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The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates the number of blind people worldwide exceeds 150 million. Every seven minutes in North America someone loses their eyesight. Two million Canadians have vision restrictions that impair their quality of life. As many more are unable to access print for psychological, neurological or physiological reasons.

Aging has been cited as the leading cause of blindness. There is consensus that the baby boom population will exponentially increase the number of persons with vision impairments. But it is expected that the strength and influence of this generation will alter greatly the historical public perception that having a disability necessitates living less than a full, active, meaningful life.

Vision-restricted people have varied interests, priorities, news and entertainment needs and are consumers along with their sighted counterparts. They live in family settings and represent a diversity of educational and socio-economic groups.