Many events have been organized both here and abroad to mark the International White cane Day which falls today (15). White cane is used by blind people as a mobility tool and as a courtesy to others. Not all modern white canes are designed to fulfill the same primary function, however: There are at least five different varieties of this tool, each serving a slightly different need.
Blind people have used canes as mobility tools for centuries, but it was not until after World War I that the white cane was introduced. The first special White Cane Ordinance was passed in December 1930 in Peoria, Illinois granting blind pedestrians protections and the right-of-way while carrying a white cane.
Around 400,000 visually impaired persons live in Sri Lanka, according to the Health Ministry statistics. It is reported that 150,000 people have lost their eye sight completely. International statistics reveal that 45 million world populations suffers from blindness and 276 million world people suffer from low eye sight.