Hi-Tech Visual Aids For Visual Impairment

Our low vision optometrist has extensive experience in helping people select the appropriate visual devices for their needs.

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Hi-Tech Visual Aids For Visual Impairment in Olympia

What Is Low Vision?

Low vision refers to those eye disorders that cannot be fully corrected using standard interventions such as corrective glasses, lenses, or surgical procedures. Vision impairment can be frustrating because it impacts a person’s quality of life. The inability to perform routine tasks or engage in recreational activities such as reading, watching TV, or driving can be devastating.

Despite the challenges, there are many excellent high tech vision aids today to assist people who struggle with low vision. The following article will provide a general introduction to some of these technologies.

What High Tech Visual Aids Are Available for Low Vision?

In our era of technological advancements, there are a wide range of high tech aids to assist people with low vision and enable them to resume normal activity. These include the use of electronic magnifiers, CCTC stand magnifiers, wearable glasses, and assistive technologies to maximize residual vision.

Electronic magnifiers: These sophisticated magnifiers can be handheld or head-mounted and they provide powerful magnification. There are also magnification technologies for smartphones to assist central vision loss.
- Zoomax: Some remarkable technologies are offered by companies like Zoomax who specialize in electronic magnification technologies, and offer advanced devices such as Acesight which provides head mounted magnification via tiny cameras.

CCTV stand magnifiers: Desktop magnifiers, or CCTV devices, provide powerful magnification technology that is available in fixed or portable options.
- Optelec: This company features various high tech CCTV devices for your needs. There are options for those requiring a compact portable device, as well as fixed-stand desktop devices.
- Freedom Scientific: This is another company offering high-quality desktop CCTV magnification devices, as well as powerful hand-held electronic magnification devices such as Ruby Family Solutions, which provides crisp, high-contrast,imagery.

Wearable Technology: eSight’s “electronic eyewear” utilizes the brain’s synaptic activity to maximize and improve visual acuity. IrisVision is marketed as the only wearable electronic eyewear that is clinically validated and created in conjunction with scientists from prestigious universities. NuEyes offers NuEyes Pro as well as NuCall for advanced wearable video-calling technology.
Electronic/computer based: Includes apps, programs, and technologies that utilize audio and digital technology to aid those with low vision.These include technology for digital image enhancement, contour enhancement, voice activation, and object recognition technology. Examples include:
- TapTapSee: A downloadable smartphone app that identifies and announces objects aloud with voice technology, when you upload images or videos of the item to the program.
- KFNB Reader: This app allows you to take snapshots of text, and easily converts the text to speech or Braille.
- SeeingAl: An advanced Artificial Intelligence program that identifies the world around you via an advanced AI camera app, that describes what it captures.
- OrCam: Offering some of the most advanced artificial intelligence based solutions for the visually impaired. Products include OrCam MyEye, a wearable device that reads text, recognizes faces, identifies products & more, as well as OrCam Read, a handheld AI reader for people with reading difficulties, that reads full pages of text at the push of a button.

What Ocular Conditions Cause Low Vision?

There are many eye disorders that cause low vision. They include:

Age-related macular degeneration: As people age, damage to the macula region of the eye may lead to impaired vision.
Cataracts: An ocular condition where the lens becomes cloudy. While many cataracts can be corrected surgically, low vision care is necessary for people with inoperable cataracts.
Diabetic retinopathy: Low vision resulting from diabetes and damage to the retina.
Glaucoma: A serious eye disease that can lead to vision loss and blindness if untreated. Easily detected with a simple test.
Injury/trauma: Injury from vehicular accidents or trauma from strokes and related conditions can lead to low vision.

Which Hi Tech Low Vision Aid Is Best For Me?

People with low vision experience frustration when they can no longer engage in daily activities. The impact it can have on daily living can be devastating. Fortunately, with technological advances, there are many effective high tech devices on the market which have radically improved the lives of those with low vision. These interventions allow them to partake of activities they previously enjoyed.

While there are many available technologies, the price range may be cost prohibitive for people on a fixed income. Our low vision optometrist has effective low vision devices to accommodate all budgets. Additionally, we offer simple payment plans which enable people with fixed incomes to enjoy the benefits of these life-improving devices.

High tech devices are not ideal for everyone. Seniors often find it difficult to learn how to use a device, or they may find it cumbersome to tote around with them. Often they aren’t necessary, and such individuals can experience significant improvement with a low-tech device.

If you or a loved one has low vision and would like to know more about the many available high tech and low tech devices, schedule an appointment with our low vision doctor; who is equipped to help you find the right devices for your individual needs.

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Testimonials

Such a nice optician. My grandson is only 4 and needs glasses. We were so sad, but he explained the issues, and we will follow up as he suggested.

Anna P.

I had such a good experience with the clinic. Very friendly staff and doctor, did not have to wait for long to be called, and was treated respectfully. Thanks, American Family.

June S.

Dr. Zurcher has gone above and beyond what any other eye doctor has ever done to figure out what is going on with my eyes. Very happy with American Family Vision.

Christine R.

Family Vision Clinic changed our lives! My daughter was frequently car sick, and she was getting headaches every day, often painful enough that they brought her to tears. We saw a string of doctors and therapists, but we made no progress. Finally, we found Dr. Levi Zurcher and his eye therapist Rain. After ten weeks of eye therapy my daughter no longer gets headaches, and she no longer gets car sick. Daily tears are a thing of the past. I really can’t say enough about this clinic. It was fascinating to watch Dr. Zurcher work. For the first time, someone who knew what they were doing was intently studying my daughter, really trying to figure out all of her eye issues, and his therapist Rain is one of the most patient and lovely people that I’ve ever had the good fortune to meet. We’re finished with eye therapy—yay!—and I have switched to American Family Vision Clinic for all of my family’s other eye health needs.

Lars Wulff

Very professional, yet kind and helpful. They do what they can to make the appointment comfortable. I was running a bit late, I made sure ti call. They were able to switch me with a patient who was already there, they treated me with respect, and helped my son have confidence by getting him the eye care he needed that day. Thank you so much! Would recommend to anyone. It's a blessing that they care enough to work with people who have all different types of insurance from work to state coverage.