This document discusses visual impairment and blindness, and how guide dogs help the blind or visually impaired. It explains that some people's eyes have trouble functioning properly, causing visual impairment. It then outlines other senses blind and visually impaired people rely on. Guide dogs are described as the eyes for someone who is blind, and can help with tasks like crossing streets, going to stores, and avoiding obstacles. The document emphasizes that guide dogs wear harnesses so they can do their job of safely guiding their blind owners from place to place.

1. Freedom Guide Dogs Learning about Guide Dogs, Blindness and Visual Impairment

2. The eye has different parts with different jobs

3. Some people’s eyes have trouble doing their jobs so they can’t see as well. That is called visual impairment.

4. People without visual impairment will see this image clearly

5. This is what someone with glaucoma sees…

6. This is what someone with retinitis sees…

7. This is what someone with retinopathy sees…

8. Without sight, blind & visually impaired people use their other senses to help them do things

9. Sense of Smell

10. Sense of Taste

11. Sense of Hearing

12. Sense of Touch

13. ? What are some tools that visually impaired people can use to help them do things?

14. Sighted Guide The blind person holds onto a sighted person’s arm. The sighted person guides them where they need to go

15. Cane The blind person moves the cane back and forth in front of them to feel for obstacles

16. Guide Dogs

17. Guide Dogs help get blind people from one place to another

18. Guide Dogs are the eyes for someone who is blind or visually impaired

19. They can help a blind person cross the street…

20. … Go to the store

21. … Avoid obstacles

22. … Or just be a great friend!

23. If you see someone with a guide dog…

24. How do you know it’s a guide dog? Harness

25. Then the guide dog can do it’s job and take the blind person safely from one place to another

26. For more information about guide dogs, go to: www.freedomguidedogs.org And watch videos of the puppies and trainers on the Freedom Guide Dog Channel on YouTube!