My Experience Using a White Cane

October 15th is White Cane Safety Day in the United States. Since 1964 this date has been marked to celebrate the white cane, an important symbol and tool that gives people who are blind or visually impaired independence.

Today, I want to share my personal experience using a white cane, but first here are some things you should know about this tool.

The white cane

You may have seen people walking with this tool and have asked yourself what is a white cane? The white cane is a tool that people who are blind or visually impaired use to detect obstacles that are in the path they are walking on. 

The white cane traditionally has a black top portion where it is held and the rest is white with a red portion towards the end of the cane (recently some have started to personalize their cane by adding various colors and decorations), there is a tip that attaches to the end of the cane that enables the cane to swipe across the ground. 

The person using a white cane swipes the cane from side to side to make sure the path is clear, some keep the cane constantly touching the ground as they swipe and some tap the cane on each side. When you see a person walking with a white cane in this manner please step out of the way and drivers please pay attention, when you see a pedestrian using a white cane this means they can not see you clearly or at all so please keep this in mind.

You can learn more about how blind and visually impaired people use a white cane here.

My personal experience using a white cane

Now that you know what a white cane means I want to share what it is like for me when it comes to using a white cane. This adjustment has not been easy for me and I am still learning and improving in this area but I hope that my story can help someone out there to have someone to relate to.

My introduction to the white cane

Although I have been visually impaired my entire life I have not always used a white cane. I was born 3 months early and have retinopathy of prematurity, this is when abnormal blood vessels grow in the retina. I am completely blind in my right eye and have limited vision in my left eye and I use glasses. 

I got some orientation and mobility lessons in elementary school but I was not taught how to use a white cane, I was taught to use the vision I had left to get around safely. I officially received white cane training from an orientation and mobility instructor when I was in college as I began to travel by subway on my own in New York City. 

Reasons why I use a white cane

When I finally began to use a white cane and learned how to use it correctly I realized how helpful it was for me. I usually refused accommodations for my vision impairment because I thought I was not actually blind and could see well enough. However, I could have avoided several falls and several times where I bumped into people by accident if I had used a white cane earlier in my life. 

I use a white cane because it helps me detect obstacles in my path I may not see. I still have some usable vision but I am not able to see when steps or curbs begin and I can not see much at all in bright sunlight or in dim lighting or at night. When I am walking with a white cane it lets others know that I can not see them clearly. I use glasses and although they are very thick people do not always realize that I have low vision.

Accepting the white cane

The white cane is a helpful tool but it is not always easy to start using it. I had to accept that I was going to be seen as different and get many stares when I am out walking around. This is hard for any people to deal with. I eventually got used to it and it did not bother me anymore, however this is not true for some close to me so I will use sighted guide with them. I do use a white cane when I am out on my own. 

I am thankful that the white cane is more widely recognized and I hope that it will not attract so many stares but I do not think that will ever change. I hope that people who are visually impaired will not hesitate to use the white cane the way I did because it is a very helpful tool and will help increase independence.

Some extra thoughts

I hope that if you see someone using a white cane that you will not just stare at them but just clear their path and let them go on their way. Also, do not assume they automatically need help, ask them first. If you are reading this and you are blind or have low vision do not be afraid to use a white cane, it will keep you and others safe. Share your experience with the white cane in the comments below.