Defines blindness and discusses the advances made in recent history to help blind people participate more actively in society. Specific emphasis on education and vocational rehabilitation.

This study was a preliminary step in an assessment of the transportation services accessible to blind and deaf children in Vancouver. It originated in response to the ever increasing concern voiced within the community about the problem of inadequate transportation facilities for handicapped children. The purpose of the research was to determine the extent to which public and special transportation services are accessible to children with visual and hearing impairments and to propose improvements that might be made. In order to research this problem, four basic methods of collecting information were employed, as follows: documentary analysis interviews and correspondence with transportation experts; mailed questionnaires to parents of blind and deaf children; and, personal interviews using the same questionnaire. The sample population was randomly selected from blind and deaf children between the ages of 6 and 19 years who were affiliated with Jericho Hill School in the 1974-75 school term. Sixty-one (48%) questionnaires were completed and used in this study. Findings regarding mobility limitations showed that the sample population was quite mobile and over half reported not having to rely on special aids to help them get around outdoors. Of those requiring some kind of aid, most used either a cane or another person. Travel data were obtained for three trip destinations: school medical facilities, and recreational activities. Findings showed the children were not restricted in travel to recreational activities. Transportation to medical facilities was not found to be a problem because the majority of the children used those provided at Jericho Hill School. Access to school transportation was not reported to be a problem in itself; however, it was found that the trip from home to school was problematic in terms of travel time and safety requirements It is a conclusion of this study that if Jericho Hill School remains as a central facility a more localized shuttle service would be the maximum requirement. However, if decentralization occurs the provision of a parallel system run on a demand-responsive basis would be necessary. It is apparent from this study, which has attempted to review the range of problems and needs for transit of blind and deaf children that problems for them are perhaps common to all handicapped children. / Medicine, Faculty of / Population and Public Health (SPPH), School of / Graduate

La navigation repose en majeure partie sur la vision puisque ce sens nous permet de rassembler des informations spatiales de façon simultanée et de mettre à jour notre position par rapport à notre environnement. Pour plusieurs aveugles qui se fient à l’audition, le toucher, la proprioception, l’odorat et l’écholocation pour naviguer, sortir à l’extérieur de chez soi peut représenter un défi considérable. Les recherches sur le circuit neuronal de la navigation chez cette population en particulier s’avèrent donc primordiales pour mieux adapter les ressources aux handicapés visuels et réussir à les sortir de leur isolement. Les aveugles de naissance constituent aussi une population d’intérêt pour l’étude de la neuroplasticité. Comme leur cerveau s’est construit en absence d’intrant visuel, la plupart des structures reliées au sens de la vue sont réduites en volume par rapport à ceux de sujets voyants. De plus, leur cortex occipital, une région normalement dédiée à la vision, possède une activité supramétabolique au repos, ce qui peut représenter un territoire vierge pouvant être recruté par les autres modalités pour exécuter diverses tâches sensorielles. Plusieurs chercheurs ont déjà démontré l’implication de cette région dans des tâches sensorielles comme la discrimination tactile et la localisation auditive. D’autres changements plastiques de nature intramodale ont aussi été observés dans le circuit neuronal de la navigation chez ces aveugles. Par exemple, la partie postérieure de l’hippocampe, impliquée dans l’utilisation de cartes mentales, est réduite en volume alors que la section antérieure est élargie chez ces sujets. Bien que ces changements plastiques anatomiques aient bel et bien été observés chez les aveugles de naissance, il reste toutefois à les relier avec leur aspect fonctionnel. Le but de la présente étude était d’investiguer les corrélats neuronaux de la navigation chez l’aveugle de naissance tout en les reliant avec leurs habiletés spatio-cognitives. La première étude comportementale a permis d’identifier chez les aveugles congénitaux une difficulté d’apprentissage de routes tactiles construites dans des labyrinthes de petite échelle. La seconde étude, employant la technique d’imagerie par résonance magnétique fonctionnelle, a relié ces faiblesses au recrutement de régions cérébrales impliquées dans le traitement d’une perspective égocentrique, comme le lobule pariétal supérieur droit. Alors que des sujets voyants aux yeux bandés excellaient dans la tâche des labyrinthes, ces derniers recrutaient des structures impliquées dans un traitement allocentrique, comme l’hippocampe et le parahippocampe. Par ailleurs, la deuxième étude a confirmé le recrutement du cortex occipital dans une tâche de navigation chez les aveugles seulement. Ceci confirme l’implication de la plasticité intermodale dans des tâches cognitives de plus haut niveau, comme la navigation. / Navigation is predominately based on vision as it gathers spatial information simultaneously and allows a continuous update of our position relative to space. For many blind people who rely mainly on auditive, haptic, proprioceptive, olfactive and echolocating cues to navigate, leaving outside their home can be a challenge. Research on the navigational neural network in this particular population is therefore crucial to better adapt resources for visually impaired people and free them from isolation. Congenitally blind subjects are also an interesting population for the study of neuroplasticity. As their brain was built without any visual input, most structures related to vision are reduced in volume compared to those of seeing subjects. Moreover, their occipital cortex, a region normally dedicated to vision, has a suprametabolic activity at rest, which could represent a virgin territory that can be recruited by other modalities to accomplish various sensory tasks. Recently some researchers have demonstrated the involvement of this region in sensory tasks such as tactile discrimination and auditive localisation. Other intramodal plastic changes have also been observed in the blind’s navigational neural network. The posterior part of hippocampus, involved in cognitive mapping, is reduced in volume while the anterior section is enlarged in blind subjects. Although some anatomical plastic changes have been observed in congenitally blind’s brain navigational system, their functional aspect remains to be elucidated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the neural correlates of navigation in congenital blindness and to link them with the blinds’ spatio-cognitive skills. The first behavioral study identified route learning difficulties in congenitally blind participants when they were ask to navigate inside small-scaled tactile mazes. Using functional magnetic resonance imagery in the second study, these problems were associated with the recruitment of brain regions involved in an egocentric perspective processing, such as right superior parietal lobule. While blindfolded seeing subjects excelled in the maze task, they recruited structures involved in allocentric processing, such as hippocampus and parahippocampus. Moreover, the second study confirmed the recruitment of occipital cortex in a navigation task for blind subjects only. This strengthens the involvement of crossmodal plasticity in higher level cognitive tasks, such as navigation.

La littérature décrit certains phénomènes de réorganisation physiologique et fonctionnelle dans le cerveau des aveugles de naissance, notamment en ce qui a trait au traitement de l’information tactile et auditive. Cependant, le système olfactif des aveugles n’a reçu que très peu d’attention de la part des chercheurs. Le but de cette étude est donc de comprendre comment les aveugles traitent l’information olfactive au niveau comportemental et d’investiguer les substrats neuronaux impliqués dans ce processus. Puisque, en règle générale, les aveugles utilisent leurs sens résiduels de façon compensatoire et que le système olfactif est extrêmement plastique, des changements au niveau de l’organisation anatomo-fonctionnelle pourraient en résulter. Par le biais de méthodes psychophysiques et d’imagerie cérébrale (Imagerie par Résonance Magnétique fonctionnelle-IRMf), nous avons investigué les substrats anatomo-fonctionnels sollicités par des stimuli olfactifs. Nous avons trouvé que les aveugles ont un seuil de détection plus bas que les voyants, mais que leur capacité à discriminer et identifier des odeurs est similaire au groupe contrôle. Ils ont aussi plus conscience de l’environnement olfactif. Les résultats d’imagerie révèlent un signal BOLD plus intense dans le cortex orbitofrontal droit, le thalamus, l’hippocampe droit et le cortex occipital lors de l’exécution d’une tâche de détection d’odeur. Nous concluons que les individus aveugles se fient d’avantage à leur sens de l’odorat que les voyants afin d’évoluer dans leur environnement physique et social. Cette étude démontre pour la première fois que le cortex visuel des aveugles peut être recruté par des stimuli olfactifs, ce qui prouve que cette région assume des fonctions multimodales. / It is generally acknowledged that people blind from birth develop supra-normal sensory abilities in order to compensate for their visual deficit. While extensive research has been done on the somatosensory and auditory modalities of the blind, information about their sense of smell remains scant. The goal of this study was therefore to understand olfactory processing in the blind at the behavioral and the neuroanatomical levels. Since blind individuals use their remaining senses in a compensatory way to assess their environment and since the olfactory system is highly plastic, it is likely to be susceptible to changes similar to those observed for tactile and auditory modalities. We used psychophysical testing and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the neuronal substrates responsible for odor processing. Our data showed that blind subjects had a lower odor detection threshold compared to the sighted. However, no group differences were found for odor discrimination and odor identification. Interestingly, the OAS revealed that blind participants scored higher for odor awareness. Our fMRI data revealed stronger BOLD responses in the right lateral orbitofrontal cortex, bilateral medio-dorsal thalamus, right hippocampus and left occipital cortex in the blind participants during an odor detection task. We conclude that blind subjects rely more on their sense of smell than the sighted in order to assess their environment and to recognize places and people. This is the first demonstration that the visual cortex of the blind can also be recruited by odorants, thus adding new evidence to its multimodal function.

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Thèse réalisée en collaboration avec le Département de neurosciences et pharmacologie de l'Université de Copenhague, Danemark. / La vision est cruciale dans la recherche et l’identification de nourriture. Non seulement elle déclenche le réflexe céphalique de la digestion mais, combinée à l’expérience alimentaire, elle aide à raffiner nos prévisions par rapport aux aliments. En un simple clin d’œil, la vue renseigne sur la disponibilité, l’identité, la comestibilité, les saveurs, les textures et les contenus nutritionnel, calorique et toxique des aliments qui nous entourent. Étant donnée l’importance de la vue dans l’expérience gustative, il est judicieux de se poser la question suivante : Qu’arrive-t-il au goût en absence de vision? Cette thèse répond à cette question par l’étude de cette modalité chez l’aveugle de naissance grâce aux techniques de psychophysique et d’imagerie cérébrale. De plus, les conséquences gustatives de la cécité sont comparées à celles suivant la perte d’un autre sens important dans l’appréciation des aliments, soit l’odorat (anosmie). Les résultats comportementaux démontrent premièrement que l’absence de vision depuis la naissance abaisse la sensibilité gustative, reflétée par des seuils élevés de détection et d’identification des cinq goûts de base (sucré, salé, acide, amer, umami). Deuxièmement, bien que les aveugles congénitaux aient plus de facilité à identifier les odeurs comestibles par leurs narines (voie olfactive orthonasale), ceux-ci perdent leur avantage par rapport aux voyants quand ils doivent identifier ces stimuli placés sur la langue (voie olfactive rétronasale). Les résultats d’imagerie indiquent en outre que les aveugles congénitaux activent moins leur cortex gustatif primaire (insula/opercule) et leur hypothalamus par rapport aux voyants durant une tâche gustative. De plus, l’absence d’activation dans le cortex (« visuel ») occipital chez l’aveugle pointe vers le manque de plasticité intermodale en gustation. Chez les anosmiques congénitaux d’autre part, non seulement l’absence d’odorat diminue l’habileté à reconnaître les goûts mais elle abaisse également la force du signal dans les aires olfactives (ex : cortex orbitofrontal médial) durant une tâche gustative. Les résultats chez l’aveugle contrastent grandement avec les études antérieures soulignant l’amélioration de leurs sens extéroceptifs tels que l’audition, l’olfaction (orthonasale) et le toucher qui font tous intervenir la plasticité intermodale. Par ailleurs, les données chez l’anosmique concordent avec ceux de la littérature indiquant une diminution similaire de la chémosensation trigéminale, laquelle est également associée à un affaiblissement du circuit neural des saveurs. Ceci suggère que le sens du goût ne soit pas utile aux handicapés visuels pour percevoir l’environnement extérieur et ainsi compenser leur perte de vision. De plus, bien que l’odorat participe à l’appréciation de la nourriture en bouche, sa perte n’entraîne pas de compensation sensorielle chez l’anosmique. Prises ensemble, ces données indiquent différents mécanismes d’adaptation suivant la cécité et l’anosmie. Elles soutiennent également le point de vue selon lequel la perception unifiée de goûts et de saveurs inclut non seulement les sens chimiques et le toucher mais également la vision. Considérant l’importance du goût et de l’alimentation dans la qualité de vie, ces résultats encouragent la société tout comme les professionnels de la réadaptation à faciliter l’accès à la nourriture ainsi qu’à l’enseignement culinaire chez les handicapés sensoriels. / Vision is crucial for seeking and identifying food. Not only does it trigger the cephalic digestion reflex but, when combined with the experience of eating, it helps to refine expectations about foods. In a single eye blink, sight informs us about the availability, identity, palatability, flavours, textures as well as nutritional, caloric and toxic contents of foods surrounding us. Given the importance of sight in the gustatory experience, one may therefore ask the following question: What happens to gustation without vision? This thesis answers this question by studying this modality in congenitally blind subjects using psychophysical and brain imaging techniques. Additionally, the gustatory consequences of blindness are compared to those following the loss of another important modality involved in the appreciation of food, i.e. the sense of smell (anosmia). Behavioural results first show that the absence of vision from birth reduces the gustatory sensitivity, as reflected by higher detection and identification thresholds of the five basic tastes (sweet, salty, acid, bitter, umami). Second, although congenitally blind subjects are better at identifying palatable odorant stimuli through their nostrils (orthonasal olfactory route), they lose this advantage over sighted people when identifying these stimuli placed on their tongue (retronasal olfactory route). Neuroimaging results also reveal that congenitally blind subjects activate the primary gustatory cortex (insula/operculum) and the hypothalamus less compared to blindfolded sighted participants. Moreover, the absence of occipital (“visual”) cortex activity in the blind points towards the lack of crossmodal plasticity in gustation. In congenitally anosmics, on the other hand, not only does the absence of smell lower the ability to recognize tastes but it also lowers the strength of the signal in olfactory areas (e.g. medial orbitofrontal cortex) during a gustatory task. The results in the blind greatly contrast with previous studies highlighting the enhancement of their exteroceptive senses such as audition, (orthonasal) olfaction and touch, all of which involve crossmodal plasticity. Moreover, data in the anosmic group are consistent with previous literature describing similar decrease of trigeminal chemosensation that is also associated with a weakening of the flavour neural network. This suggests that the sense of taste is not useful to the visually impaired to perceive their exterior environment and compensate for their lack of vision. Furthermore, although olfaction contributes to the appreciation of foods in the mouth, the lack of this modality does not drive sensory compensation in anosmic subjects. Taken together, these data indicate different adaptation mechanisms following blindness and anosmia. They also support the view according to which the unified perception of tastes and flavours includes not only the chemical senses (taste, smell and trigeminal chemosensation) and touch but also vision. Given the importance of taste and eating experience in quality of life, these results encourage society as well as rehabilitation professionals to facilitate access to foods and culinary lessons in sensory deprived subjects.

Esta dissertação tem como principal objeto de estudo as interações sociais, que envolvem performances chamadas de cegueira, deficiência visual, baixa visão, vidência e correlativos. O objetivo desta pesquisa é descrever tais performances em termos de acionamentos de categorias de nomeação, sinais distintivos e atributos qualificativos. Pretende-se refletir sobre os processos de negociação e incorporação das mesmas na constituição do eu dos atores. Entre os pressupostos teórico-metodológicos, optou-se por uma aproximação com aspectos do modelo teatral de Goffman e da teoria da significação de Bourdieu. Para a construção dos dados, realizou-se observação participante principalmente em institutos especializados. / This dissertation focus on the performances of \"visual disability\", \"blindness\", \"low vision\" and seeing, through social interactions. Its main objective is to describe and to analyze these performances as the use of the nomination categories, distinctive signs and qualifying attributes. Furthermore, I present the processes of embodiment of these representations and its importance for the constitution of the actors \"self\". The theoretical and methodological assumptions rely on aspects of Goffmans dramaturgical perspective and Bourdieus theory of meaning. The data were developed through participant observation at specialized institutes.

Dès lors que des éléments rayonnants sont placés à proximité les uns des autres, comme c'est le cas au sein des antennes réseaux à balayage électronique, des interactions électromagnétiques parasites se créent entre eux. Ces couplages se manifestent par une perturbation des répartitions de courants des sources du réseau. Leur impact dépend fortement de l'angle de dépointage du réseau mais est généralement néfaste, car ils modifient les caractéristiques du rayonnement des sources. Les différents objectifs de compacité et les spécifications de performances radioélectriques visés pour les radars aéroportées peuvent conduire à des structures qui supportent et favorisent ces phénomènes de couplages parasites, sous la forme d’ondes d’espace et de surface. Ces derniers peuvent aller jusqu'à entrainer l'impossibilité pour l'antenne de rayonner dans certaines directions et à certaines fréquences d’utilisation : on parle de directions aveugles. Ce phénomène limite de manière considérable le volume de dépointage opérationnel d'un système radar. La maîtrise du couplage entre les éléments rayonnants est donc l'une des problématiques essentielles du développement et du dimensionnement d'une antenne réseau. La recherche qui traite de ce sujet n'en est plus à ses débuts (les premiers radars à balayage électronique sont exploités depuis les années 50) mais reste toujours en attente de solutions innovantes permettant de mieux comprendre et maîtriser ces phénomènes. Dans cette thèse, plusieurs méthodes permettant de minimiser les effets du couplage dans les réseaux à balayage électroniques ont été investiguées. Les travaux s'orientent notamment autour du défi de réduire les conséquences des directions aveugles sans modifier la maille initiale du réseau d'antenne (contrainte iso-maille). / When radiating elements are located close to one another, as it is the case in electronically phased array antennas, parasitic electromagnetic interferences occur between them. The impact of these coupling mechanisms depends to a large extent on the scanning angle of the array, but is usually harmful, since it alters the radiating properties and the active input impedance of the sources. The compactness objectives and radioelectric performances required for airborne radars can lead to structures that support and foster these parasitic couplings, in the form of surface or space waves. In some cases, mutual coupling can even result in the impossibility for the array to radiate in certain directions and at certain frequencies. This phenomenon, referred to as scan blindness, significantly reduces the operating scan volume of a radar system. In that respect, the control of coupling mechanisms between radiating elements is a major issue when developing an array antenna and although the research that deals with this subject is no longer in its infancy, it is always pending for new and innovating solutions to master these phenomena. In this thesis, different solutions enabling to minimize the effect of couplings in phased arrays are investigated. The presented research revolves around the challenge of limiting scan blindness consequences without modifying the initial mesh of the array antenna.

As crianças com deficiência visual são privadas dos estímulos provenientes da visão, os quais fornecem experiências importantes no seu desenvolvimento motor e que resultam no desenvolvimento estrutural do corpo. Alguns estudos sugerem que a falta destes estímulos resultam em alterações na postura e mobilidade. No entanto, apesar de descritos na literatura ainda não é possível definir a postura e avaliar a mobilidade articular na população de crianças com problemas oculares, visto que as mensurações têm sido realizadas com objetivo apenas de detectar as alterações. Fato que compromete a reprodutibilidade e a repetibilidade dos métodos e impossibilita possíveis comparações entre os dados. Deste modo, é de grande necessidade a verificação das consequências da falta ou déficit da visão na postura, mobilidade, flexibilidade e impressão plantar na tentativa de intervir precocemente e reduzir ou abrandar possíveis alterações posturais e consequentemente evitar que estas alterações perdurem ou se agravem na vida adulta. Assim, o objetivo geral deste estudo foi comparar a postura, mobilidade, flexibilidade e impressão plantar de crianças com deficiência visual com crianças sem deficiência visual. Foram estudadas 74 crianças de ambos os sexos na faixa etária de 5 a 12 anos. Destas 34 apresentavam deficiência visual (GDV) e 40 eram crianças controle (GC). Fotos digitais da posição ortostática foram utilizadas para analisar a postura. As variáveis posturais inclinação da cabeça, postura do ombro, postura da escápula, desvio lateral da coluna, postura do joelho, postura do tornozelo no plano frontal e postura da cabeça, postura do ombro, ângulo da cifose torácica, ângulo da lordose lombar, postura da pelve, postura do joelho no plano sagital foram mensurados com auxílio do software SAPO* v. 0.63® e de marcadores previamente colocados em referências ósseas pré-determinadas. A goniometria do ombro e quadril foi realizada de forma ativa e passiva. O teste do 3º dedo ao solo foi utilizado para mensurar a flexibilidade e o Índice Chippaux Smirak foi utilizado para avaliar a impressão plantar. Os principais resultados deste estudo mostraram que as crianças com deficiência visual apresentam maior inclinação da cabeça (p< 0,001), inclinação no ombro (p=0,004), desvio lateral da coluna (p< 0,001), alterações na postura da escápula (p=0,012), maior cifose torácica (p=0,004) e menor lordose lombar (p<0,001). Além de maior amplitude articular de rotação medial de ombro ativo (p=0,001) e passivo (p=0,001), maior amplitude articular de rotação lateral (p<0,001) e medial (p=0,005) de quadril de forma passiva. Os grupos não apresentaram diferenças na flexibilidade (p=0,945) e impressão plantar (p= 0,446). Conclui-se que a falta ou déficit visual influencia a mobilidade e a postura, visto que crianças com deficiência visual apresentam maior inclinação da cabeça, maior desnivelamento dos ombros, maior desvio lateral da coluna, hipercifose torácica, menor lordose lombar e joelhos mais valgos, além de maior mobilidade de rotação medial ativa e passiva de ombros e rotação medial e lateral passiva de quadris. No entanto, a condição criança deficiente visual não altera a flexibilidade e o arco longitudinal medial / Children with visual impairment are deprived of visual stimuli from the view, which provide important experiences in the child\'s motor development that result in the structural development of the body. Some studies suggest that lack of these stimuli result in changes in posture and mobility. However, although described in the literature is not yet possible to define the position and assess joint mobility in the population of children with eye problems, since the measurements have been performed only in order to detect changes. Fact that compromises the reproducibility and repeatability of the methods and prevents possible comparisons between the data. Thus, it is very necessary to verify the consequences of failure or shortage of vision in posture, mobility and flexibility in an attempt to intervene early and reduce or mitigate potential postural changes and therefore prevent these changes endure or worsen in adulthood. The objective of this study was to compare the posture, mobility, flexibility and footprint of children with visual impairments with sighted children. We studied 74 children of both sexes aged 5 to 12 years. Of these 34 had visual impairment (GDV) and 40 were children (CG). Digital photos of the standing position were used to analyze posture. The variables postural head tilt, shoulder posture, scapula posture, lateral deviation of the spine, knee posture, ankle posture in the frontal plane and head posture, shoulder posture, thoracic kyphosis angle, lumbar lordosis angle, pelvis posture, knee posture in the sagittal plane were measured using the Postural Assessment Software (PAS/SAPO) and markers previously placed on bone references predetermined. The goniometry made an active and passive was used to evaluate the mobility of shoulder and hip. The Fingertip-to-Floor Test was used to measure the flexibility and Smirak Chippaux Index was used to evaluate the footprints. The main results of this study showed that children with visual impairment have a higher inclination of the head (p <0.001), the shoulder slope (p = 0.004), lateral deviation of the spine (p <0.001), changes in posture of the scapula (p = 0.012), increased thoracic kyphosis (p = 0.004) and lower lumbar lordosis (p <0.001). Increased joint range of active (p = 0.001) and passive (p = 0.001) shoulder internal rotation and greater range of motion of passive hip external (p <0.001) and medial (p = 0.005) rotation. The groups showed no difference in flexibility (p = 0.945) and footprints (p = 0.446). Although the percentage of flat arch foot was higher in patients with visual impairment (38.2%) compared to the control group (22.5%). We concluded that the lack or low vision affects the mobility and posture, as visual impairment children have a higher inclination of the head, shoulder asymmetries, lateral spine deviation, a higher thoracic kyphosis, less lumbar lordosis and a higher valgus knees, and an increase mobility of active and passive medial rotation of shoulders and passive medial and lateral rotation of the hips. However, the visually impaired children condition does not change the flexibility and medial longitudinal arch

Submitted by Angela Maria de Oliveira (amolivei@uepg.br) on 2017-11-01T16:41:30Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) Dissertação Camille Ferreira.pdf: 1033904 bytes, checksum: 16446c98cf5c7f5b58dfac9746000655 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-11-01T16:41:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) Dissertação Camille Ferreira.pdf: 1033904 bytes, checksum: 16446c98cf5c7f5b58dfac9746000655 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-09-04 / Esta dissertação tem a finalidade de desvendar pontos de paralelismo e ou discrepâncias entre duas narrativas portuguesas dos anos noventa: as obras Ensaio sobre a cegueira (1995), de José Saramago e A loucura branca, (1990), de Jaime Rocha. Nesse sentido, pretende-se articular as narrativas com questões sociológicas e simbólicas da realidade empírica, para tanto, tomar-se-á como perspectiva teórica a questão da relação de controle e poder sobre a sociedade e o indivíduo. Assim, através dessa perspectiva tentaremos explicar de que maneira os personagens dos romances perdem-se em uma cegueira e loucura brancas, as quais os impossibilitam de seguir na normalidade da vida cotidiana e os fazem passar para um estado atípico de vivência, no qual é possível perceber em maior grau uma consciência subjetiva com relação à sordidez da realidade. Com isso, espera-se que esse estudo permita o aprofundamento da compreensão das obras de Saramago e Rocha, bem como contribua de forma significativa aos estudos literários. / This dissertation aims to reveal points of parallelism between Jaime Rocha 's Essay on Blindness (1995) by José Saramago and The White Madness, (1990), articulating the narratives with the empirical reality. In this sense, it is intended to articulate the narratives with sociological and symbolic questions of the empirical reality, for that, will take as a theoretical perspective the question of the relation of control and power over the society and the individual. Thus, through this perspective we will try to explain how the characters of the novels are lost in a blindness and white madness, which makes them impossible to follow in the normality of daily life and make them move to an atypical state of experience, in which it is possible Perceive to a greater degree the sordidness of reality. With this, it is expected that this study will allow a deeper understanding of the works of Saramago and Rocha, as well as contributing significantly to Literary Studies.