White cane, overcoming prejudice to become more independent

What prompted you to start using a white cane?

I first felt the symptoms of retinopathy pigmentosa when I was walking, particularly when I had difficulty walking at night. As a lover of tango dancing, I often got home late and felt less agile on the streets of Paris than on the dancefloor.
What's more, my ophthalomologist recommended that I use it as soon as possible, so that I could get to grips with the device as I still had a lot of residual sight. I'd like to thank him again for his invaluable advice, which now enables me to move around independently with a field of vision of less than 15 degrees.

What benefits have you seen since you started using it?

The white cane is a tool that has really changed the way I get around. It's made me feel much more at ease, because it's much safer, you can continue to walk normally like an able-bodied person and you can meet lots of people. I often say that the white cane creates social links, because not a day goes by without me meeting new people. In fact, if I stop at a pedestrian crossing or try to find my way, lots of people offer to help me. It's very gratifying to feel the support of the people around me.

Did you encounter any difficulties when you first started using it? If so, how did you overcome them?

Yes, there were a few difficulties in using the tool, but they were quickly resolved thanks to a course at a rehabilitation centre in Paris. But the difficulties were mainly psychological, because I had to face up to the way other people looked at me. They looked at me as a disabled person from then on. My status had suddenly changed. However, I realised that this harsh view of me told a story of its own. Seeing someone with a white cane can throw people back into their own fear of being visually impaired. Their eyes darken at the thought of the tragedy that would befall them, and we mistakenly think that this view is directed at us, when in fact it is a reflection of their own personal journey.

What advice would you give to someone who is reluctant to use a white cane?

Contact me! I'll give them a list of the other advantages of wearing a white cane: independence, self-confidence, humour and derision, empathy, attentiveness, openness, contacts, etc. I've convinced many people around me to get a white cane. Today, they wouldn't turn back. But the very first advisor is often the doctor, so you have to listen to him.

There are electronic and connected canes. Yours is not. What innovations are you waiting for?

I've tried several electronic canes without really feeling any benefit compared to my simple white cane. My cane gives me everything I need on a daily basis. As far as innovation is concerned, I'm in a good position at the Institut de la Vision to know that our research is making great strides forward. Promising advances are being made in the understanding of retinopathies, the protection of the retina (rods and cones) and innovative therapies are currently in clinical trials. But we still need time to be sure of the safety and effectiveness of future therapies. So, in the meantime, to be quite frank, I'm looking forward to a robot equipped with AI to enable me to be guided and interact as I would in an autonomous car. In addition to the strength of scientific and medical research, I think this is also a promising future for people with sensory or physical disabilities.

* In distance vision, it's impossible to distinguish a face at 4 metres; in near vision, it's impossible to read.