Blind and dream

I have been asked this question before and have struggled to give a rational answer.

In the New York Times Really? column, Anahad O'Connor raised the question of whether people who don't see images during the day might see them when they shut their eyes at night.

According to studies led by a psychologist at the University of Hartford...people born without the ability to see report no visual imagery in their dreams. Instead, they experience a heightening of taste, touch, and smell. They also report a higher percentage of dreams that involve mishaps related to traveling or transportation, perhaps reflecting one of their biggest daytime concerns: safely finding their way around.

Researchers also say that people who go blind before age five rarely experience visual imagery in their dreams. Those who lose their vision after age five, however, often continue to see in their dreams, though the frequency and clarity diminish over time.

In regards to dreams, my favorite quote is by a former President of India, Dr Abjul Kalam “Dreams are not what you see in your sleep, but dreams are that, which do not allow you to sleep”. Fantastic!

Posted in: iamgery, vision