There seems to be a major misconception in the minds of the public regarding the definition of blindness. It is possible for someone to have some sight yet still be blind. Social Security’s definition of blindness is 20/200 or worse in the better eye or less than 20 degrees peripheral vision in the better eye. This definition proves that despite having light perception remaining, it is possible to still fall into the category of blindness and be unable to travel independently without the use of a sighted person, cane, or guide dog.

For more than ten years, I spend at least a few days of each school year lecturing children about blindness and guide dogs. Elementary children have to be my favorites among those I teach about blindness if for no other reason than the fact they have the most interesting questions. It is probably questions adults have yet are too polite to ask. Here are a few children ask each year along with some of my most favored from a decade’s worth of children.

Do blind people see black? Answer: Totally blind people, meaning people without any vision at all do not really see black. They see the absence of light. It is a great area where there is nothing there so the person has to rely on other senses to get an understanding of the world around them.

Why did you go blind? Answer: My blindness is in part due to a hereditary eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa. I also have extraordinarily small optic nerves, which are the nerves that go from the eyes to the brain. These nerves tell the brain what the eyes see but mine are so small, they cannot tell the brain what is going on outside. Additionally, with the retinal disease, it makes the optic nerves’ job even more difficult because my retinas are broken. Last, I have two autoimmune diseases called systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjogren’s disease. These diseases in addition to the medication to slow the progression of lupus cause retinal damage, which damages my retinas more.

What do you see? Answer: I am a low partial, which means I have some light perception but it is unusable. Imagine holding two dark drinking straws in front of your eyes and then adding a piece of cellophane wrap across the end of each straw. Now, you see what I see. My peripheral vision is gone; as time progresses my central vision goes with it.

How does a guide dog know where to go? Answer: The handler tells him or her which way to go or what to find as a landmark to give the handler an idea of where they are in a city or building.

Does a guide dog tell you when he has to go potty? Answer: Often a guide dog can tell you when he has to go potty; however, a guide dog’s training teaches him/her to have a specific eating and drinking time so he or she has a specific potty break time. Unless the dog is sick or somebody slipped him/her people food, which is a no-no, he/she only potties on a schedule.

Can I play with a guide dog? Answer: The answer is maybe. It all depends on whether or not the dog is working and if you get the handler’s permission first. Never distract a guide dog while he/she is working. To a blind person, calling a guide dog is like grabbing the steering wheel of your mom or dad’s car while they are driving in traffic. It can cause an accident and even death under the right circumstances. However, if you want to pet a guide dog, always ask permission before doing so. Some handlers can allow it while others cannot. It depends a lot on the temperament of the dog and his/her ability to get back on track after a distraction.

Other questions through the years fall into the category of why the dog has a leash and a harness. What is the harness made of and why is it so hard? Does a guide dog bite? Can a guide dog go into a restaurant? Can a guide dog go into a hospital? The answers vary.

The leash and harness working together allows the handler to work with the dog in tight areas such as on a plane or train. One can release the handle to the harness and let the dog guide by leash in tight spaces. Both the leash and harness work excellently to provide corrections by snapping the leash or the harness with just enough force to get the dog’s attention to get him/her back on track for the sake of safety. The makeup of the harness is a combination of leather and steel with thick stitching to hold it together much like that of a horse’s saddle.

Generally, guide dogs do not bite; however, in some instances there have been times when it happened but mostly these incidents occurred when the blind handler experienced a mugging by a burglar.

Can dogs go into restaurants or hospitals? Yes, a guide dog is a service animal and thanks to the ADA Law under title III, service dogs have the right to enter any building where the public is welcome including restaurants and hospitals. The only exception to this rule is that guide dogs cannot be in an operating room or other room in a hospital operating room-like setting where the room must be sterile.

Commands are the last big question everyone asks, adults and children. How many commands does a guide dog know? The answer is too many to list. Although, a few include stairs up, stairs down, door inside, door outside, find the register, find the counter, find the way, get busy, find the curb, forward, stay, sit, heel, sit-stay, down, left, right, fetch-up, and come.

If the dog knows a person well, it is possible to tell the dog to find so-and-so. They can learn to find a specific vehicle. The command for “find the way” is a wonderful command since it tells the dog to find his/her way around obstacles that leave the handler without an idea of how safely to go beyond those obstacles. Telling the dog to find the way gives him/her the lead to find whatever way is clear and get the handler through it.

Before anyone begins to wonder, guide dogs can tell the difference between a door outside and inside. They can tell the difference between stairs going up and stairs going down. Just for a reference, the command “get busy” is a specific remark to let the dog know it is time for him/her to take their potty break.

The mysteries surrounding certain areas of blindness and guide dogs in general no longer hold such a mystery with those outside the world of blindness and their families. It is important to allow any blind person that happens to cross your path the ability to remain on their path. If you feel the person might be lost, ask if they need assistance. Most are more than welcome to the idea of help when they cannot find their way.

Please remember that almost all guide dogs learn the command to follow a person leading so it is unnecessary to hold the guide dog handler’s hand. The dog can follow you wherever you need to take the blind person and their dog.