(Radio Iowa) – Some blind Iowans are speaking out against changes to a state program that prepares blind people to live independently, and about two dozen people marched outside of the Iowa Department for the Blind in Des Moines on Tuesday. The agency recently ended the requirement for blind Iowans to use sleep shades — which block all vision and light — while learning to navigate. Helen Mejia, president of the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa, says training with sleep shades helped her learn how to use her other senses and a cane to get around. “We’re all for choice. The problem is…we talked about the person who’s just losing their vision, and they’re scared,” Mejia says. “They don’t know enough to be able to make that choice yet.”

Mejia says Iowa’s program has been successful, and she says the department’s new director should take more time to learn about it before making changes. Jonathan Ice of Cedar Rapids says he’s trained with sleep shades. He says requiring them ensures people are truly learning to use blindness techniques and are building their confidence. “The tendency is to think I can’t do it without that little vision I had,” Ice says. “With the sleep shade requirement, I learned that I could get out, get around all over Minneapolis, all over Des Moines, with my cane without seeing a thing.”

Iowa Department for the Blind Director Stacy Cervenka, who took office in July, says making the sleep shades optional will help more Iowans receive intensive training so they can work and live independently.