Chevigny and Braverman trace the history of men's attitudes toward the blind and feel that emotional prejudices have produced unrealistic and unworkable solutions. One of the authors is a psychologist and the other a blind playwright and novelist. They appear familiar with the pertinent psychoanalytic literature and briefly review the symbolism of the eye and its psychological significance as shown in legends and dreams. They also quote many of the works on the instinct pair of scoptophilia and exhibitionism.

The general neglect of the psychological problems of the blind has resulted in a relatively small body of accurate information about them. This reflects an unconscious attitude of avoidance, probably the result of equating blindness with castration. This book