Are bats blind?

No. Blindness is not a natural characteristic of bats. They have functional eyes and use visual information, although their abilities differ between species.

The U.S. Geological Survey explains that bats have sensitive vision suited to low-light conditions. Bat Conservation International also describes how visual cues help bats orient themselves and determine when to leave their roosts.

Seeing in dim light and distinguishing fine details are different abilities. Some bats resolve much less detail than humans, but that does not make them blind. The familiar phrase 'blind as a bat' is a misleading description of their biology.