What do blind people see?

I lost my sight gradually due to a genetic defect and if you've ever wondered what a blind person sees, this is by far one of the most trippy experiences you'll ever have.

Got Questions? I’ve got answers:

How do I respond to comments?

Why does it look like I’m making real eye contact and being expressive with my eyes?

How did I lose my eyesight?

What does Pete “see”?

Why is Pete wearing sunglasses

Do blind people dream?

How do I film in the studio?

How do I film when out in the world?

Why do I wear a watch if I’m blind?

Do blind people blink?

How do I "read" copy for all of my voice acting work?

Where have I heard Pete's voice before?

How do I surf blind?

How do I tell up from down when I fall off my surfboard?

Does it hurt if I get salt water in my eyes?

Can blind people get dizzy?

You can also learn a lot and get inspired by watching The Blind Surfer Documentary called “Finding A Way”

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask in the comments. The Blind Surfer channel is always happy to help spread awareness and information about blindness and how it affects tens of millions of people worldwide.

0:00 intro
0:14 the Blurry Stage
0:33 The Headless Stage
1:40 The Psychedelic Stage
2:22 The Hallucinogenic Stage
3;37 Gone Baby Gone

[ToughBeifong]

This reminds me of my own experience. I went blind in 2016 due to diabetes and my left eye lost vision first and I left all depth perception. Then my right eye followed soon after that. I tried surgery to get my vision back, but it didn’t work And I ended up with my eyes no longer capable of receiving light. What I see now reminds me of TD static, and occasionally what looks like shooting stars will shoot across my vision.

[igitaq]

I don't think there is any circumstance where one would be thankful for being blind. Nor would I wish blindness on anyone. But the impact you have made as a content creator and just being an amazing person in general despite being blind has impacted more people than you can imagine. I am thankful for people like you who are not defined by their disability but just an amazing person who is different. Thank you for showing the world that despite how unconquerable a struggle might seem a person can overcome and thrive. You are a hero, maybe not one we deserve but one we are fortunate to have. Thank you Pete for sharing your story and life with us.
P.S. You and Banana are an amazingly cute couple.

[SS_DT]

I have lattice degeneration, and the weird blue floaters and "lightning" are the things my retinal specialist has told me to watch for retinal detachment. I thankfully haven't gotten bad yet. Just one black spot that doesn't go away, but I have the hallucinations you talk about constantly. I see one of my (dark) cats everywhere - anything even remotely cat sized. Lol

Eyes are so fascinating.

[jeaninetheresia]

You're really good at sharing your thoughts and realities of going blind. I hope this can answer most questions that people have. It's admirable you aren't embarrassed or self conscious about sharing your experience with the world. Bravo you are a true hero.🥰👍

[alexanderweir]

That last bit, as much as you're joking about getting what you wanted as it wasn't "all dark" it's still so sad to think that when you were just a kid you were afraid that you would only see total darkness for the rest of your life and then you did go completely blind 😢

[ThatWwhistorynerd]

You know it’s a good day when Pete uploads.

[machadinhos]

I've whatched your videos for a while and I never thought you had stargarts disease. I also have it and the doctors always told me it coudn't lead to total blindness. Fortunately I can still see a bit (not much). You are amazing, the strength you have to push through life's challenges is just incredible. Thank you for being so inspiring

[ivangood]

Sharing with humor instead of sorrow, you're such a strong person!

[ericstainz]

I close my eyes just for a minute and can’t believe how much fortitude it must take. Amazing, great job Pete.

[OptimusPhillip]

Hearing about the headless phase really weirded me out, because I've seen those illusions online that use your peripheral blind spot to make things disappear, even to the point of using the surrounding visual input to replace it with something else. It's so terrifying to think about that "neat optical trick" actively robbing you of crucial vision.

[robinvobin]

Phantom vision like phantom limbs sounds really interesting. But thank you and gotta say you are quite a bad ass for having the courage to be this open and vulnerable online. Everytime i see your stuff i just get a blast of will to live and optimism. Thank you, you absolute legend

[dee_dee_place]

I can't imagine how you must feel about what you see or don't see on a daily basis.
I've always had very bad vision & even worse astigmatism.
Then, thrown into the mix came bilateral vitreous that ripped completely & cataracts that gave me blindspots which I wasn't aware of. UGH. Both became so bad that I was seeing white floaters all the time & stationary objects started moving back & forth as if they were attached to rubber bands. At first, the optometrist thought I might have a brain tumor & she put me through a whole bunch of vision tests. Then she sent me to an ophthalmologist & he said it was because both vitreous had completely collapsed & the cataract in my right eye had 'a pearl' on its side. I got bilateral cataract surgery so my vision is better but I still get those funky white & sometimes black floaters & I still see stationary things move. I also have 'white lace' on my right eye lens implant so I have a blindspot right smack in the middle of my right eye. The doctor said he could get rid of that with LASIK surgery but I'm terrified to get that done because of the Sahara syndrome people with dry eyes experience.
The bottom line is that vision issues are really disconcerting. I wish you the best, Pete.

[eldynamico]

Finally, after seven years of almost fully blind, I can relate to someone almost to 100%. Thank you you are my inspiration now.

[devils.advocate]

The Headless phase I’d rename to the Ickabod Crane phase... headless horseman chasing you around. The next two phases sound like the eat me and drink me parts of Alice in Wonderland. The Giraffe vision was priceless... one day if we ever meet... I hope I’m a Unicorn. 💜

[buttermepancake]

Everyone should remember blindness is a spectrum. Not all people who are blind are totally blind. Most people who are blind can see slight shapes, shadows, or even very blury images. It can also be a combination of blurry vision, extreme tunnel vision, and visual distortion.

[chickenmcranch]

Hey pete, i just want to let you know much youve helped me through life. Ive always wanted to get into voice over, but I was just scared to. But youve taught me that you can honestly do anything if you put in the effort. Have a good a day man

[RebeccaOsterbergFamilyandMusic]

Thank you for this! I’m gradually losing my vision and this helps explain it to others. ❤

[SoonerKiller]

Thanks for the explanation. You've answered a question I've never quite had the gall to ask.

[Genie]

That's very interesting. Both of my parents were blind. My mom described hers as just things getting darker and darker, until all she could see was bright lights. My dad why blind from trauma and said he saw just blackness. I've heard some blind people say they don't see black, they see nothing, but I wonder about that. I have some vision issues too, similar in cause to my mom's but with a much different experience. I do get floaties sometimes and spiderwebs, both which are from bleeding, like yours. And as I've gotten older, vision is getting blurrier but I don't know how much of that is age and how much is from retinopathy.

[xact.toeblades]

Pete. I hate that you're blind, but I love that I get to experience you and your positive view on life (pun very much intended)..


Hear you soon brother!