Through the Lens: How the World Looks for Children Who See Differently

Have you ever tried looking through a plastic sheet used to store paper? It is not complete darkness, but neither is it clear light. Sometimes you can distinguish faces; other times, only moving shadows. This is how, day after day, the world looks to children with visual impairments.

At the “LOW VISION” Medico-Social Rehabilitation Center for People with Low Vision in Chișinău, specialists use glasses simulating different visual impairments or even a simple plastic sheet to show parents how their children see. This exercise helps families and teachers better understand the daily challenges faced by these children.

Ionuț is an 8-year-old boy from Sadîc village in Cantemir district. This autumn he will enter the second grade. He loves numbers, but finds it difficult to see them when written on the blackboard. During lessons, he usually leaves his desk, walks up to the board, reads what is written, and then carefully notes it down in his notebook. His mother says that despite his visual impairment, Ionuț is diligent and attentive at school.

Following a detailed ophthalmological assessment at the “LOW VISION” Center, doctors recommended a monocular telescope to help him see the blackboard more clearly from a distance.

After Ionuț came Viorel – a 15-year-old teenager also from Cantemir district. He enjoys computer science and envisions himself working in the IT field in a few years. Following a detailed examination, doctors recommended both an electronic magnifier and a monocular telescope. Viorel explores the devices with interest, adjusting contrast and letter size. His father, standing nearby, asks whether he feels any difference. Viorel looks up and replies briefly but with a spark of joy: “Yes. I see much clearer, I see much more distinctly.”

Just like Ionuț and Viorel, from the beginning of summer through August, nearly 60 children with visual impairments from across the country came to the “LOW VISION” Centre for specialized assessments. This is a complex process that includes the prescription, provision and maintenance of assistive technologies, coordinated by the Republican Centre for Psycho-Pedagogical Assistance through its nationwide network of specialists.

“Children with visual impairments are our heroes,” says Tatiana Ghidirimschi, PhD in Medical Sciences and Director of the “LOW VISION” Centre. “Each child has their own story, which is why it is essential to understand the challenges they face in daily life. We need to know whether a child has difficulty seeing only at a distance, only up close or in both situations – because this determines which device will be useful. This is not like simple myopia, where glasses solve the problem. In these children, multiple structures of the eye are often affected, and each case requires a specific approach.”

According to Dr. Ghidirimschi, assistive equipment yields the best results when used together with other simple but effective solutions: the teacher writes more clearly on the board, the child sits closer to the board, printed materials with larger fonts are provided, or notebooks with wider spacing are used.

“The key is to find the right solution for each child and to collaborate with parents and teachers,” emphasizes Tatiana Ghidirimschi.

In Moldova, the number of children with special educational needs integrated into schools has doubled over the past 10 years – from about 5,000 in 2013 to over 10,000 in 2024. However, for children with visual impairments, challenges remain significant. They need not only access to written information but also the ability to fully participate in lessons where visual materials are frequently used.

This trend demonstrates that inclusion is possible and delivers results. For children with visual impairments, full integration can be accelerated through assistive devices, which ensure access not only to written information but also to the visual materials frequently used in class.

Thanks to support from the Global Partnership for Education, UNICEF has provided schools with 842 assistive devices for children with visual impairments – ranging from Braille typewriters and video magnifiers to screen-reading software and adapted keyboards. Together with the Ministry of Education and Research and specialized organizations such as “Low Vision,” UNICEF supports comprehensive ophthalmological examinations, needs assessments and the prescription of appropriate equipment – so that every child has the opportunity for quality, inclusive education.

For some children, this means being able to read independently for the first time. For others, it means following what the teacher writes on the board. But for all, it means the chance to look toward the future with greater confidence.