Vision Aids:  Older Adult Perspectives

The Impact Theme series: Longevity Explorers Discuss.

Together, Tech-enhanced Life and the Longevity Explorer community are researching different products that can compensate for imperfect vision in various ways.

Below you can hear our discussions, and share what we are learning.

 

 

Hear what Older Adults Think: Vision Aids

Knowledge Sharing Impacts Lives

Knowledge sharing about  LED lighted magnifier glasses had a positive impact on the daily life of a Circle member.

 


 

Vision Gadgets: Share What You Use

By: tel-editors

Do you use any vision gadgets — like magnifiers, special lighting, or apps that help see things in various situations?

The Longevity Explorers are exploring vision gadgets. We are interested in the inputs of the broader Tech-enhanced Life community too.

Share what you use. Join the... Read More. Add your Opinions


 

Can't Find Good Reading Light

Normal chairside floor or table lamps don’t offer easy adjustment of a lamp’s position, brightness, or warmness.

 

 


 

Merlin Elite Pro @ Passavant

The Passavant explorers looked at a product called the Merlin Elite Pro, which enables individuals with low vision to read by listening or by viewing the text in color or in enhanced high contrast positive or negative modes.

 


 

Online Grocery Delivery for those with Low Vision

You are experiencing problems ordering groceries online from apps that are not designed for a person who is blind or has low vision. Even when you tried screen readers such as Apple VoiceOver, you found that using it to read entire web pages designed for sighted persons very frustrating.

 


 

Vision Gadgets @ SF

San Francisco Explorers discuss the gadgets they use to see things better.

 


 

Personal Display Devices - Why do we even NEED Reading Glasses?

By: djcoffey

So, it occurs to me to wonder...

With so many people experiencing presbyopia as we age, why can't our personal reading devices (smart phones, tablets, computer monitors, kindles) adjust for that?

Just imagine the time saved and frustation averted seeking those misplaced reading... Read More. Add your Opinions


 

Exploring Vision @ SRC Pt 2

Saratoga Retirement members hear from Explorer Tsing, who first describes and then demonstrates a pair of Mighty Sight glasses with special lenses and embedded LED lights which she finds handy for reading.

 


 

Vision Problems: TV Action When Not Talking

Since my Mom’s vision is failing, she has a hard time understanding what is happening in a TV show when the actors are not speaking, In some shows there are long dramatic pauses or just action noises.

 


 

Exploring Vision Aids @ SRC

Saratoga Retirement Community Explorers start an exploration of low vision problems and share some of the devices they use to improve visibility.

 


 

Koolertron Video Magnifier Evaluated: Passavant

Members of the Passavant Circle can appreciate the challenges faced by those living with low vision as many of their friends, family members and neighbors are living with macular degeneration and other age related eye diseases.  For this reason we decided to evaluate a portable video magnifier.

 


 

Explorers Learn to Read in the Dark with Smartphone Apps

Explorer Shelley wants to live an active life, but is embarrassed when in a dimly lit club or restaurant and can't read the menu.

 


 

Eye Reader @ SequoiasSF

The Longevity Explorers at the Sequoias San Francisco are introduced to the Eye Reader iPhone app for ease of reading small or dimly lit print.

 


 

Eye Reader App Discussed and Compared

Explorer Larry reports on his Eye Reader iPhone app, describing how it turns on the phone's LED light and magnifies print or other subject matter (such as finding a splinter in his finger) using the phone's camera.

 


 

After cataract surgery, want help reading

Following a recent cataract surgery, Explorer Chuck describes how his distance vision is clear enough that the DMV allows him to drive without glasses, but his near vision is now too blurry for reading. He wants a solution.

 


 

Explorer Harlean likes this Ruby HD magnifier

Explorer Harlean shows the group her Ruby HD handheld video magnifier, which she bought after finding that low power glass magnifiers were not sufficient to overcome her vision impairment, and which she likes.

 


 

Popular App: reading fine print or in dark places

Explorers at SF Village liked the look of this App to help read when it is dark or the front is small.

 


 

Magnifiers - Then and Now

Explorer Steve demonstrates an 'oldie-but-goodie' for people who need help reading small print.

 


 

Demonstrating a Magnifier Reader App

Explorer Chuck demonstrates an app on his Android smartphone for magnifying small type, and it activates the 'flashlight' feature for easy reading under low light conditions.

 


 

Illuminated reading glasses help when it is dark

One of our circle members brought along some illuminated reading glasses and gave us a demo. For situations like reading a menu in a dark corner of a restaurant. They looked elegant and seemed functional.

 


 

Eye Reader: Apps for Seniors Circle Part 2, 12/10/14

The Longevity Collective @ Sequoias SF discussed "Apps" for Seniors at its last meeting. In Part 2 of this discussion, John Milford introduces the circle to an App that helps you read in low light conditions, and when you left your glasses behind. It's called...

 


 

Glare makes driving at night hard

Two of our circle members find driving at night a challenge due to issues relating to being able to see well. One talks about the challenges of glare. The other has a different issue to discuss, still relating to vision and night driving. There is some discussion of possible "solutions".

 


 

About the Impact Theme Series

Our Longevity Explorers (hundreds of older adults with ages ranging from 60-95 years old) meet regularly to discuss topics at the intersection of aging and technology.

Among the many topics we discuss in these meetings, we have been exploring some specific themes which we think are going to be very important for older adults in the future, and which in our opinion are ripe for innovation. These make up our Impact Themes, and Vision Aids is one of these themes.

In these discussions:

  • We share how we do things today;
  • We explore and critique existing products;
  • We talk about challenges we have that we wish products could solve; and
  • We dream up product concepts we wish someone like you would develop.

If you are developing products or services for older adults in the category of Vision Aids, listen to the Longevity Explorer discussions on this page to get insights about how to develop better products and services for older adults.

More Explorer Discussions

 

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Topics (broader coverage of this theme):