Category: News blindness

iOS 14.4 is now available, do not update if you rely on Braille screen input

Apple has just released iOS 14.4 today, Tuesday January 26th 2021. According to an article on the Applevis website, this update brings a new bug to the Braille screen input feature. When composing a message in a new conversation, VoiceOver doesn’t speak the word deleted when deleting by word. According to Applevis team, no existing VoiceOver bugs have been resolved. If you rely on deleting text by word using Braille screen input, I would suggest you to skip this update and wait for a fix from Apple.

I don’t know if this bug occurs in other application. I will have to do some tests and will keep you updated about this situation.

Update on iOS 14 accessibility’s situation

Few weeks ago, we advised you to wait before updating to iOS 14. In the first versions of the OS, a lot of bugs with VoiceOver were present and it made its use a struggle. With the release of iOS 14.3, things have changed and VoiceOver is much more stable. The most annoying bugs have been resolved. Apple also introduced Braille support in WatchOS 7.2. If you want to update to iOS 14, you can do it without having to worry about some critical bugs that would make your Apple device harder to use.

Warning, iOS 14 will be launched today, Wednesday September 16, 2020, potential impact in terms of accessibility

iOS 14, a new iteration of the operating system for Apple's mobile devices (iPhone, iPod, and iPad) will be launched this afternoon, normally around 1:00 p.m.

Knowing that this is a major version of the operating system, you might, if you use accessibility tools like VoiceOver, run into some issues, although this new version looks promising. When a new version of iOS is released, it is possible that after the first few days you will experience accessibility issues. Apple is expected to make the fixes in the coming weeks following the release of iOS version 14.

So, if you are less familiar with the tech and prefer stability over recklessness, then it might be wise to wait a few days / weeks before updating, just in case.

To make sure that your phone does not automatically update without your knowledge, you will have to change a few settings knowing that Apple recently activated automatic updates on all devices when installing one of the latest versions of iOS 13.

So, take the following steps, preferably before 1:00 p.m. today:

  1. Go to Settings
  2. Click on General
  3. Click on Software Update
  4. If your software is not up to date to iOS 13.7, you can proceed with the update, however, be sure to install iOS 13.7 and not iOS 14. If so, do not proceed with the update. . If you need to update, perform steps 1 through 3 again after completing the installation of the update to iOS 13.7.
  5. Click on customize automatic updates
  6. First, make sure that the Install iOS updates option is turned off. If not, you will need to turn it off.
  7. Finally, you will need to turn off the download iOS updates option.

In a few weeks, when the major accessibility bugs will be fixed, you will be able to update manually by going to your Settings, General and Software Update.

Stay tuned by reading accessibility news in the next few days and we will also keep you informed here.

What Causes Blindness?

Blindness is the inability to see anything, even light. If you’re partially blind, you have limited vision. For example, you may have blurry vision or the inability to distinguish the shapes of objects. Complete blindness means that you can’t see at all and are in total darkness. Legal blindness refers to vision that’s highly compromised. What a person with healthy eyes can see from 200 feet away a legally blind person can see only from 20 feet away. Seek medical attention right away if you suddenly lose the ability to see. Have someone bring you to the emergency room for treatment. Don’t wait for your vision to return. Depending on the cause of your blindness, immediate treatment may increase your chances of restoring your vision. Treatment may involve surgery or medication.

What Are the Symptoms of Blindness?

If you’re completely blind, you can see nothing. If you’re partially blind, you might experience the following symptoms:
  • cloudy vision
  • an inability to see shapes
  • seeing only shadows
  • poor night vision
  • tunnel vision

Symptoms of Blindness in Infants

Your child’s visual system begins to develop in the womb, but it won’t be fully formed until about 2 years of age. By 6 to 8 weeks of age, your baby should be able to fix their gaze on an object and follow its movement. By 4 months of age, their eyes should be properly aligned and not turned inward or outward. The symptoms of visual impairment in young children can include:
  • constant eye rubbing
  • an extreme sensitivity to light
  • poor focusing
  • chronic eye redness
  • chronic tearing from their eyes
  • a white instead of a black pupil
  • poor visual tracking, or trouble following an object with their eyes
  • abnormal eye alignment or movement after 6 months of age
 

What Causes Blindness?

The following eye diseases and conditions can cause blindness:
  • Glaucoma refers to four different eye conditions that can damage your optic nerve, which carries visual information from your eyes to your brain.
  • Macular degeneration destroys the part of your eye that enables you to see details. It usually affects older adults.
  • Cataracts cause cloudy vision. They’re more common in older people.
  • A lazy eye can make it difficult to see details. It may lead to vision loss.
  • Optic neuritis is inflammation that can cause temporary or permanent vision loss.
  • Retinitis pigmentosa refers to damage of the retina. It leads to blindness only in rare cases.
  • Tumors that affect your retina or optic nerve can also cause blindness.
Blindness is a potential complication if you have diabetes or have a stroke. Birth defects, eye injuries, and complications from eye surgery are other common causes of blindness.

Who Is at Risk of Blindness?

The following categories of people are at risk of blindness:
  • people with eye diseases, such as macular degeneration and glaucoma
  • people with diabetes
  • people who have a stroke
  • eye surgery patients
  • people who work with or near sharp objects or toxic chemicals
  • premature babies

How Is Blindness Diagnosed?

A thorough eye exam by an optometrist will help to determine the cause of your blindness or partial loss of vision. Your eye doctor will administer a series of tests that measure the clarity of your vision, the function of your eye muscles, and how your pupils react to light. They’ll examine the general health of your eyes using a slit lamp, which is a low-power microscope paired with a high-intensity light.

Diagnosing Blindness in Infants

A pediatrician will screen your baby for eye problems shortly after birth. At 6 months of age, you should have an eye doctor or pediatrician check your child again for visual acuity, focus, and eye alignment. The doctor will look at your baby’s eye structures and see whether they can follow a light or colorful object with their eyes. Your child should be able to pay attention to visual stimuli by 6 to 8 weeks of age. If your child doesn’t react to light shining in their eyes or focus on colorful objects by 2 to 3 months of age, have their eyes examined right away. You should have their eyes examined if you notice crossed eyes or any other symptoms of impaired vision.
 

How Is Blindness Treated?

In some cases of vision impairment, one or more of the following may help to restore your vision:
  • eyeglasses
  • contact lenses
  • surgery
  • medication
If you experience partial blindness that can’t be corrected, your doctor will provide guidance on how to function with limited vision. For example, you can use a magnifying glass to read, increase the text size on your computer, and use audio clocks and audiobooks. Complete blindness requires approaching life in a new way and learning new skills. For example, you may need to learn how to:
  • read Braille
  • use a guide dog
  • memorize the keypad on your phone
  • organize your home so you can find things easily
  • fold money in distinct ways to distinguish bill amounts
You may also need to have handrails installed in your bathroom.

What Is the Long-Term Outlook?

The long-term outlook for restoring vision and slowing vision loss is better when treatment is preventive and sought immediately. Cataracts can be treated effectively with surgery and don’t necessarily result in blindness. Early diagnosis and treatment are also important in cases of glaucoma and macular degeneration to help slow down or stop your vision loss.