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3. Methodology
glaucoma, congenital cataracts, haemorrhage, and optic nerve hyperplasia. Some had
no light perception whilst others had partial sight loss, and others had sight in only
one eye. Those with some vision used high power magnifiers to aid their poor vision as
well as a variety of assistive technologies to render day-to-day activities, technology
and media accessible to them.
“My vision is like a painting of Jack Vettriano” [meaning that she can see the
general shapes of people, but not the details of their faces - almost like a
silhouette.] [blind and partially sighted: mild sight loss, female, 65-74 years]
“I can see your shape, your hair length, the colour of your dress but not the style of
it or the details of your face. I use my vision as much as I possibly can.” [blind and
partially sighted: moderate sight loss, female, 65-74 years]
“I can see the outline of people; I see fuzzy, blur. I can see colours.”
[blind and partially sighted: moderate sight loss, male, 75+ years]
“I can see you but I can’t see your face. With my magnifier machine I can read, but
just some words or the newspaper’s headline.”
[blind and partially sighted: moderate sight loss, male, 75+ years]
Occupational backgrounds
Consistent with the Network 1000 report (Douglas, Corcoran & Pavey, 2006), the blind
and partially sighted participants in the current study came from a wide range of
occupational backgrounds. Occupations, both current and pre-retirement included civil
servant, radio producer, nurse, recruitment consultant, florist, barman, factory worker,
solicitor and judge, and physiotherapist. Some were studying for degrees. Given the
recruitment skew towards participants aged between 65 and 74 years, and aged 75
years and older, the current study’s qualitative sample was broadly consistent with
Network 1000 figures on working status. It reported that 80 per cent of blind and
partially sighted people described themselves as retired from paid work. Of the
20 per cent of blind and partially sighted participants who had not yet retired, less
than 35 per cent reported their employment status as employed (including those in
paid employment, those reporting they were students, and those reporting they were
self employed).
Interests
Interests were wide and diverse and included crafts, technology, walking, dancing,
cookery, gardening, watching and/or playing sports (eg swimming or football),
socialising, games/puzzles (eg crosswords, bridge or chess), music (eg playing piano,
church bell ringing or attending concerts), theatre, reading books. Radio was enjoyed
by all, as the participants were recruited as DAB radio users. Some participants were
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