If you’ve been diagnosed with low vision, you probably find reading to be one of your hardest daily challenges. In fact, many people with low vision simply give up on reading books, magazines, and newspapers. However, that’s not necessary! A variety of low vision aids are available to help you read, and our Las Vegas, Nevada, low vision professionals can help match you with the most suitable devices for your needs. To learn how you can return to reading enjoyably with low vision, visit Yesnick Vision Center.
Types of Low Vision Aids for Reading
It doesn’t matter what caused your low vision – macular degeneration, glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, tunnel vision, or another condition – many low vision devices can ease the challenges of reading print. Here’s a review of some options that we offer in our Las Vegas, Nevada, optometry office:
-
Magnifiers – these affordable low vision devices can be hand-held or mounted on a stand, and some come with illumination to enhance your vision even more.
-
Reading telescopes – these high-magnifying lenses are usually mounted on eyeglasses lenses to allow the wearer to read from a normal distance.
-
Specialized reading glasses – with high-power lenses, reading glasses for low vision can help you make out the letters of very small print. These glasses come in bifocal or single-vision designs, and our eye doctor will teach you the optimal way to use them.
-
Video magnifiers – these devices (formerly called CCTVs) sit on a desk and display enlarged images on screen. You can customize what you see by adjusting the magnification, contrast, color, and brightness of the screen, as well as sit as close as you want to the video monitor.
-
Portable electronic magnifiers – similar to a tablet or iPad, you hold these mobile electronic devices in front of reading material and a magnified image appears on the LED screen
-
Text-to-speech screen readers – a variety of apps for your smartphone or tablet can enable you to take a picture of text and then listen to it read aloud within seconds; the text will also appear in larger print on your screen
Turn Up the Lights
Most people with low vision find that brighter ambient light improves their ability to read.
-
Use the brightest light bulbs that fit each light fixture
-
Arrange furniture so your favorite reading chair is near a window; natural sunlight is the best lighting for daytime reading
-
Avoid harsh fluorescent lights, which can create disturbing glare
For Personalized Low Vision Aids – Book a consultation in our Las Vegas eye care center
Some low vision devices to read print can be purchased over-the-counter, while others require a prescription from your eye doctor. Even if you plan to buy a nonprescription magnifier, it’s a smart move to consult with your eye doctor first – so you know what’s best for your individual needs.
To maximize the potential of your low vision devices, visit Yesnick Vision Center. Our low vision eye doctor will perform a thorough eye exam to determine which types of reading aids offer you the most benefits.
