Research

Working with the Blind

Harris Filters are visual filters. This means that they are used to promote the perception of images. It is natural to think that if someone is blind then they see nothing - it is as if someone switched off the light and everything is black. In fact, it doesn't have to be like that and someone can be registered blind without completely losing their vision - but their vision would have to be extremely bad.

David Harris was approached by a charitable organisation for the blind about his work with dyslexics that involves the re-synchronisation of neural information with Harris Filters. After some discussion, a small pilot study was conducted in order to assess any affect from the filters. What happened next surprised everyone.

The results from the first assessments produced improvements in the patients visual perception that surprised everyone and the results from the tests that were used were extremely significant. The first patient to be assessed was A.M. who had had a brain injury that resulted in him being unconscious for several weeks and completely blind on his recovery. With careful coaching by Frank Ainsbury from the Liverpool Voluntary Society for the Blind (LVSB), A.M. managed to recover some vision but was very restricted in his abilities. Following assessment with Harris Filters, A.M. acquired his own spectacles and continued to improve in his visual perception. The photograph below show A.M. walking unaided in the grounds of the charity buildings.

Another case involved a woman who had suffered severe oxygen deprivation during surgery. This lady was registered blind and used a guide dog but although she did have some vision, she was badly affected. Following initial assessment and then her own filters prescribed the lady went from strength to strength and then wanted to return her guide dog as she could manage without her! This is a spectacular illustration of the improvements that can be made in the quality of life for blind people and it shows great promise for the future.

This work is ongoing, assessment of participants is free (paid for by The Harris Foundation) and further subsidies when necessary are arranged. If you would like an assessment of your own, please call the helpline on 0845 230 1771 or leave details on our contacts form.