Hello Everyone, Welcome to The Invisible Vision Project’s Blog.

Today, I thought of introducing to all of you the kind of Low Vision Aids and Adaptive Technology that I use in and out of the home on a daily basis. Keep in mind that these aids and technologies are not necessarily used by everyone with vision loss. Each eye condition, and particular individual’s experience with vision loss is unique: no two blind people are the same, so obviously we don’t use the same aids and technologies. Also, I may have mentioned some of these items in my other blog posts, but this is an exhaustive list, so here it goes:

• White Cane: “White Cane is the symbol of blindness.” The White Cane helps me and other blind and visually impaired people navigate the world around us in a safe manner; it is also a symbol to let sighted people know that I am visually impaired (Remember: not everyone uses the cane is totally blind)

  

• Monocular: This is one fascinating Low Vision Aid that I use almost on a daily basis and I carry it with me everywhere I go. This device is great when I need to sight-spot as I travel in the outdoors. I often use it to look for street signs, room numbers in a building, café menu, and certainly many more!

• Hand-held Magnifier: I currently have a 7X hand-held magnifying glass. The reason that this magnifier looks a lot smaller than most normal-sized magnifier is because the greater the magnification, the smaller the lens of the magnifier. What is so great about this magnifier is that it also has a LED light that enhances the image when it’s more lighted.

• Liquid Indicator: this is a device that I mostly use at home when I pour liquid into a container. It helps individual with Low Vision prevent accidents of overfilling the container by sounding an alarm when liquid is reached at a certain level.

• Bump-ons or tactile dots: Bump-ons are used for people who are blind or have low vision for easy identification; they are extremely helpful to mark everyday items. I have these tactile dots applied on my microwave and also on my computer keyboard.

• Braille Labeler: This braille labeler uses Dymo-tape; it has braille on the top and alphabet letters at the bottom. It can be used for sighted and blind people. I have used it to label many items in the home such as all of my documentations, my spice rack, and many more! It is also this labeler that helped and motivated me to learn braille, and it made learning easier when I can see the letters in print and also feel them in braille.

• Talking Watch: While the majority of watches that are sold in the market are not accessible to the visually impaired other than those specially designed talking watches. This particular one that I have has good color contrast and it announces the times verbally.

•  Task Lamp: Lighting is crucial especially for someone with Low Vision. Proper lighting is needed for reducing eye strain and headaches. I have a task lamp for reading and doing other task at my desk. This lamp also has a 3X magnifying glass.

• Zoomtext magnifier/reader software: This is an absolutely amazing software for people with Low Vision. It has a function of magnification and screen-reading. It allow full accessibility for individual with Low Vision to use a computer at ease.

Zoom Twix Portable CCTV(Close Circuit Television): This is one other amazing assistive device I have that help me read and do other daily task. It is a CCTV but a portable one. The traditional CCTV is shaped like an old fashioned computer with a big screen; its heavy and take up spaces. But, with this device I can carry it wherever I go in my backpack; it also works as a scanner and has its own screen-reader function when the program is running.

• Livescribe Pen: Although this is not a Low Vision Aid nor an Adaptive Device, but it is certainly a device that I would use as a part of my academic life as well as living with Low Vision. I use the Livescribe Pen to record lectures, seminars and meetings so I can always go back and listen to it. It helps reduce a lot of stress from constant busy writing and trying to listen at the same time. This pen will only work with its specially designed notebook and paper (because the command is in there) produced by Livescribe.
  Finally, I also enjoy using the Accessibility features on IOS devices such as my iPhone and iPad. Voice-over is an amazing feature for the blind and the visually impaired as well as the Zoom feature and other accessible features that meet the needs of individuals with disabilities.
• By: The Invisible Vision Project