There are different tools to help people with decreasing eyesight. Items such as magnifiers, large text products, smart devices, and talking devices like clocks or watches can assist an individual who is becoming visually impaired.
Full-page magnifiers are available to enlarge the text of what the user is reading. There are different styles of magnifiers and some also serve as a lamp with an adjustable neck. This way you can move it around to go exactly where you are reading. These magnifiers offer 3 times magnification, reduce glare and hot spots that cause eyestrain. There are smaller magnifiers to help read medication bottles or labels.
Large text products like clocks, calculators, keyboards and phones are available. Landline phones specifically made for the blind and visually impaired have bold buttons and offer a talking key pad. Clocks, jumbo display digital alarm clocks and watches can also be found with large text and the ability to talk aloud. Bold text is also offered on many other things like medication pill boxes, measuring cups and other household items.
Smart devices help the blind and visually impaired listen to the news, check the weather, set timers, listen to music or podcasts, add events to the calendars and assist with completing a grocery order. Talking thermostats are available with audio playback of settings chosen. Smartphones are a great tool, there are apps to make life easier for the blind. These apps can help with reading text out loud, identifying objects, money and colors.
Technology to aid in seeing faces, objects in the distance and television are also available. Smart glasses help blind and visually impaired individuals navigate unfamiliar spaces, ensuring their safety. Smart glasses will detect potential dangers and obstacles and audibly notify the user where the danger is.
Dressing aids are available. These include braille clothing identifiers, a button aid for button up shirts, spoken clothing color identifiers, shoe horns and sock removers.
Additional aids available are:
- Food preparation tools like low vision cutting boards and gripped jar openers
- Comfort grip utensils
- Grab bars in high risk areas and the bathroom
- Visors for the car
- Home safety options.