A white cane is a mobility aid used by visually impaired individuals to navigate the environment by detecting obstacles through sweeping movements of the cane tip. Different types of canes exist for varying levels of visual impairment, with the long cane most commonly used through tapping motions to avoid obstacles for those with little to no vision. Proper technique involves holding the cane with wrist motions to sweep the ground slightly ahead in an arc matching footsteps for safety.

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Prepared by
Mohammad Riyaj Ali
M Sc Optometry
Cane : A Mobility Aid

2. Introduction
• A white cane is a long rod like device used by blind or
visually impaired travellers to give them information
about the environment they are travelling through
• Using a cane can
– warn them of obstacles in their path
– tell them of stairs they are coming to
– warn them that they are coming up to a curb
– tell them of many other things in the
environment that they must deal with

3. • The basic technique for cane travel, the "touch
technique," requires the cane user to move the tip of
the cane in an arc across the front of his body, thus
assuring a safe space for the next footstep

4. Importance of a Cane
• It is accepted as a symbol of the visually impaired
• It is regarded as the proven mobility aid
• It is inexpensive, handy and has adjustable length
• It plays a vital role in the education, social integration and
comprehensive rehabilitation of the visually impaired

5. Importance of a Cane
• The cane techniques are simple and universal and can be
applied even in a relatively unknown environment
• It enables them to seek a variety of jobs and expedites their
economic rehabilitation
• The white cane can be folded and put in a handbag while
travelling in public transport or while at work
• It gives a visually impaired a new lease of life, a new
dimension of independence and enables him to become
fully contributing members of society

6. Qualities of a Good Cane
• Good conductivity
• Durability
• Light weight
• Low cost
• Strength and resilience
• Cosmetic and elegant appearance
• Easily availability
• Easily repairable
• Meeting the specific length requirements

7. Types of Cane
1. Symbol Cane
• To say you have low but
useful vision
• You hold the symbol
cane in front of you to
let people around you
know that you’re
partially sighted. It’s
particularly useful in
busy places

8. 2. Guide Cane
• To find obstacles before
they find you
• You hold a guide cane
diagonally across your
body and then use it to
find obstacles in front of
you such as kerbs or
steps

9. 3. Long Cane
• To avoid obstacles if you
have restricted or no
vision
• Once you’ve been
trained to use a long
cane, you roll or tap it
from side to side as you
walk, to find your way
and avoid obstacles

10. 4. Red and white banded
cane
• To show you have low
hearing and vision

11. Left: One type of support cane ; provides physical stability
Middle: One type of "probing" cane; probes for and locates
obstacles in your path of travel
Right: Using a support cane and a probing cane for outdoor travel

12. A Support Cane Should:
• Be strong enough to support
your weight. This usually
means that a support cane
is not lightweight
• Be short enough to rest your
hand on top while you hold it
close to your body
• Have a tip that grips the
floor and does not slide
A Probing Cane ("White Cane"
or "Long Cane") Should
• Be lightweight so that you
can hold and move it in front
of you without becoming
tired. This usually means that
a probing cane is not strong.
• Be long enough to reach
ahead and warn you about
obstacles and stairs.
• Have a tip that can
slide easily along the ground

13. Using the Cane
1. Holding the Cane
• The person can hold the cane in either hand
• The thumb should be over the top of the cane, with
the first finger extended on the side of the cane and
the three remaining fingers wrapped around the
under side of the cane
• The first finger is extended along the side of the cane
because in that way the cane acts as an extension of
the finger

14. 2. Hand position
• As the person holds the cane, his elbow should be
slightly bent and near the body
• The hand holding the cane should always be in line
with the middle of the body. This helps him to walk
straighter
3. Wrist movement
• The cane is moved from side to side by using a
movement of the wrist. The arm does not move

15. 4. Arc
• The tip of the cane should touch the ground a litter
wider than the width of the person’s body.
• This way, the cane tip touches the ground where the
person is going to step and protects him from falling
into ditches or tripping over objects that are in his
path
• The tip of the cane should touch the ground lightly.
This will keep the tip from getting stuck as the
person walks forward

16. 5. Rhythm
• As the cane moves to the right, the left foot steps forward.
• As the tip moves to the left the right footsteps forward
6. Identification of objects:
• The different objects that the cane locates will make
different sounds, which the person with visual impairment
will learn to identify
7. Shore line
• Sometimes a person may want to use the cane to follow a
grass line, a fence or a wall. This technique is called shore
lining, or tailing, with a cane