If you are introduced to someone who is blind, do you automatically think they can’t see a thing? Quite possibly; however it is not always the case. This extract from the RNIB site www.rnib.org.uk/statistics, will hopefully clarify the subject of blindness a little:
“About two million people in the UK self define as having a sight problem or seeing difficulty; this can range from being unable to see a friend across the street or read newsprint even with the aid of glasses, to being registered as blind.
Every day another 100 people start to lose their sight.
There are about 1.7 million people with sight problems aged over 65 in the UK and there are approximately 25,000 children with sight problems in the UK; about 12,000 of these children also have other disabilities.
Ophthalmologists decide if you can be registered as blind if you can only read the top letter of the eye chart from three metres or less. You can be registered as partially sighted if you can only read the top letter of the eye chart from six metres or less.“
So, if blindness has varying degrees, how do VIs playing sport compete fairly?
This is resolved by a Sight Classification system, introduced by IBSA (International Blind Sports Federation), and used by BBS throughout the UK. Much like the ‘handicap’ system in golf, or even the weighting of horses in races, it allows for fairness when playing and competing and is defined by IBSA as follows:
“The classes were defined primarily by acuity and secondarily by field and the definitions are as follows:-
B1 'No light perception in either eye up to light perception but inability to recognise the shape of a hand at any distance or in any direction.'
B2 'From the ability to recognise the shape of a hand up to visual acuity of 2/60 and/or visual field of less than 5 degrees.'
B3 'From visual acuity above 2/60 up to visual acuity of 6/60 and/or a visual field of more than 5 degrees and less than 20 degrees.'”
Within the UK it has been decided by some sports that for social and historical reasons, a fourth class of B4 should be established and be determined purely by acuity. This class ranges from the top of 'B3' to an acuity of 6/24 Snellen. An individual with an acuity of 6/24 would be able to read the three top lines on a Snellen chart at six metres.”
To help you get to grips with these classes, here is some further explanation:
B1is quite straight forward – applicable if at best you can’t do better than distinguish between light and dark.
B2 and B3 are more of a problem for fully sighted people to understand. Most people
have had their sight tested at one time or another. Imagine looking at an optician’s chart. This has letters displayed in lines. The top line has one letter, the second line two, the third line three and so on. If you can only read the top letter at two metres distance, then you have an acuity of 2/60. If you can read at it six metres then you have an acuity of 6/60.
Next, imagine you are standing in the middle of a clock face and looking towards 12 o’clock. If you can only see what exists between half a minute to 12 and half a minute past 12 then you have a visual field of six degrees. If you can see one and a half minutes to twelve and one and a half minutes past 12 then you have visual field of 20 degrees.
Inevitably there is a problem for those who are on the borderline of the categories and even more so for those above the international B3 standard. The general view of BBS is that wherever possible the blind should integrate into mainstream competition.
A B4 classification is accepted in some Junior IBSA competitions and in many domestic competitions.
To obtain a formal sight classification you need to take the sight classification form, available from Head Office, to an optician, ophthalmologist or consultant and once completed return it to the office where it will then go to a sight classifier who allocates the appropriate classification. A sight classification card is then despatched and is accepted throughout disability sport. When attending international competition, particularly for the first time, further classification tests will be required and changes can be made.
Should you need any further explanation on Sight Classification please contact BBS.
To download a BBS Sight Classification Form, please click here
