Comparison of tactile sensation among blind and sighted individuals

Abstract

Blindness is a highly limiting disability affecting tens of millions of individuals worldwide. One of the current challenges in sight restoration and sensory aids for blind pertains to the possible visual acuity and capacity which can be transmitted through various restoration approaches. Compensation for sensory handicap by blind individual has been a subject of study and debate. Objects can be recognized by using any of our sensory modalities. But, the inputs about physical characteristics of a particular object perceived by vision and touch are unique and complex. Hence, in a blind individual, development of exceptional compensatory abilities in remaining senses in distinction to becoming severely handicapped due to the lack of the calibrating visual modality may look like a distant theoretical possibility.To compare tactile sensation among blind and sighted individuals.85 subjects in between age group of 18-27 years. Study Group-Consisted of total 21adventitiously(not congenitally blind) blind subjects. Control Group-Consisted of total 64 apparently healthy sighted subjects.: Results had been analysed using unpaired test by SPSS version 16. It was observed that mean values for two point discrimination on horizontal and longitudinal axes, mean values of the time taken for letter identification was significantly lower in the blind group than the sighted group. Results of the present study showed that the non sighted group outperformed the performance of the sighted group.