Visual impairment 101
Learn how visual impairment varies and how to support people who use screen readers, screen magnification, or both.
What this helps you understand
This article helps you understand that visual impairment is not one single experience.
A person’s level of vision, preferences, task, and context can affect whether they use a screen reader, screen magnification software, or both.
Why this matters
People with visual impairments may interact with digital experiences in different ways.
When you understand these differences, you can write better user journeys, run better meetings, and design more accessible products.
When to use this guidance
Use this guidance when you are:
- Preparing accessibility research
- Writing user journeys
- Meeting with people who are blind, legally blind, or visually impaired
- Designing or reviewing digital experiences
- Learning about screen readers and screen magnification
Recommended approach
Do not assume one tool, label, or access need applies to everyone.
Ask respectful questions when needed. Design and write tasks in ways that support multiple assistive technology setups.
Best practices
Understand that vision is a continuum
What to do:
Recognize that some users are completely blind, while many have some level of vision.
Why it matters:
People may use different tools depending on their vision, task, and preferences.
Example:
A user may switch between screen magnification and a screen reader during the same task.
Support screen reader users
What to do:
Make sure your experience includes accessible structure and labels.
Why it matters:
Screen reader users rely on programmatic information to understand and navigate content.
Examples of considerations:
- Focus management
- Semantic layout
- ARIA landmarks
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Correctly labelled forms
- Alternative text
Support screen magnification users
What to do:
Make visual information easier to find, read, and activate when magnified.
Why it matters:
Screen magnification users may see only part of the interface at one time.
Examples of considerations:
- Focus management
- Semantic layout
- Colour contrast
- Responsive layouts
- Large targets for hover and other actions
- Visual focus indicators
Use respectful language
What to do:
Use the label a person uses for themselves. Ask if you are unsure.
Why it matters:
Blind, legally blind, and visually impaired can describe different experiences and levels of vision.
Example:
Ask, “What language do you prefer?” instead of assuming.
Write user journeys without visual-only instructions
What to do:
Refer to controls by their accessible names or purpose, not only by colour, shape, or location.
Why it matters:
A screen reader user or colour blind user may not be able to identify something by visual description alone.
Example:
Use “Select the play button” instead of “Click the green rectangle.”
Common mistakes to avoid
Avoid: Assuming all people with visual impairments use the same assistive technology.
Why: Many users switch between tools based on the task and situation.
Do this instead: Ask about the user’s setup when relevant.
Avoid: Giving instructions that depend only on sight.
Why: Some users may not be able to identify icons, colours, or layout positions visually.
Do this instead: Use clear control names and task goals.
Avoid: Avoiding everyday sight-related words.
Why: Many blind users use phrases like “watched a movie.”
Do this instead: Speak naturally and respectfully.
Sam and Ka, Fable community members, talk about common occurrences that annoy them online, in the workplace and at home.
Examples
During meetings or research sessions:
- Communicate any issues with screen sharing or focus.
- Ask users to slow down their speech rate if you cannot follow their screen reader.
- Be patient when a task takes longer because of magnification, layout, or interaction barriers.
- Confirm basic keyboard access and alternative text before submitting a user journey.
What to do next
Before research with users who have visual impairments, review your user journey for visual-only instructions. Confirm that core tasks support keyboard access, clear labels, and alternative text.