Why can people just learn and read Braille?
For someone who was not born blind and who lost their vision after the age of 21, Braille appears to be very difficult to learn, as evidenced by how few new users there are per year. Indeed, we estimate that of the more than 750,000 who become visually impaired every year, there are fewer than 1,500 new Braille readers each year (0.2%.) The reason so few learn and read Braille is uncertain. It may be because as people age, their tactile sensitivity (acuity) declines to the point where they cannot successfully distinguish Braille characters. It may be that it is more difficult to learn new skills such as a new alphabet as people grow older. It may be that so few sighted people know Braille that people losing their vision find little support and assistance among their family members and friends, so they do not pursue it. Why so few older readers read Braille is not entirely certain, however, the reality is that 99% of people who lose their vision do not have a viable tactile means by whi
