Aids for Sight Impaired People

Fortunately, the range of products available to assist with day to day activities if you have less than adequate vision is improving all the time. Here is an overview of some low vision aids you are sure to find useful: please send us an email if you are looking for anything in particular that you can't find here - or if you come across something that you think we should include.

Products featured on this page:

recordable labels
voice activated telephone dialler
pocket magnifier
big button phone
talking watch and clock
speaking calculator
big button remote
talking tins
writing aids

You can bypass the problem of reading and/or dialling telephone numbers altogether with Jolly Good Idea's voice-activated dialler (shown right). Completely compatible with the British landline system, the unit plugs between the phone and the wall socket, and can be used with every phone in the house. Just speak the name of the person you want to call!

A recordable labelling system (shown left) ensures that important information about medication, dosage, etc can be attached to standard packs and replayed as spoken instructions whenever required.

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Ability Store's clever Looky (left) is a discreet pocket magnifier, powered by rechargeable AA batteries, which gives up to eight times (8 x) magnification. Easy to use and really portable, it is a very useful aid for children as well as adults with poor vision.

A telephone with big buttons makes dialling much easier. This one on the right also allows you to add pictures for your four most important numbers. Whether you opt for clear pictograms for emergency services, or photographs of family and friends, it makes the phone much more personal and intuitive to use.

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Keep track of the time and make sure you don't oversleep, with an alarm clock (left) with a number of clever features. The analogue face has large, clear numerals, and also shows the time in digital format. It will speak the time in response to the press of a button, and has an audible alarm function. You can programme it to announce the time every hour, if you wish.

A talking wristwatch (right) which combines a clear analogue face with a 'speak the time' function is also helpful. These are available in both analogue and digital versions, men's and women's styles. Spoken feedback assists with setting the correct time.

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Many pocket calculators are so small and fiddly, it is next to impossible for any but the most nimble fingered and acute eyed to use them!

Apart from large clear buttons, this calculator (left) also speaks both the input figures and the results.

On the subject of fiddly buttons, a programmable remote control (right) which can be used to replace multiple standard remotes. This unit can learn from your existing controls, and it has large clear buttons with good tactile feedback. Compatible with all major brands of TV, DVD, set-top box, etc

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Make writing as easy as possible: position yourself in good light; use a bold, black ink pen, so that you get maximum contrast for easier legibility; a notepad with raised or bold guidelines (right) will make it easier to keep straight!

There are large print and braille versions of diaries, calendars and address books, to help keep you organised; tactile and recordable greetings cards, to help you keep in touch.

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Good daylight is the best for reading and detailed tasks - but it isn't always available! A portable daylight lamp (left) which folds for travelling means that you can always have the right kind of light where you need it.

Talking Tins from Force Ten (right) let you record a voice label to identify the contents of tins and other containers. Re-recordable and reusable yellow top is fixed to any steel tin by its built-in magnets.

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