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2. DEFINING VISUAL IMPAIRMENT Visual impairment can be defined as impaired visual perception of different ethiology and dimension. Visual impairment influences not only the sight of an individual, but the whole personality and cognitive development. The influence of visual impairment is complex (bio-psycho-social) regardless of a complete or partial visual loss. The consequences of visual impairment for the development of a blind or partly sighted persons can be quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative changes are mostly in the sensorial sphere: people who are blind or partly sighted have restricted visual sensation and the main consequence of this situation is restricted amount of stimuli needed for development of visual imagination. Qualitative differences are mostly connected with cognition of persons with visual impairment. This can be recognised in all areas of cognitive activities, perception, differences in the process of image and concept formation, distorted relations between perception and sensor activity, but also on the level of emotions and personality. These quantitative and qualitative differences may result in sensory deprivation.
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