Do Blind People dream?

[nomanshake]

Your opinions? and if they do dream, what would they dream?> since they have never seen anything ? do they dream something special ?

[InLove]

Hi nomanshake,

I don't know how much this will help, since I was never completely blind. But I am legally blind, and before my eyes were able to be corrected with special lenses (even contacts, now) I dreamed. But since I had never seen things very well at all, yes--I would say that many of my dreams were "blurrier" than they were after I could see. But also, some dreams were extremely beautiful and vivid. And, as I later found out, quite accurate in "visual" detail--if not enhanced. Does that make any sense?

My son-in-law's grandmother is completely blind, but since childhood--in other words, there was a time when she could see. I know she dreams, because she mentioned it one time to me. But I never thought to ask her about the visual details at the time, because the story in the dream was such a hoot! When I visit with her again, I will ask her.

I'd like to say that I wish I could be of more help, but in this particular case, I guess I'll just be happy that this is all I can offer---.

InPeace,
InLove

[I, Brian]

I did some work at a home for the blind a few years back and asked them this question - the answer seemed to be yes. One who had sight and then went blind through a degenerative disease found it amazing that he often dreamed in a very visual way - ie, he could see. Another had never had any sight, but seemed convinced that he did dream, but was also convinced it was a different sensory perception in dreams than actual sight.

Hope that helps.

[pearl]

Good question? Beethoven may have dreamed music.

[Postmaster]

Well, this is a very curious question. Humans carry loads of information in there genes, for thousands of years man has for instance been looking at trees, even before humans, apes and other mammals have been seeing trees for even more thousands of years. Our genes must have some already pre-programmed ability to identify certain objects on a non visual level and in a way that a blind person can not describe. Also as Brian said, they still have touch, smell, hearing and senses were not aware of. So there perception maybe different, however it may not necessarily mean it's less, they could possibly have a greater perception even in dreams.

[rdwillia]

I've just read some good info on this topic, what a coincidence! Apparently people who are blind from birth do dream, but the don't usually have visual dreams. They're generally limited to the other senses. Another commonality are that they often dream of shapes, possibly them actually seeing the different levels of brightness and darkness. Some actually swear they see (visually) in their dreams.

For a personal note... I'm color blind, well, color defficient. I haven't noticed any previously unregistered colors popping up in my dreams... hmm...

People deaf from birth seem to hear in dreams more than blind people see. Perhaps they're actually sensing vibrations?

People who haven't been blind their whole life probably dream similarly to someone who's lost an arm. Even if you've lost your sight, you know what it was like to have it.

[17th Angel]

Originally Posted by nomanshake

Your opinions? and if they do dream, what would they dream?> since they have never seen anything ? do they dream something special ?

Uhm? Of course they do... The "dreaming thing" is a process your brain goes through nightly when it puts you to sleep it has to dream... To think that a blind person doesn't dream is odd... Because their mind still works they still make pictures of what they belive things would look like and others haven't been blind their entire life... So is it like a different deal for them? You know when you talk to a person say on here for example... You get an imaginational impresson of what they look like something along the lines of

"Oooh 17th he is about 6ft athletic built... very sexy very cheeky cheeky!!" And you would be on the money lol but if you differed from this you still having an image of what I look like.... But you have never EVER EVER!!$££! seen me...