Magnifier for hard of sight

[Chapap]

Any recommendations for a magnifier thing for very poor eyesight due to age? This is by far not the best forum for this question but I’m here already. I’m thinking a 20-30” oled tv attached to a very easy to use camera. It’d be for looking at pictures, reading cards.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I've tied flies for many years and have used several swing arm magnifying lamps. Frankly I couldn't do it without one. There are many different options on the market and vary in price. I will say spending more doesn't always yield better results.

 

[Chapap]

Oh that’s a good idea. Nice and simple. You mean those big 1’-1.5’ magnifying glasses? How is stereo vision with those?

 

[Uncle Gump]

Ya know... this is very similar to the one I have now.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09W2Q4Q5L/?tag=959media-20

I actually prefer the type that use a regular light bulb. Something else I will look for in my next one will be that the actual glass and lamp will turn on the end of the arm. My current one doesn't... for fly tying it's annoying.

 

[Roert42]

Grandparents had one of these with the bifocal type glass in it on every horizontal surface.

I stole this from an old man that regularly wore multiple pairs of glasses to read. Has lights build into the rim on the other side and a handy belt holster

I also have a set of cheap jeweler’s loupes I keep around. For The odd occasion.

Fair warning, I’m not old and blind. However, I do find myself needing to let my eyes adjust more and more as I get toxic chemicals in my eyes or or flashed with a welding arc.

 

[97RangerXLT]

Get an app for your phone. I use Magnifier app on my android. You can zoom in, turn on the light, take a picture.

 

[Chapap]

This is for my grandmother. I'm not sure what the problem actually is, but it's not cataracts. I think her eyes are just checking out. Up close, she can read about a size 80 font. She does well browsing the web on her Ipad with a zoom function. The primary thing is the subject needs to be very bright, and the room also needs to be bright (dynamic range is not good). She has a good magnifying glass, but that's just not quite cutting it. I think she has great trouble focusing it cause it's so small and she really can't see the workspace to distinguish good and bad focus.

Right now I'm looking for a really big magnifier (google full page magnifier) but am worried about it being junk. Plastic doesn't make for the best optics and It needs to be very good. I'm thinking of it not as a visual aid, but part of the eye. I may look for a telescope forum. Those folks would know where to get some good, glass optical things.

 

[rumblecloud]

I got these for my wife to use when she's doing her stained glass work. She is very hard to please and actually likes these --even wears them when surfing the interwebs. Comes with different strength optics, lighted and rechargeable.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

I grabbed a light up one from the impulse buy section at ACE hardware. Use it to read the number of tiny pilot jets. Works good.

 

[Chapap]

So I got more info on the problem. She has no central sight and very little of everything else. The nerves are just going bad. I'm going to look for the easiest to use, auto-focusing, close-focusing camera possible that will display on her iPad. I would have thought that the big TV would be better, but she prefers waching things on the iPad, so that's probably the easiest thing to try.

 

[Shran]

Probably macular degeneration. Pretty common in older folks.

I have two suggestions, first is to contact her state's blind services program and see how they can help. South Dakota has people that will go out to people's homes and help them find ways to live independently. They also have a CCTV magnifier program where people can rent or borrow a unit rather than buying one out of pocket.

If she is open to buying something, I would have her contact her eye doctor or her low vision doc (if she has one.) Many low vision doctors sell magnifiers, her state's Assistive Technology program might too.

FWIW I work for the SD AT program and low vision is a huge part of what we do... here are some companies I would check into for equipment:

Low Vision Products for Macular Degeneration - Enhanced Vision

Enhanced Vision is a manufacturer of low vision products to assist with low vision conditions like Macular Degeneration and other visual impairments.

www.enhancedvision.com

Optelec - Optelec United States

Optelec aids for the blind and partially sighted. Screen magnifiers, optical magnifiers, software and much more

us.optelec.com

Low Vision – Freedom Scientific

www.freedomscientific.com

Video Magnifiers | Vision Aids | Eschenbach Optik Electronic Devices

Browse our selection of high quality Video Magnifiers! From Hand-held to desktop magnifiers, Eschenbach offers a range of electronic devices for the visually impaired.

eschenbach.com

 

[Chapap]

Probably macular degeneration. Pretty common in older folks.

I have two suggestions, first is to contact her state's blind services program and see how they can help. South Dakota has people that will go out to people's homes and help them find ways to live independently. They also have a CCTV magnifier program where people can rent or borrow a unit rather than buying one out of pocket.

If she is open to buying something, I would have her contact her eye doctor or her low vision doc (if she has one.) Many low vision doctors sell magnifiers, her state's Assistive Technology program might too.

FWIW I work for the SD AT program and low vision is a huge part of what we do... here are some companies I would check into for equipment:

Low Vision Products for Macular Degeneration - Enhanced Vision

Enhanced Vision is a manufacturer of low vision products to assist with low vision conditions like Macular Degeneration and other visual impairments.

www.enhancedvision.com

Optelec - Optelec United States

Optelec aids for the blind and partially sighted. Screen magnifiers, optical magnifiers, software and much more

us.optelec.com

Low Vision – Freedom Scientific

www.freedomscientific.com

Video Magnifiers | Vision Aids | Eschenbach Optik Electronic Devices

Browse our selection of high quality Video Magnifiers! From Hand-held to desktop magnifiers, Eschenbach offers a range of electronic devices for the visually impaired.

eschenbach.com

HOLY SHHHHHHHHHHHIEZER those are some hefty prices on those devices. Looks like they are quite capeable though. I know she's been checked out by a doc, but don't know if she's explored the aid stuff. She lives with one of her kids... and a couple grandkids... and several great grand kids... so there's no worries about the safety aspect. We're just looking to get some functional sight back. I'll have to see what FL offers. Thanks for that note, I had no idea they'd have something.

 

[Shran]

Yeah, they are expensive. Most of the desktop models are $2500 and up. I would look around for a used one - if you find one, PM me a model number or a picture and I can probably give you a ballpark idea of how old it is and what it's worth. We are a dealer for several companies and I've been working with them for 15 years so I am pretty familiar with what's out there.

If she is a veteran, the VA might have some resources available too.

Here are some resources for Florida:

Florida Division of Blind Services Main Page

dbs.fldoe.org

FAAST, Inc. - Florida Alliance for Assistive Services & Technology

FAAST (Florida Alliance for Assistive Services & Technology) is the resource for assistive technology resources in Florida. Contact us today!

faast.org

 

[Snoranger]

Get an app for your phone. I use Magnifier app on my android. You can zoom in, turn on the light, take a picture.View attachment 84728

That doesn’t work very well… I have good eyesight and I still can’t read that.

 

[superj]

i use my phone too. too much chemicals in the eyes and getting older