The cerebellum is a part of an older evolutionary brain, one that evolved before consciousness. It also controls muscle tone. Blind individuals, particularly congenitally blind children, lack peripheral retinal processing which is responsible for subconscious navigation. The cerebellum relies in part on the peripheral retina to tell it where the body is in space, where it is going, and how fast and in what direction.
Visual input is coordinated with muscle signals and vestibular inflow.
When peripheral vision is lost, the cerebellum must make these calculations based solely on muscular and vestibular data. In a way, blindness causes a functional loss of ability in the cerebellum. This leads to a widened stance and a shuffling gait. It may come from the loss of the peripheral visual processing system, and its link with the cerebellar pathways. It is also interesting to note that cerebellar damage causes a characteristic veer either to the right or left.