Summary

• Geordi La Forge's VISOR enhanced his engineering skills and made him an invaluable member of the Enterprise-D crew.
• LeVar Burton found Geordi's VISOR challenging to wear, but credits it with improving his acting abilities.
• Geordi's role expanded in Star Trek: Picard Season 3, solidifying his legacy as a versatile and accomplished character.

The blind Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge wore a VISOR throughout his time on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and actor LeVar Burton had mixed feelings about his character's eyewear. Although La Forge was an important member of the USS Enterprise-D crew from the beginning, he did not truly come into his own until TNG season 2 when he was promoted to Chief Engineer. From there, Geordi became one of Star Trek's best engineers and his distinctive eyewear made him one of the most recognizable Star Trek characters.

With his engineering skills and superior vision, Geordi La Forge proved to be an invaluable member of the Enterprise-D crew. Geordi's VISOR allowed him to see far more than "normal" vision would allow, including infrared and ultraviolet light. This ability helped save the day on multiple occasions and often led to important discoveries. La Forge's VISOR became iconic in its own right, but the apparatus caused problems for LeVar Burton. Not only did the VISOR impede Burton's vision, but it also removed his ability to act or emote with his eyes.

La Forge's VISOR Made LeVar Burton "A Better Actor"

Geordi's VISOR was inspired by a woman's banana hair clip.

As part of Star Trek: The Cruise VII, LeVar Burton, Brent Spiner, Gates McFadden, John De Lancie, Denise Crosby, and Wil Wheaton all reunited for a Star Trek: The Next Generation reunion . As reported by TrekMovie, one fan asked Burton if he had ever injured himself while wearing Geordi's VISOR. Read his response below:

In the first season, I bumped into s***, yeah. I think the only thing I hurt was my ego. I learned to navigate without being able to see my feet by using landmarks on set. After 45 minutes or an hour, I would get a little bit of a headache so I liked to take it off whenever possible. But I do know that it made a better actor of me. It really helped me develop my voice. I think one of the reasons why I love reading aloud so much is a result of wearing the VISOR for seven years and one movie.

It was Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry who wanted a disabled crew member among TNG's cast. Geordi's blindness never slowed the character down, however, and he became an inspiration to fans with disabilities. La Forge wore his VISOR for all seven seasons of TNG and one of the subsequent films before Geordi finally switched to ocular implants sometime before Star Trek: First . The bright blue implants provided the same range of sight for Geordi as a character, but were much more practical and comfortable for Burton as an actor.

LeVar Burton's love of reading aloud refers to one of his other most famous television roles. From 1983-2006, Burton inspired kids to love reading as the host of Reading Rainbow, which saw him read a children's book to the audience each episode.

Geordi La Forge & His Daughters Played A Major Role In Star Trek: Picard Season 3

Will any of the La Forges return in future Star Trek projects?

Now the Head Curator of the Starfleet Museum at Athan Prime, Commodore Geordi La Forge returned in Star Trek: Picard season 3. After iral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) learns of the Changeling infiltration of Starfleet from Commander Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes), he seeks help from Geordi. Although he initially refuses, Geordi eventually agrees to help after his daughters help Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers) steal a cloaking device from a Klingon Bird-of-Prey. This gives Geordi the chance to reconnect with his resurrected best friend, Data (Brent Spiner), and also gives him an excuse to show off his most recent ion project.

Geordi La Forge gets to command the Enterprise-D for one of its final missions, cementing himself as one of Star Trek: The Next Generation's most versatile and accomplished characters.

In Star Trek: Picard season 3, episode 9, "Võx," Geordi reveals that he has spent the last twenty years rebuilding the USS Enterprise-D after its destruction in Star Trek Generations. In one of Star Trek: Picard's best moments, the Enterprise-D swoops in to save the galaxy (as it has done many times before), preventing a Borg takeover that would have devastated the United Federation of Planets. Geordi La Forge gets to command the Enterprise-D for one of its final missions, cementing himself as one of Star Trek: The Next Generation's most versatile and accomplished characters.

Star Trek: The Next Generation & Star Trek: Picard are available to stream on Paramount+.

Source: TrekMovie.com