An American woman has explained the rationale behind her decision to “deliberately” blind herself.
Jewel Shuping, 30, from North Dakota, suffers from Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID), a disorder that makes able-bodied persons feel that they were meant to be deformed.
Shuping said she fantasised about being blind since she was little girl and practised working around the house in the dark.
Also, she said bought very thick dark sunglasses, bought a white cane by 18 and had become fluent in Braille by the age of 20.
She tried to get doctors to help her with the process of going blind but failed.
However, determined to go through with it, she went on the internet and was able to contact a psychologist who helped her go through the process.
When her mother and sister learnt about what she had done, they disowned her but she said it didn’t matter because: “I really feel this is the way I was supposed to be born, that I should have been blind from birth.”
She is presently studying for a degree in education and believes she can help other blind people live an independent life.