We have 3 sets of 8' high Milgard sliding glass doors. Two have vertical blinds and the third, in the kitchen, has the kind of thin, roll-up kind (hard to describe, but often used in restaurants for blocking out sun glare - we can see through them when down, or roll them up for a clear view.)

One must open the blinds, whatever you have, in order to open the sliding doors. Don't see what the concern is over replacing them (or a section) if they break or why breakage would be more likely w sliders than any other kind of window w blinds on it.

Our painter broke the vertical blinds in the MBR (grabbed onto the cord to catch his balance). I just called the shop that had installed them (and I purchased them from). They did send them back to the factory to be re-strung, then came back and re-installed them. My painter paid the cost, which was about $250.

L