Vision Aids
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2005-02-15 13:32:17
Although some suffer eyestrain from working with technology, others are finding that new inventions and trends are actually helping them see better. Watch the video to learn what to look out for.
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Transcript:
Tiny text and a glaring computer screen can be a real challenge for anyone with aging eyes. Computers create special challenges for those who are visually impaired. Technology can be the cause, but it can also be the solution. Here are a few high-tech devices that can help with vision problems.
Magnification provides a solution for many vision problems. To make the text on the computer screen larger, you can purchase a software program like BigShot or Zoom Text. There is also a screen reader called Jaws that can be used by anyone with a very serious vision impairment.
There are many different types of magnifiers from very small to quite large. The portable QuickLook magnifier is a very high-tech solution. With its lighted LCD screen, it can magnify everything from medicine bottle labels to menus in restaurants. For an at-home solution there are several different types of magnifiers that use your television as a display. This one is called Max. It's a hand held scanner that will enlarge any image and display it on your television.
Sometimes shedding a little light on the subject can make a big difference in what you see. The Click keyboard light will illuminate your keyboard making it easier to see. Several different types of lamps are available that mimic natural sunlight making it easier to differentiate colors and making text easier to read.
Don't forget that you can get special glasses from your optometrist for working on the computer. I have computer glasses. They look just like ordinary glasses, but the Sola Access lenses are especially made for using with the computer. Regular bifocals are not conducive to computer work.
AARP does not recommend or endorse any of these products or web sites. Please be advised that there are other similar products and web sites available which were not reviewed and are not listed here.
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