The device significantly improves reading ability.
A miniature camera that can be mounted onto the eyeglasses of people with low vision showed that it can dramatically improve reading ability and increase daily independence, according to a new study by researchers with the UC Davis Health System that’s cited by ScienceDaily. The article says that the portable camera uses optical character-recognition technology, enabling the device to recognize text and read it to the user via an earpiece that transmits sound. This development represents hope for patients with age-related macular degeneration or advanced-stage glaucoma, two leading causes of vision loss among elderly in the U.S.
Mark J. Mannis, chair of the UC Davis Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science and co-author of the study, told ScienceDaily: “Age-related macular degeneration is one of the most common causes of blindness in the elderly and it has no cure in its advanced stages. This device offers hope to patients who are beyond medical or surgical therapy for the condition. … It is easily used and could potentially bring greater independence, particularly for older patients who are struggling with vision loss.”
Read more at ScienceDaily