different Colors on White Cane An all-white cane means that the user is completely blind and has no usable vision. A white cane with a red bottom means that the user has low, but some usable vision. A white and red striped cane means that the user is totally blind and/or deaf.
How tall should your white cane be?
How to determine the correct length of a white cane for you. A rule-of-thumb is to find a cane that when standing vertically (both you and the cane) the top of the cane should be somewhere between your chin and your nose. Or, about 4 inches less than your Hight.
What size white cane do I need?
White Cane Sizing Get the right fit: If this is your first cane you should measure from your armpit to the floor to get the appropriate size. If you are a seasoned white cane user, measure from your chin or a bit higher to get the accurate fit.
What are pre cane skills?
Pre-Cane Skills. Some common pre-cane skills include trailing, squaring off, sighted guide, and protective techniques. If students come to Structured Discovery Cane Travel after having already been taught to use these pre-cane skills, frequently, the instructor must un-teach these skills.
Why do blind people wear sunglasses?
The majority of legally blind people have some degree of vision. Wearing sunglasses can help blind people protect their eyes from bright lights and foreign objects. It's a stereotype that the main reason blind people wear sunglasses is to hide their eyes.
What does a blue cane mean?
For example, in England, the traditional white cane with red tip is used by someone who is deaf-blind. Blue or yellow added to the white cane signifies that the user is blind or low vision. Small children are trained with colored canes to encourage them to use their cane.
What does a green cane mean?
low visionGreen cane: Used in some countries, such as Argentina, to designate that the user has low vision, while the white cane designates that a user is completely blind.
What does a black and white cane mean?
Most canes used by blind people are white, but they are also available in red, black, yellow, and blue. For example, these canes from AmbuTech are available in a range of colors: However, only a white cane identifies the user as a person who is blind or has low vision.
How do blind people measure for a cane?
Get the right fit: If this is your first cane you should measure from your armpit to the floor to get the appropriate size. If you are a seasoned white cane user, measure from your chin or a bit higher to get the accurate fit.
How does a white cane help blind people?
The white cane is a long cane that helps someone with low vision or vision loss navigate and avoid obstacles on the road. It is their visual aid that helps identify dents, platform edges, steps, uneven surfaces.
How much is a smart cane?
Research sensor canes can be heavy and expensive — weighing up to 50 pounds with a cost of around $6,000.
Is cane for visually impaired?
A white cane is a device used by many people who are blind or visually impaired. A white cane primarily allows its user to scan their surroundings for obstacles or orientation marks, but is also helpful for onlookers in identifying the user as blind or visually impaired and taking appropriate care.