According to the estimates provided by NIH:
The number of legally blind people (20/200 vision or worse) in the United States of America was well over 1 million in 2015.
This means a significant chunk of people with special needs live right among us. It’s not only the deterioration of vision that they have to suffer from; the overall quality of their lives deteriorates too, also affecting their level of independence.
The good news is that healthcare combined with technological advancement is improving with every passing day. For example, a host of innovative low vision solutions have cropped up lately, offering different types of features and functions catering to a whole range of visual disabilities.
Of course, some of them are better than others in the way they are designed and function. So, we have compiled a list of top 5 devices that can help legally blind live independently. Let’s have a look at them:
IrisVision
IrisVision is an assistive technology solution approved and registered by the FDA as a Class-1 medical device, one of the best vision enhancement, wearable low vision aids in the market right now.
Comprised of Samsung’s VR Headset and Latest Smartphone, it is designed to facilitate people suffering from low vision conditions, especially Macular Degeneration, and other degenerative eye diseases like Diabetic Retinopathy, Cataracts, Albinism and so forth.
Find answers to frequently asked questions about IrisVision here.
Price: $ 2,950/Unit
Website: irisvision.com
Features
MyEye2
These low vision glasses for legally blind comprise of a light attachable camera mounted on a pair of glasses. Especially designed to help people suffering from low vision read better, it is also helpful in a handful of other activities like barcode identification, face recognition and product identification.
Price: $3,500/Unit
Website: orcam.com
Features
Jordy
A wired, portable low vision solution for people suffering from low vision, Jordy helps you with various daily activities like reading, writing and recognizing faces in many different environments. It can be strapped around your head, offering you glasses-like vision.
Price: $2,500/Unit
Website: enhancedvision.com
Features
eSight
A pair of electronic glasses designed to help visually impaired and legally blind see. These are battery operated, where a chord connects the battery with the device. This means you get somewhat restricted mobility and need to keep track of the battery’s charge.
Price: $5,950/Unit
Website: esighteyewear.com
Features
NuEyes
NuEyes is a contemporary product comprising of a pair of smart electronic glasses. It doesn’t weigh much and can be operated wirelessly through a controller that accompanies the glasses or simply using a set of voice commands.
Price: $5,995 – $6,195
Website: nueyes.com
Features
What Else Can You Do to Live Independently as Legally Blind?
In fact, technology is not the only avenue offering you assistance in living independently as a vision impaired or legally blind individual. There are some other practices that can help you move around your home much more independently, such as:
Conclusion
One thing is for sure, with continued technological progression, life is going to be even better for people with special needs. More and more processes, methods, tools and techniques will continue improving the quality of people suffering from vision impairment, some of which have been discussed in this write-up.
Though all of these low vision devices are designed to cater to the special needs of vision impaired and legally blind people, all of these differ in one way or the other. And as a vision impaired person, it’s up to you to decide your imminent needs and requirements, also considering which one gives you the best value of money.
