Low Vision Aids Help Make Your Life More Active

Low vision can be caused by any number of reasons. Genetics can play a part, such as the low vision that is common in albinism. Accidents can have an impact on a person's vision, as can age. As people age, they are at a greater risk for developing macular degeneration. Macular degeneration causes a loss of central vision, which is crucial for such activities as reading, watching television or seeing a computer screen clearly. There are low vision aids that can help make these activities a part of your life again. They can include bifocal reading glasses, magnifiers, and telescopic glasses. Many vision problems can be resolved by using a variety of suitable low vision products.

Bifocal Reading Glasses

Bifocals allow the wearer to see both near and far distances depending on which part of the eyeglass lens he or she looks through. They typically have a smaller reading lens placed in the bottom part of a regular sized lens used for distance sight. The wearer can shift focus by moving the head up or down to look through the appropriate part of the lens for the task at hand. There is also a type of bifocal that has no line where the division of lenses meet; they are called progressive or graduated lenses. These low vision reading aids come with lenses that offer minimum magnification at the top of the lens increasing to maximum magnification at the bottom of the lens.

Magnifiers

These low vision products help to increase the size of the image seen by the person with low vision. This is an important aspect of dealing with low vision effectively, because when the central vision is damaged, the larger you can make the image the more visible the image will be despite the central vision loss. Magnifiers can be hand held or designed as a lens to be inserted into the glass frame, and are useful for close vision activities such as reading or playing cards.

Telescopic Glasses

Low vision aids that utilize tiny telescopes on the glass lenses are useful when the wearer wishes to participate in activities that require distance vision, although they can be adjusted for mid-range and near vision as well. The telescopes are attached to the top of the glass lens, and you use them in a similar fashion as you would bifocals, by shifting your head to change the vision range. If your vision needs change over time, bifocal reading glasses can be readjusted easily to meet your ocular needs.

You will want to consult with a low vision specialist who can help guide you in selecting and using the best variety of low vision aids that will assist you in performing the daily activities that you love.