to gain an in-depth understanding of blind patients' world and their caring experiences in the hospital

a hermeneutic phenomenology was used to conduct the study. While the interpretive phenomenology played an umbrella-like role in the overall process of the study, the 6 methodical activities introduced by van Manen, helped the researchers during data collection, data analysis and reporting the findings. Fiftheen participants (10 men, 8 women) who were congenitally blind or acquired blindness in early childhood, were interviewed.

four main themes were extracted from the lived experiences of complete blind patients. These themes include: seeing without eyesight, disciplined life, stereotypical care.

this study helped us to capture the main lived experiences of blind patients in the hospital. According to the findings we can conclude that blind people can’t see through the eyes but they are attributing new alternative meanings to vision. They like to be cared in a disciplined environment to overcome their limitation and to increase their level of independence. In addition, they are experiencing a stereotypical care that is not appropriate for them. Health professionals are recommended to provide a holistic, humanistic and appropriate care for blind people.