Computers Can Help People Who Have Vision Loss

Computers are capable of providing people with severe vision loss unprecedented access to a myriad of information, recreation and leisure options. In addition, technology can have a tremendous impact on one's ability to accomplish many of the daily tasks which become more difficult with impaired vision. Some examples include:

Reading mail

With the use of a scanner and specialized optical character recognition or optical character reader (OCR) technology, printed material can be easily scanned into one's computer and then be read either with a screen reader or a screen magnification software program. Keep in mind that this technology is not yet able to recognize and translate hand-written material.

Financial management

One of the most frustrating tasks for people with significant vision loss is managing their finances, including keeping track of bank accounts, paying bills, reviewing bank statements, etc. Now, thanks to on-line banking, all these tasks have become a lot more accessible. Many banks now offer separate "pages" on their websites with specific instructions for users of screen readers. In addition to your bank account, you can also access your various accounts with different merchants, including utility companies, credit cards, etc. This way, you are able to review your monthly bills and manage your finances without sighted assistance.

Shopping

With the rapid and dramatic increase of shopping options on the internet, this task has become both much easier and accessible, and also enjoyable for people who are blind and visually impaired. Although the level of accessibility varies significantly from site to site, due to government regulations and "good business" procedures, more and more merchants are ensuring that their websites are accessible to all.

No doubt, all this information may seem daunting, especially if your vision loss is recent and/or you may not have been a computer user in the past. However, we encourage you to be open to these possibilities. Try and locate a vision rehabilitation agency and ask for a demonstration of this amazingly varied and life-enhancing technology. Also, find out if there is a local Computer Users Group for people who are blind and low vision. You will be able to learn a lot and get many ideas and tricks from those already using this technology. Do not get discouraged, the rewards are limitless!