Early Centuries

  • Homer (c. 12th–8th centuries BC) Homer is traditionally credited with composing the epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey. Though his existence and identity are debated, he was widely believed to have been blind.
  • Didymus the Blind (c. 313–398 AD) A theologian and head of the Catechetical School of Alexandria. Blind since early childhood, he was known for his deep scholarship and innovative teaching methods, including adapting writing tools for his use.
  • Francesco Landini (c. 1325 – September 2, 1397) An Italian composer, organist, singer, poet, and instrument maker, Landini was among the most renowned composers of the 14th century. He was crowned with laurel by the King of Cyprus in Venice. Landini was blind from childhood.
  • Arnolt Schlick (fl. late 15th century) A blind German organist and composer of the Renaissance, Schlick is best known for his treatise Spiegel der Orgelmacher und Organisten (1511), the first German-language manual on organ building and playing.
  • Galileo Galilei (February 15, 1564 – January 8, 1642) A pioneering Italian astronomer, physicist, and mathematician, Galileo made groundbreaking observations with his improved telescope. He lost his vision completely in his late 60s due to illness.
  • John Milton (December 9, 1608 – November 8, 1674) An English poet and civil servant best known for his epic Paradise Lost. Milton became blind in 1651 at the age of 43 and continued to write using dictation.
  • Nicholas Saunderson (1682 – 1739) Blinded by smallpox in infancy, Saunderson became a professor of mathematics at Cambridge University. He was supported by none other than Isaac Newton.
  • Leonhard Euler (April 15, 1707 – September 18, 1783) One of history’s greatest mathematicians, Euler contributed extensively to calculus, graph theory, mechanics, optics, and astronomy. He lost sight in one eye due to illness and eventually became totally blind but continued working through dictation.
  • John Stanley (January 17, 1712 – May 19, 1786) An English composer and organist who was blind from a young age. A friend of Handel, Stanley succeeded him in conducting oratorio concerts and supporting charitable causes like the Foundling Hospital.
  • Horatio Nelson (September 29, 1758 – October 21, 1805) A British admiral and naval hero of the Napoleonic Wars. Nelson lost sight in one eye early in his career and famously used this to his advantage by "turning a blind eye" to orders during battle.
  • William Prescott (February 20, 1726 – 1795) An American colonel during the Revolutionary War who led forces at the Battle of Bunker Hill. He reportedly gave the command, “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes.” Prescott suffered from visual impairments later in life.
  • Francois Huber (1750 – 1831) A Swiss naturalist who, despite becoming blind in early adulthood, made foundational discoveries about honeybee behavior with the help of assistants and detailed observation techniques.
  • Maria Theresia von Paradis (1759 – 1824) An Austrian composer and pianist who lost her sight as a child. She toured extensively and was rumored to have inspired Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 18 in B-flat Major, possibly written for her.

19th Century

  • Joseph Plateau (October 14, 1801 – September 15, 1883) A Belgian physicist who invented the phenakistiscope, an early stroboscopic device that created the illusion of motion. This work laid the foundation for the development of cinema. Plateau became blind later in life after performing an experiment that involved staring at the sun.
  • Louis Braille (January 4, 1809 – January 6, 1852) Blinded as a child after accidentally stabbing his eye with an awl, Braille later invented the tactile reading and writing system that bears his name, revolutionizing literacy and education for blind individuals around the world.
  • Harriet Tubman (c. 1820 – March 10, 1913) A former slave who became a key leader of the Underground Railroad, helping hundreds to freedom. She sustained a head injury in her youth that caused lifelong visual impairment and seizures, but she remained a fearless activist and humanitarian.
  • Thomas Rhodes Armitage (1824 – 1890) A British physician who lost his sight and went on to found the Royal National Institute of the Blind. Armitage advocated for standardized embossed type for blind readers and worked to increase access to education and literature for people with visual impairments.
  • Claude Monet (November 14, 1840 – December 5, 1926) A founder of French Impressionism, Monet continued painting even after his eyesight deteriorated from cataracts. Some of his most iconic works, including his large Water Lilies murals, were completed while he was nearly blind.
  • Joseph Pulitzer (April 10, 1847 – October 29, 1911) A Hungarian-American journalist and publisher who became blind at the age of 42. Despite this, he continued to influence journalism and later endowed the prestigious Pulitzer Prizes.
  • Frederick Delius (January 29, 1862 – June 10, 1934) An English composer whose later works were dictated to his amanuensis, Eric Fenby, after he became blind and paralyzed due to syphilis. His music is noted for its lyrical and atmospheric qualities.
  • Johanna “Anne” Mansfield Sullivan Macy (April 14, 1866 – October 20, 1936) Known as Anne Sullivan, she was the lifelong teacher and companion of Helen Keller. Partially blind herself due to trachoma, Sullivan studied at the Perkins School for the Blind and became a devoted educator.
  • Thomas Gore (December 10, 1870 – March 16, 1949) One of the first two U.S. senators from Oklahoma, Gore lost his vision in childhood due to separate accidents. Despite his blindness, he served multiple terms in the Senate and was an influential member of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.
  • Tilly Aston (December 11, 1873 – November 1, 1947) An Australian writer, teacher, and advocate who lost her sight in childhood. She founded the Victorian Association of Braille Writers and the Association for the Advancement of the Blind, working tirelessly for disability rights and accessible education.
  • Helen Keller (June 27, 1880 – June 1, 1968) Deaf and blind from illness at 19 months old, Keller became the first person with her disabilities to earn a college degree. She was a renowned author, lecturer, and activist for disability rights, women's suffrage, and social justice.
  • Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882 – April 12, 1945) The 32nd President of the United States, Roosevelt led the country through the Great Depression and World War II. While best known for his paralysis due to polio, some sources suggest he also experienced visual impairments later in life.
  • Dr. Jacob Bolotin (1888 – 1924) The first congenitally blind person to become a licensed physician. Dr. Bolotin specialized in diseases of the heart and lungs and was an outspoken advocate for full inclusion of blind individuals in all areas of life. The National Federation of the Blind presents the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award annually in his honor.
  • Ralph Teetor (August 17, 1890 – February 15, 1982) was an American inventor and mechanical engineer who lost his sight at age 5 due to an accident. He is best known for inventing cruise control, originally called the “Speedostat,” in the 1940s and patented in 1950. 
  • James Thurber (December 8, 1894 – November 2, 1961) An American author, cartoonist, and humorist best known for his work with The New Yorker. He lost most of his vision after a childhood accident involving an arrow, which influenced his unique, often surreal illustrative style and storytelling.
  • Jorge Luis Borges (August 24, 1899 – June 14, 1986) An Argentine writer whose influential works include essays, poems, and short stories blending philosophy, fantasy, and metaphysics. Borges became blind in adulthood, like his father, but continued writing with the help of assistants.

​20th Century Figures Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

  • Alec Templeton (1909–1963) Welsh-born blind pianist and satirist. Became a U.S. citizen, performed on popular radio programs, and memorized scripts by having them read aloud multiple times.
  • Sidney Bradford (1906–1960) Lost vision as a baby, regained it at 52 via corneal transplant. Studied for insights into visual perception but struggled post-surgery and died by suicide two years later.
  • Doc Watson (1923–2012) American guitarist and folk musician. Lost vision before age 1 due to an eye infection. Attended a school for the blind in North Carolina and became a major influence in bluegrass and folk.
  • Jacques Lusseyran (1924–1971) French resistance fighter and writer who went blind at age 8. Founded a youth resistance group during WWII and later wrote about his experiences.
  • Ray Charles (1930–2004) Legendary American musician known for blending R&B, gospel, country, and pop. Lost his sight at age 7 due to glaucoma. Overcame addiction and transformed American music.
  • Bernard Morin (born 1931) Blind French mathematician specializing in topology. Known for visualizing complex geometric concepts, including the sphere eversion and the Morin surface.
  • Rahsaan Roland Kirk (1936–1977) Blind jazz musician famous for playing multiple wind instruments at once. Known for politically charged performances and musical innovation.
  • José Feliciano (b. 1945) A Puerto Rican-American singer and guitarist who was born blind due to congenital glaucoma. Feliciano is known for hits like “Feliz Navidad” and his rendition of “Light My Fire.” He broke barriers for Latin artists in the American music industry and remains a symbol of international musical excellence.
  • Sue Townsend (1946–2014) British author of the Adrian Mole series. Registered blind in 2001 due to diabetes and incorporated her experiences into her writing.
  • Peter White (born 1947) British radio journalist, blind from birth. BBC Disability Affairs Correspondent and advocate for accessibility in media.
  • Tom Sullivan (b. 1947) Blind singer, actor, author, and motivational speaker. Performed on national television and co-authored books about blindness and parenting.
  • Judy Heumann (1947–2023) American disability rights advocate who had polio as a child. Influential in shaping disability policy and co-founded national and international advocacy groups.
  • Stevie Wonder (born 1950) American music legend signed with Motown at age 12. Blind due to retinopathy of prematurity. Influenced multiple generations of artists.
  • Esref Armagan (born 1953) Blind Turkish painter who developed spatial and perspective drawing skills independently. Studied by researchers for insights into perception without vision.
  • Tony Max (born 1957) Canadian fine artist born legally blind. Despite surgeries and complications from glaucoma and retinal detachments, he became a renowned visual artist.
  • David Paterson (born 1954) First legally blind governor of New York (2008–2010). Lost most of his vision as an infant due to an ear infection affecting his optic nerve.
  • Andrea Bocelli (born 1958) Italian opera and pop tenor. Became blind at age 12 following a football accident. World-renowned for his emotive performances.
  • Jens Naumann (born 1963) Lost sight in two separate accidents by age 20. In 2002, became the first person to receive a brain-vision implant for artificial sight. Later returned to work in solar energy and music. https://youtu.be/JWMYW-SkURI
  • ​​Jeff Healey (1966–2008) Blind Canadian jazz and blues-rock guitarist and singer. Known for his unique lap-style guitar playing and hit song “Angel Eyes.”
  • Jean Driscoll (b. 1966) A Paralympic wheelchair racer who has a rare congenital disorder that causes spinal deformities and leg weakness. Although not blind herself, she partnered with and advocated alongside many athletes with various disabilities, and her influence in inclusive athletics makes her an inspiring figure for students studying diverse abilities. (If your focus is strictly on visual impairments, she may not apply.)
  • Erik Weihenmayer (born 1968) First blind person to summit Mount Everest. Adventurer and athlete who also completed the Seven Summits and leads youth expeditions.
  • Marla Runyan (born 1969) Legally blind Olympic runner. First blind athlete to compete in the Olympics (2000) and three-time national champion in the 5,000 meters.
  • Sabriye Tenberken (born 1970) German co-founder of Braille Without Borders. Developed Tibetan Braille and founded a center for the blind in Lhasa, Tibet.
  • Brian McKeever (born 1979) Canadian cross-country skier and biathlete with Stargardt's disease. First Canadian named to both Paralympic and Olympic teams.
  • Kelvin Tan Weilian (born 1981) Blind singer from Singapore. Won the Project SuperStar competition in 2005, and sings in multiple languages and dialects.
  • Lex Gillette (born 1984) American Paralympic long jumper. Blind since age 8, five-time Paralympic silver medalist. Also a motivational speaker.
  • Christine Ha (b. 1979) Legally blind chef who won MasterChef Season 3 in the U.S. She has neuromyelitis optica, a condition that affects the spinal cord and optic nerves. Her success in a visual and precision-based field has broken stereotypes and shown what’s possible with adaptations and determination.
  • Nobuyuki Tsujii (b. 1988) A Japanese pianist and composer who was born blind. He won joint Gold at the 2009 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and is celebrated worldwide for his expressive playing.

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"Blindness is but a temporary experience of confusion immediately following loss of eyesight; as time heals the wounds through positive teachings, blindness inevitably disappears to be replaced with a new type of vision - one which is at least as deep and meaningful as that once lost..."
-Jens Naumann