Low Vision Aids Help Those with Impaired Vision Enjoy Independent Living

Don't let impaired vision impair your independence

Whether your vision is impaired due to Diabetes, Glaucoma, Macular Degeneration, or another disorder, one of the most challenging and frustrating aspects of the condition can be maintaining an independent lifestyle. Reading the newspaper, a prescription bottle, and the label on a package of food are just a few of the daily living tasks that, up until this point, you probably took for granted. You are not alone: although estimates vary, there are roughly 10 million people in the United States that are considered legally blind or visually impaired.

Thanks to modern innovation in low vision aids, people who are visually impaired can still lead independent lifestyles. While these products will not perfect your vision, and are in no way designed to cure it, they can certainly improve the your outlook on the idea of independent living with impaired vision.

Magnifiers for Use at Home

Remember the old saying "Too much television is bad for you"? When you have a convenient low vision aid that plugs directly into your television to help you read, too much television is not enough! The Max Digital Handheld Magnifier, available in black and white as well as color, is easy to set up and uses the size of your television to magnify whatever you are reading. It plugs into the back of your television with one wire, and is designed to work similar to a computer mouse. Simply move the Max Digital Handheld Magnifier over whatever you wish to read and the image is displayed on your television screen. Depending on the size of your television, the image can be magnified 15 to 30 times its normal size! Multiple viewing modes are available for each user's individual needs, including reverse black and white and high contrast black and white. The Max Digital Handheld Magnifier is great for reading envelopes, letters, and bills. The color version of the Max is ideal for magnifying pictures. Purchase the MaxTrax to help the Max Digital Handheld Magnifier roll in straight lines across large surfaces such as newspapers and posters.

The Prisma Color Video Magnifier also uses a standard television for its display, but can used for much more than just reading. The Prisma features a powerful camera mounted above a small integrated table. The height of the camera is adjustable to increase or decrease magnification and to accommodate larger objects. Focus is adjusted with a wheel on the back of the camera arm. The Prisma Color Video Magnifier is great for small art projects and crafts, but is also useful for reading books, magazines, and maps. It features multiple viewing modes to make reading easier based on your individual needs.

Portable Magnifiers for Use on the Go

The MaxPort Electric Magnifying Glasses make a useful low vision aid even more convenient by creating Max Digital Handheld Magnifier that does not need a television. Simply put on the lightweight comfortable glasses rather than plugging the magnifier into a television and enjoy magnification between 16x and 28x. The handheld video magnifier is shaped just like the Max enabling you to use this unit with the MaxTrax to roll in straight lines over large surfaces like newspapers. It features multiple viewing modes depending on your own personal preference and, best of all, comes ready to use right out of the box. Just plug it into the wall and you are ready to go! The MaxPort Electric Magnifying Glasses also include an RCA video cable so that this device can also be connected to your television.

Whether you want to read the menu at a restaurant or check food labels at the grocery store, a portable magnifier can be very useful when you are out and about. The Quicklook Zoom Portable Video Magnifier is a state of the art low vision aid that gives you the features and reading power of a video magnifier in a sleek, compact design. The Quicklook Zoom features a full color, 4.3 inch, high quality LCD screen with 5 viewing modes for added convenience. The side-mounted digital camera can be swiveled for reading or writing and can magnify images up to an incredible 18x. You don't have to worry about replacing batteries: the Quicklook Zoom Portable Video Magnifier comes with its own integrated rechargeable battery and charger. It arrives ready to use right out of the box and includes a soft cleaning cloth, wrist strap, belt hook, and zippered carrying case to make traveling with the Quicklook Zoom convenient.

If you would prefer a standard magnifier, but don't like the hassle of carrying a big, clunky magnifying glass, the ActiveForever 3x Pocket Magnifying Glass is the best choice. It features a high quality, 2.55 inch magnifying glass that slides out from a beautiful chrome case. The ActiveForever 3x Pocket Magnifying Glass is small enough to fit in your pocket or purse, but is attractively designed to make a great addition to your desk. It also includes a felt pad on one side to prevent scratches.

With NASCAR season having just started and baseball season around the corner, the Eschenbach MaxTV and MaxEvent Glasses allow you to enjoy your favorite sporting or theater event live or on television. Both the MaxEvent and MaxTV glasses are designed for viewing objects that are more than 10 feet away and magnify your vision 2.1x. They feature flexible temples and the ability to adjust each eye individually so they can adapt to almost any user. The MaxTV glasses offer a wider range of vision while the MaxEvent glasses have a mirrored coating to reduce glare.

A Magnifier so Convenient, You Hardly Know It's There

Why worry about having to carry a magnifier with you when you can have one on your wrist at all times? The IBEAM Deluxe Magnifying Watch combines attractive styling with a flip up 3x magnifying lens and a powerful LED flashlight. This stylish low vision aid features a stainless steel case back, luminous hands, and a sapphire-coated scratch-resistant lens. The IBEAM Deluxe Magnifying Watch is available in both men's and women's sizes and a variety of colors and finishes.

Whether you suffer from Diabetes, Glaucoma, Macular Degeneration, or another cause of low vision, a variety of products are available to help you maintain your independent lifestyle. While they will in no way cure your condition, and may not make your vision completely clear during use, they will do exactly what they are designed to do: make your life easier.