Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind: A Study of Apparent Eyeless Vision
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Plain English Summary
Can people who have been blind since birth suddenly 'see' during a near-death experience? This groundbreaking 1997 study tackled that wild question head-on. Researchers interviewed 31 blind people who had near-death or out-of-body experiences, and an astonishing 80% reported visual perception — including 9 out of 14 people born completely blind. Their experiences matched the classic pattern reported by sighted people: tunnels of light, life reviews, the works. Two cases were especially striking — a totally blind man correctly described the color and pattern of someone's tie, and a newly blinded woman accurately described a hospital hallway, confirmed by a witness. After ruling out dreaming, guesswork, and other sensory workarounds, the authors proposed something called 'transcendental awareness' — a way of knowing that goes beyond physical eyesight. It's the kind of finding that keeps neuroscientists scratching their heads.
Actual Paper Abstract
This article reports the results of an investigation into near-death and out-of-body experiences in 31 blind respondents. The study sought to address three main questions: (1) whether blind individuals have near-death experiences (NDEs) and, if so, whether they are the same as or different from those of sighted persons; (2) whether blind persons ever claim to see during NDEs and out-of-body experiences (OBEs); and (3) if such claims are made, whether they can ever be corroborated by reference to independent evidence. Our findings revealed that blind persons, including those blind from birth, do report classic NDEs of the kind common to sighted persons; that the great preponderance of blind persons claim to see during NDEs and OBEs; and that occasionally claims of visually-based knowledge that could not have been obtained by normal means can be independently corroborated. We present and evaluate various explanations of these findings before arriving at an interpretation based on the concept of transcendental awareness.
Research Notes
First systematic empirical study of NDEs/OBEs in blind persons, including congenitally blind. Directly challenges neurological NDE explanations (REM intrusion, cortical surge) by showing visual-like perception in persons with no functional visual system. Central to Controversy #7 on consciousness survival. Later expanded into the 1999 book 'Mindsight.'
Interviewed 31 blind respondents (14 blind from birth, 11 adventitiously blind, 6 severely visually impaired) about NDEs (n=21) and OBEs (n=10). Blind persons reported classic Moody-type NDEs indistinguishable from sighted persons' experiences. 80% (25/31) claimed visual perception during their episodes, including 64% (9/14) of those blind from birth. Two corroborative cases were documented: a totally blind man correctly identified a tie's color and pattern, and a newly blinded woman accurately described a hospital corridor scene confirmed by independent witness. After rejecting dream, retrospective reconstruction, blindsight, and skin-based vision hypotheses, the authors propose 'transcendental awareness' — a multisensory mode of knowing that transcends physical sight.
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- Terminal lucidity: A review and a case collection — Nahm, Michael (2012)
- Non-local Consciousness: A Concept Based on Scientific Research on Near-Death Experiences During Cardiac Arrest — van Lommel, Pim (2013)
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Explanation of Near-Death Experiences: A Systematic Analysis of Case Reports and Qualitative Research
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Which Near-Death Experience Features Are Associated with Reduced Fear of Death?
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📋 Cite this paper
Ring, Kenneth, Cooper, Sharon (1997). Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind: A Study of Apparent Eyeless Vision. Journal of Near-Death Studies. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025010015662
@article{ring_1997_near_death_blind,
title = {Near-Death and Out-of-Body Experiences in the Blind: A Study of Apparent Eyeless Vision},
author = {Ring, Kenneth and Cooper, Sharon},
year = {1997},
journal = {Journal of Near-Death Studies},
doi = {10.1023/A:1025010015662},
}