Macular degeneration (including age-related macular degeneration) affects the eyes by disrupting the sharp vision and the center of your visual field. This condition, which is the leading cause of vision loss in Americans over the age of 60, affects the macula, which is the portion of the eye that sees fine details.
Magnifiers
Magnifiers are small lenses that can be used to make objects appear bigger. They can be hand held (for convenience) or can be mounted to a stand (useful for patients with unsteady hands). These devices can generate magnification of one and a half to 20 times and are useful for reading.
Voice Output Readers
Voice output readers are able to scan written text, which is then read aloud by the machine. These devices can be configured to "read aloud" almost any kind of text. Voice output readers can be purchased as stand-alone machines or be hooked into a personal computer.
Video Magnifiers
Video magnifiers use a camera that is mounted on a stand. This camera then projects a magnified image onto a video screen (such as a TV). These devices are used for "up-close" tasks such as reading, writing or doing crafts. They can have black-and-white or color screens, and may be usable with a personal computer.
Monoculars and Binoculars
Other devices can be used to assist in seeing things from a distance. Binoculars and monoculars (magnification through one eye) can be used to give up to 10 times magnification. These devices come in a variety of sizes and strengths.
Absorptive Lenses
Absorptive lenses help regulate how much light is absorbed by the eye. These lenses, which can usually be worn over normal prescription glasses, can help increase contrast, prevent eye damage and make transitioning between light and dark surroundings easier.
Spectacle-Mounted Devices
Magnifiers and binoculars can also be fitted to spectacles. These devices can be fitted to your glasses and will protrude from the frames, allowing you to magnify images close up or far away (depending on the device that you use). Usually, these special magnifiers are set up so they can be flipped up, allowing you to choose between extra-magnification (from the device) or for the vision correction that your glasses already provide (for regular use).
